Clacton Town Hall will be lit up this evening (Tuesday, 25 July) to raise awareness of water safety.

Introduced by the United Nations in 2021, World Drowning Prevention Day is held annually on 25 July to highlight the profound and tragic impact of drowning on families and communities and to offer life-saving solutions to prevent it.

Tendring District Council (TDC) is a part of the Tendring Water Safety Forum as a commitment to reduce water-related deaths and associated harm.

Councillor Mark Stephenson, TDC Leader, spoke of the importance of raising awareness of the inherent dangers of the sea.

“We are pleased to be lighting up our Town Hall blue to provide recognition of water safety,” Councillor Stephenson said.

“This council takes water safety very seriously and is dedicated to providing education and safety advice for visitors to Tendring’s 36 miles of coastline.

“This summer, free Swim Safe sessions in partnership with Swim England and the RNLI will return for 7 to 14-year-olds, and our knowledgeable Beach Patrol teams are on hand to advise and help prevent injury.

“We urge all beach users to heed the advice of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Respect the water.”

According to the UN, an estimated 236,000 people drown every year, making this issue a major public health problem worldwide.

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