Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is backing a call for children and young people to stay safe around open water.
Mr Rowlands. Shadow Minister for Health was commenting after annual drowning statistics from the Water Safety Wales group showed a rise in accidental drowning deaths involving people aged under 20.
He said:
Everybody knows how passionate I am about children and young people enjoying the great outdoors but sadly drownings in Wales are on the increase.
Thankfully, there are groups like AdventureSmart UK and the Water Safety Wales group who are working to increase awareness of water safety.
I was delighted to meet some of their representatives recently at the Senedd and hear all about the great work they carry out ensuring people are prepared for outdoor activities.
Mr Rowlands joined fellow members at an event ‘A Wales without drowning – our joint vision where Water Safety Wales set out its future plans and gave practical water safety demonstrations.
Water Safety Wales say too many people in Wales are drowning. Despite their efforts, people are more likely to drown now than they were when Wales’ first ever Drowning Prevention Strategy was published three and a half years ago.
Now Water Safety Wales is calling for people of all ages in Wales to be encouraged to learn key safety tips to help children and young people stay safe around the sea, rivers and other open water.
Four people under 20 died in accidental drownings in Wales in 2022 – the highest number since comparable data became available from the National Water Safety Forum’s Water Incident Database (WAID) in 2015.
In total, there were 22 deaths in Wales from accidental drowning in 2022 across inland and coastal locations, compared with 26 the previous year.
Chris Cousens, Water Safety Wales Chair, said:
Everyone connected to Water Safety Wales was deeply saddened to hear of the tragic incidents involving young people losing their lives in open water in Wales last year.
We believe that one drowning is one too many and the impact of losing a young person to drowning cannot be underestimated. People of all ages should learn and remember these four key safety tips for children and young people and adults should talk to their youngsters about them.
Water Safety Wales supports the National Water Safety Forum’s #RespecttheWater, a collective campaign aiming to provide simple life saving advice which can help members of the public take personal responsibility for their own and their family’s safety by remembering two lifesaving tips. The Forum will also be promoting the campaign later in the summer for World Drowning Prevention Day on 25th July.
For more information about the #RespectTheWater campaign visit https://respectthewater.com/
Sam Rowlands AS yn cefnogi ymgyrch i dynnu sylw at ddiogelwch dŵr
Mae Sam Rowlands, Aelod o’r Senedd dros y Gogledd, yn cefnogi galwad i blant a phobl ifanc gadw'n ddiogel o amgylch dŵr agored.
Roedd Mr Rowlands, Gweinidog Iechyd yr Wrthblaid yn gwneud sylwadau ar ôl i ystadegau boddi blynyddol gan grŵp Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru ddangos cynnydd mewn marwolaethau boddi damweiniol ymysg pobl dan 20 oed.
Meddai:
Mae pawb yn gwybod pa mor angerddol ydw i am blant a phobl ifanc yn mwynhau'r awyr agored, ond yn anffodus mae achosion o foddi ar gynnydd yng Nghymru.
Diolch byth, mae grwpiau fel AdventureSmart UK a grŵp Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru yn gweithio i gynyddu ymwybyddiaeth o ddiogelwch dŵr.
Roeddwn i’n falch iawn o gyfarfod â rhai o'u cynrychiolwyr yn ddiweddar yn y Senedd a chlywed am y gwaith gwych maen nhw’n ei wneud i sicrhau bod pobl yn barod ar gyfer gweithgareddau awyr agored.
Ymunodd Mr Rowlands â chyd-aelodau mewn digwyddiad ‘Cymru heb foddi: Ein cydweledigaeth’ lle cyflwynodd Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru ei gynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol a chynnal arddangosiadau diogelwch dŵr ymarferol.
Dywed Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru bod gormod o bobl yng Nghymru yn boddi. Er gwaethaf eu hymdrechion, mae pobl yn fwy tebygol o foddi nawr nag yr oedden nhw pan gyhoeddwyd Strategaeth Atal Boddi gyntaf erioed Cymru dair blynedd a hanner yn ôl.
Nawr mae Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru’n galw am annog pobl o bob oed yng Nghymru i ddysgu cyngor diogelwch allweddol i helpu plant a phobl ifanc i gadw'n ddiogel ger y môr, afonydd a dŵr agored arall.
Bu farw pedwar o bobl dan 20 oed drwy foddi’n ddamweiniol yng Nghymru yn 2022 - y nifer uchaf ers i ddata cymharol fod ar gael gan Gronfa Ddata Digwyddiadau Dŵr y Fforwm Diogelwch Dŵr Cenedlaethol (WAID) yn 2015.
Roedd cyfanswm o 22 o farwolaethau yng Nghymru o ganlyniad i foddi damweiniol yn 2022 mewn lleoliadau mewndirol ac arfordirol, o'i gymharu â 26 y flwyddyn flaenorol.
Meddai Chris Cousens, Cadeirydd Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru:
Roedd pawb sy'n gysylltiedig â Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru’n drist iawn o glywed am y digwyddiadau trasig yn ymwneud â phobl ifanc yn colli eu bywydau mewn dŵr agored yng Nghymru y llynedd.
Credwn fod un achos o foddi yn un yn ormod ac ni ellir tanbrisio effaith colli person ifanc drwy foddi. Dylai pobl o bob oed ddysgu a chofio'r pedwar awgrym diogelwch allweddol hyn ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc a dylai oedolion siarad â'u plant amdanyn nhw.
Mae Diogelwch Dŵr Cymru yn cefnogi #ParchwchyDŵr y Fforwm Diogelwch Dŵr Cenedlaethol, ymgyrch ar y cyd sydd â’r nod o ddarparu cyngor achub bywyd syml a all helpu aelodau'r cyhoedd i ysgwyddo cyfrifoldeb personol am eu diogelwch eu hunain a'u teulu trwy gofio dau awgrym achub bywyd. Bydd y Fforwm yn hyrwyddo'r ymgyrch yn ddiweddarach yn yr haf hefyd ar gyfer Diwrnod Atal Boddi y Byd ar 25 Gorffennaf.
Am ragor o wybodaeth am yr ymgyrch #ParchwchyDŵr ewch i https://respectthewater.com/cy/
