IN BRIEF
FIREFIGHTERS TEAM UP
WITH RNLI TO LAUNCH
WATER SAFETY CAMPAIGN THE HIVE AND CLAIRE
HOUSE PARTNER TO GIVE
YOUNG PEOPLE A DAY
TO ‘BEE' HAPPY
Firefighters will now be spreading crucial water safety
advice to residents in Wallasey as part of a new pilot
scheme aimed at reducing the number of water related
incidents in the area. The Hive Youth Zone and Claire House Children’s
Hospice have joined forces to give the siblings of children
supported by the hospice a monthly opportunity to come
together, forget about their worries, and have some fun
at The Hive.
It comes as part of a partnership between Merseyside Fire & Rescue
Service (MFRS) and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
The six-month pilot will initially be restricted to the Wallasey area –
where incidents involving water are particularly high – but could be
rolled out further if deemed a success.
Firefighters and other staff from MFRS visit more than 60,000 homes
each year to highlight fire safety. These Home Fire Safety Checks
(HFSCs) are normally pre-arranged and made by appointment
with the homeowner/occupant, but can sometimes be carried out
as part of door-to-door or community reassurance campaigns. As
part of the pilot, firefighters will now spend an extra few minutes in
residents’ homes in Wallasey, using this time to share important safety
information around water safety in line with the RNLI’s ‘Respect the
Water’ campaign.
The average temperature in British and Irish coastal waters is 12-
15⁰C – enough to cause cold water shock. Fire crews will focus on
the RNLI’s core safety message – Float to Live – aimed at equipping
anyone who finds themselves unexpectedly entering cold water with
the key survival technique.
Ian Kay, Team Leader at MFRS’ Marine Rescue Unit, said: “The latest
figures showing water linked fatalities make shocking reading and
demonstrate just how serious the risks are for people who go near to
or into the water. Nearly 50% of people who accidentally drown in
the UK never intended to enter the water so it’s imperative that we
ensure people are aware of the risks and know how to take action if
they find themselves in difficulty. Our goal is to reduce the number
of accidental drownings across Merseyside and we hope to do this
by highlighting this issue and making sure simply safety messages
reach those most at risk. Including water safety as part of HFSCs is an
important step in reducing these needless deaths.”
Natasha Williamson, Counsellor at Claire House, said: "We’re really
excited for the start of this partnership with The Hive. At Claire House
Children’s Hospice, we know how important it is to support the entire
family; we ensure that parents, grandparents and children with life-
limiting illnesses and those families who are sadly bereaved get the
support that they need to promote positive mental health. The Bee
Happy parties at The Hive’s incredible site will allow siblings of Claire
House children to leave behind their worries for a few hours, have fun
and meet other children who are going through something similar to
themselves.”
The dedicated ‘Bee Happy’ party themed events will offer the Claire
House siblings exclusive access to all the incredible facilities that The
Hive has to offer. These include an indoor climbing wall, a rooftop
football pitch, a fully equipped music room and hair salon. The
siblings will all receive a Hive membership as part of their welcome
pack, with the hope they will continue to access the Youth Zone in
their own time.
Chief Executive of The Hive Youth Zone Adam Mellor said: “The Hive
Youth Zone aims to create an inclusive and supportive environment for
young people from across Wirral. Working in partnership with Claire
House and their sibling groups is an incredible way to help support
the inspiring work that they do. Our team has worked tirelessly to
create the most incredible party imaginable for the siblings. Activities
will include a huge disco, magic, face-painting, karaoke, climbing and
giant inflatables alongside activities already available in The Hive.
Our aim is for them to come along, build up a social network of new
friends, forget their worries and simply be happy!”
To find out more, visit www.thehiveyouthzone.org
wirrallife.com 11