The Royal Lifesaving Society UK, also known as Lifesavers, is the governing body for lifesaving and lifeguarding in the United Kingdom. The Royal Lifesaving Society also exists in the Republic of Ireland under the title RLSS Ireland.
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The Royal Life Saving Society UK is a national charity that was founded in 1891 and its aim is to Safeguard lives in, on and near water. The Society has more than 13,000 members in 48 branches and 1,400 active lifesaving and lifeguarding clubs it trains over 93% of all pool and beach lifeguards throughout the UK and Ireland.
The Society has had Royal Patronage since 1904. Her Majesty the Queen is the Society's Patron. HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO is the extremely active Commonwealth President of the Society. It is based in the Midlands town of Alcester, Warwickshire.
www.rlss.org.uk The RLSS is part of Royal Lifesaving Society Commonwealth and International Life Saving Federation.
Lifesaving and lifeguarding are promoted as a sport and a life skill by the Royal Life Saving Society UK There are over 1400 lifesaving clubs based throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland,[1] which teach skills such as drowning prevention, life support and personal survival. The learning of lifesaving takes place in a variety of water environments, such as swimming pools, inland water venues and at coastal locations. Often clubs coach their members towards achieving RLSS awards, the flagship award being the Bronze Medallion. For a description of the Medallion itself see Bronze Medallion (New Zealand and Australia).[2]
Subsequent awards include the Award of Merit, which is followed by Open Water exams of the Bronze and Silver Crosses. The final award of lifesaving is that of Distinction, an award that demands a very high level of skill from the participant [1]. Training programmes exist for all ages, from young children to adults. Some lifesaving and lifeguard clubs operate as volunteer organisations, providing safety cover at locations where there would otherwise be none.
The RLSS organises both national and regional speed and skills competitions and many clubs, including university affiliated clubs (organised through the British Universities Lifesaving Clubs Association (BULSCA)) field teams at these events.
To mark the centenary of the Royal Life Saving Society activity in the Republic of Ireland the establishment of the Ireland Medal was introduced in 2004. It is a specially commissioned gold medallion that is awarded annually to those resident in Ireland or those with Irish descent who have the most outstanding aquatic rescue. This award is also in conjunction with the - Irish Lifesaving Foundation.[3]
The RLSS offers community courses as well as vocational qualifications for pool and beach lifeguards. These vocational awards are recognised throughout the UK and Ireland and are awarded under the auspices of the Institute of Qualified Lifeguards. [2]. These awards include the National Pool and National Beach Lifeguard Qualifications as well as the new National Pool Management Course (NPMQ).
RLSS UK offers many courses for young people including the Rookie Lifeguard Programme which is part of the governments National Plan for Teaching of Swimming developed to teach children aged 8 to 12 years old the basics in life saving [3]. Other programmes include Young Leaders (12+), Assistant Instructor (14+) and Rookie Instructor (16+) as well as Assistant Beach Lifeguard and Senior Lifesaving Awards. Young people also have the opportunity to use their lifesaving skills in a competitive environment through the Sport Section of the Society.
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