Penarth Fire Station extends partnership with Theatr na nÓg for water safety education
Iain Hoey
Share this content
Water safety workshops at Cardiff Bay
Penarth Fire Station has announced the extension of its partnership with local theatre group Theatr na nÓg following the success of a recent community event at Cardiff Bay.
As reported by the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, the event featured a series of workshops and performances of the award-winning live-action piece, ‘Just Jump’.
These will be repeated from 3rd to 7th June at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay to highlight the dangers of open water and anti-social behaviours such as swimming in unsupervised waters and ‘tombstoning’ – the act of jumping from high structures into water.
Commissioned by Cardiff Harbour Authority and Arts & Business Cymru, ‘Just Jump’ is a sombre story with a sad ending, designed to ensure young people have the necessary information to make safe decisions during the summer months.
Community engagement and education
The initial event, which took place from 20th to 24th May, saw over 500 members of the public participate, along with approximately 600 pupils and teachers from 10 schools across South Wales.
The collaborative effort between Penarth Fire Station and Theatr na nÓg provided vital water safety education.
School children aged between eight and ten years old engaged in competitions and learnt lifesaving techniques such as ‘float to live’ and other water rescue procedures.
All watches from Penarth Fire Station attended the event, supporting the educational activities and engaging with the community to promote water safety.
Feedback from organisers
Station Manager Nathan Rees-Taylor described the event as a “dynamic and engaging platform to educate and inform”.
He added: “We are extremely proud of the success of this event. The collaboration with the Theatr na nÓg group and the dedication of the community has been outstanding.
“It is vital that our young people understand the dangers of open water and make informed decisions, especially as the weather warms up.”
Future events and participation
The extended event will continue to focus on educating students from Welsh schools across South Wales.
Organisers hope that the continued partnership and repeated performances will further enhance awareness of water safety among young people, reducing the risks associated with open water and anti-social swimming behaviours.