Debbie Anne Turnbull, a mum on a mission to save lives, has joined the Mirror’s water safety campaign fearing those who lost out on lessons during Covid could be in danger
Campaigning mum Debbie Anne Turnbull fears children who have missed out on swimming lessons during Covid could be more at risk of drowning. She fears this could create a “pandemic” of generations unable to swim.
The 67-year-old woman, who lost her only child, Chris, when he fell into a whirlpool at the bottom of a waterfall while out with friends, worries about the consequences of children not being water aware.
Figures released by Sport England show that swimming attainment dropped from 65% in 2018 to 2019 to 53% during the Covid years – that’s 500,000 less children able to swim 25m.
Speaking from her home in Holywell, Flintshire, North Wales, Debbie, awarded an MBE in 2024 by Princess Anne for her work educating young people and their families about water safety, told The Mirror: “Potentially due to many pool closures during that time these families may not have had the opportunity to teach their children how to swim.
“This follows on and will be a generational concern. This could keep on going until there’s a tragedy in a family. It’s important something is done to make sure these kids are caught up, and not just that but also given life saving skills. Just learning to swim is not enough. It’s never too late to learn but education is paramount. I massively support the Mirror campaign, it’s the best campaign I’ve ever seen through the media.”
In Covid during the summer of 2021 there were 41 drownings in a 14 day period, Debbie highlights. Labour MP Lee Pitcher, who is backing ‘For our Sam’ The Mirror Water Safety Campaign’ said: “We also cannot forget the generation of children who missed out on swimming lessons entirely because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Pool closures and school disruptions meant some children went through primary school without ever learning to swim or receiving basic water safety education. Many of those children are now about to hit their teenage years where they are exactly the age group most at risk.”
Lorna Goldie, National aquatics competency manager for school swimming at Swim England said: “Too many children missed out on vital swimming lessons during the pandemic and did not have the opportunity to meet the national curriculum expectations for school swimming and water safety while at primary school.
“We are still seeing the impact of that gap today. It is those young people now in secondary school, or who have recently left, who are most affected.”
“According to the Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People survey, only around 72% of secondary-aged pupils can swim 25 metres unaided.
“Learning to swim is not just a life skill, it is a lifesaving one. Every young person deserves the opportunity to learn to swim and enjoy being in the water in a safe way.”
And Debbie urged those who missed out to get “water safety education, even if you can’t swim”. She warned: “My son could swim like a fish, he was a strong swimmer and still he was killed.”
Her rugby playing son Chris lost his life at 15. He had been going to the Cyfyng Falls near Capel Curig within Snowdonia national park, North Wales, with friends since May of 2006 but died on a sweltering hot day that August.
Chris died in horrifying circumstances when he fell into the waterfall from a ledge. Heavy rainfall days before created a powerfall whirlpool waterfall.
He fell into the centre and was dragged back into a cave where his trainer got stuck in a tree root. He was hit with cold water shock in water temperatures of between 3-5 degrees, it caused a heart attack and he drowned.
Debbie said: “If I knew then what I know now I wouldn’t have allowed Chris to go there. He was a strong swimmer and I didn’t realise the dangers.
“Drowning deaths are preventable with knowledge and caution. Since losing Chris I have made it my life mission to educate people on the dangers so nobody has to go through what we went through.”
She is backing our ‘Save Lives for Sam’ water safety campaign and says: “I am grateful for the Daily Mirror to be raising awareness because still each year we see needless deaths that are heartbreaking and infuriating – because they shouldn’t be happening. “ The Swimming Alliance, a coalition of around 25 organisations involved with swimming. are also backing our campaign.
After losing her son, the mum set up her own charitable organisation called ‘River and Sea Sense’ and has travelled the UK speaking to 900,000 children about the dangers of open water. She has received many awards for her charitable work.
”Drowning is fast and silent and dangers are invisible. One conversation could save a life,” she said.
“Coming up to 20 years since losing Chris is particularly poignant. I am extremely sad and that never goes. I can be happy but in a different way. The main thing is to accept what happened. You don’t move on, you move forward.
“With loss it is hard to feel real joy again. You don’t get over losing a child in a million years.”
If any schools would like to hear from Debbie they can contact her through her website riverandseasense.com .
What everyone should be able to do in water
Swim England strongly recommends that everyone should be able to perform ‘four water competencies’.
Perform a star float for at least 60 seconds, tread water for at least 30 seconds, experience of swimming in clothing, swim at least 100 metres with ease and without stopping and understand the Water Safety Code.”