BANTHAM Surf Life Saving Club will be launching a Graduate Lifeguard Programme for 14-16 year olds later this year.

The graduates will be responsible for increasing water safety awareness among their peers by giving a series of presentations to schools and clubs in the region. There is a growing number of people drowning along the UK coast – a high proportion of which are under 16 – and it is hoped that these presentations will give this vulnerable group the information they need to be safe in the sea.

The programme is an initiative from Surf Life Saving GB - a national charity for saving lives on our beaches - and has already been piloted in four clubs in the south west. The graduates will embark on a three year programme to develop their lifesaving and sport leadership skills. They will undertake 12 units covering surf life saving skills, first aid, beach safety and personal development.

The programme culminates in the National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification at the age of 16 and has been designed to run in tandem with the Sports Leaders UK’s Young Leaders Award and the Duke of Edinburgh Award, giving each graduate the opportunity to learn invaluable life skills and gain qualifications to enhance their future education and career choices.

SLSGB chairman Pete Lawrence said: ‘With the help of South West Water we have been able to launch this Graduate Lifeguard Programme for our junior members which brings a new and valuable dimension to SLSGB’s lifesaving activity. Most drowning is preventable, but young people need to be equipped with some water safety awareness to avoid getting into dangerous situations. Our graduate lifeguards are tasked with delivering this message and we feel peer to peer is the most effective way of doing this.’