FESTIVE drinkers in Worcester are being urged to look after their friends on a night out after new figures revealed Hereford and Worcester had significantly higher rate of intoxicated drownings than the national average.
As part of the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s national Don’t Drink and Drown campaign, this year running until Sunday (December 8), local revellers are being asked not to let any of their friends walk home alone and to watch RLSS UK’s brand-new film to see how easily a fun night out can turn into tragedy.
Vicki Jones, who tragically lost her son Tom last tear when he drowned after a night out, will be visiting bars and clubs in Worcester City Centre with staff from RLSS UK, to talk to staff about how they can encourage their customers to look after each other.
In addition, volunteers will be talking to students at University of Worcester on Monday (December 9), urging them not to let their friends walk home alone on a night out.
Latest statistics revealed 17 people have accidentally drowned in Hereford and Worcester over the last five years and a staggering 35 per cent of these were found to have had alcohol and/or drugs in their system, higher than the national percentage average.
There were 1,4581 accidental deaths in the UK between 2014-2018 and more than 30 per cent of the victims had alcohol and/or drugs in their bloodstream. Many of them drowned because they walked home alone and fell in the water.
Laurence Hickin, RLSS UK Community Drowning Prevention Coordinator for the Worcester area, said: “It’s a sad truth the number of drownings increase in the winter period, more often than not because of intoxication.
“Families, friends and whole communities are left devastated every year because someone walks home alone whilst under the influence and falls into the water.
“We’re urging people to stay together on a night out. Make sure their friends get home safe and don’t let them walk anywhere, especially near water, alone.”
The Don’t Drink and Drown campaign was launched in 2014 following a string of tragic drownings of young people. RLSS UK was keen to prevent more tragedies, by targeting at risk groups in hot spot areas, at particular points in the year where alcohol related drowning incidences increase – September at the start of the new university term and in December.
As part of the campaign, organisations up and down the country promote water safety messaging and run awareness activities urging revellers to take care near water whilst under the influence of alcohol and/or.
Visit www.rlss.org.uk, follow the campaign on #DontDrinkandDrown, or call 0300 3230 096 for more.
