Lifesaving club’s plea for more members

Droylsden Lifesaving Club meet at Medlock on a Monday evening and are searching for new members.

The club is accredited by the Royal Life Saving Society UK and has been providing lifesaving awards and qualifications to the community for over 50 years.

Anyone over the age of 8 years old who are confident in deep water, can swim 50 meters or more confidently and can tread water for 1 minute are able to join Droylsden Lifesaving Club.

Olivia Walker is one of the many volunteers that help on a Monday night: “we teach children from the ages of 8 upwards, up to like 16/17, lifesaving skills, first aid skills and hopefully make some new lifeguards.”

Droylsden Lifesaving Club offer a range of qualifications and sessions.

During the summer months, they do open water sessions, so that people are learning about water safety not only in a pool but in an open water environment as well.

Some of the qualifications they offer include the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification that can be done at the age of 16 to become a lifeguard.

The clubs main aim is to teach people the importance of water safety, as well as what to do in an emergency: “the skills that you can take through the rest of your life, it’s not skills that you readily get in school, and I think that’s a shame. I hope that more schools put it into their curriculum.

“But I think these skills keep kids safe inside and outside of water environments. In summer when its hot people want to go in the water, it gives them the skills to know what’s safe and what’s not.

Not only do the club teach lifesaving skills, but they also cover some first aid as well.

Droylsden Lifesaving Club is a non-profit organisation, and the club relies on their volunteers and members to keep the club running: “we have a great group of volunteers, a great group of members we are a really good community, a big family.

“We really do rely on members coming in. The money that it funds for the club then gives us opportunities to go to open water events, teach more courses, provide more resources and give more training. So, we are really focused on members.”

The club meets Monday evenings 7:30pm-9:00pm at Medlock swimming baths in Droylsden.

If you want more information on how to join you can find more on their website: Droylsden Life Saving Club | Lifesaving