Sort by
Sort by

UNCLE TOBYS helps kids become waterwise

Back to Press releases
Australia

The number of children who drown in Australia has fallen by 15 per cent, down from 50 to 42, a new report released reveals.

The Royal Life Saving Drowning Report 2011 found that children between the ages of 0-4 accounted for 9 per cent of deaths, with children who belong to the 5-14 year old bracket accounting for 4 per cent.

Royal Life Saving CEO Rob Bradley says that although it is extremely pleasing that the death rate of children has decreased, the amount of children drowning remains unacceptable.

“Royal Life Saving continues to urge all parents to supervise their children constantly when they are near water and to learn CPR. Water awareness classes such as the Swim and Survive program, which UNCLE TOBYS proudly supports, are a great way to introduce young children to a lifetime of fun and safe water activity.”

UNCLE TOBYShas been supporting Royal Life Saving Society since 2009 and has to date has funded swimming lessons for thousands of Aussie kids, as part of its Swim Kids initiative designed to prevent drowning deaths.

Over half a million dollars has been donated to Royal Life Saving by UNCLE TOBYS to help give children the opportunity to learn how to swim and to educate parents on the importance of water safety. With summer on the way, it’s vital to ensure Aussie families are being safe in and around water.

“Even one child drowning is too much, but it’s encouraging to see the number reducing, ” says Angela Kominatos, Sponsorship Manager for UNCLE TOBYS breakfast cereals and snacks.

“UNCLE TOBYS partnered with the Royal Life Saving Society in the Swim, Survive, Stay Alive campaign to help get the important message out that drowning is completely preventable as long as you have the skills to keep safe in the water.

“We hope that this initiative did make a difference and that the message that we are trying to send has been received and somehow made a difference.”

www.SwimKids.com.au is an online resource dedicated to helping parents to teach their kids to swim safely. UNCLE TOBYS ambassadors and Olympic swimmers Eamon Sullivan, Grant Hackett, Cate Campbell and , Emily Seebohm, are spokespeople for this campaign offering swim and water safety tips to mum’s and dad’s that visit the site along with special swim snapshot videos.


Caption: Rob Bradley, Grant Hackett and Senator Mark Arbib at the launch of the Royal Life Saving Drowning Report 2011.