As temperatures are forecast to rise again and families across Staffordshire prepare for their holidays, Wayne Goodall, Managing Director of Waterworld Leisure Resort, shares why water safety is everyone’s responsibility, and why investing in people and training is just as important as investing in attractions.
“Summer is one of the most enjoyable times of the year. Families spend more time outdoors, children enjoy their holidays and, understandably, many people head for the water to cool down.
But warmer weather also brings a reality we can’t ignore.
Every year, hundreds of water-related accidents take place during the summer, with most fatalities occurring in the month of August. In many cases, these incidents occur in places people know well, with over 60% happening during recreational activities.
Whether you’re visiting a leisure attraction, swimming in open water or simply enjoying a day out near rivers or lakes, understanding the risks and knowing how to stay safe has never been more important.
At Waterworld, the safety of our visitors has always been our highest priority. While guests come to enjoy themselves, there’s an enormous amount of work that happens behind the scenes to ensure every visit is as safe as it is memorable.
We were proud to recently support National Drowning Prevention Week by hosting a community water safety event alongside Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, the Swimming Teachers Association and Staffordshire Fire & Rescue. Seeing more than 1,200 people engage with practical demonstrations and life-saving advice reinforced just how valuable these conversations are.
As the summer season hits full swing, we’re also hosting what we believe to be the UK’s first aquatic VR training exposition for our Lifeguards, in collaboration with Safety Skills Training DMCC (SST), who are international specialists in aquatic safety and work with the biggest attractions brands globally.
By introducing virtual reality, AI-supported learning and modern lifeguard training techniques, we’re helping our teams prepare for the challenges of a busy summer while sharing best practice with other operators from across the sector. As technology evolves and new training methods emerge, it’s important that we stay at the forefront of professional development.
This year we’ve also introduced free swim jackets for children to use while visiting the Aqua Park, giving families another option to help younger visitors build confidence in the water and adding an extra layer of reassurance.
Ultimately, water safety is everyone’s responsibility and we’d encourage anyone reading this to search the ‘Water Safety Code’ online and teach those principles to their friends and family this summer.”
