Water Safety Partnership

In 2015, the Manchester Water Safety Partnership was formed in response to several deaths in central Manchester waterways. The group is made up of representatives from GMFRS, Canal and River Trust, CityCo, Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Police, Bridgewater Canal Company, Salford City Council, and the Royal Life Saving Society UK, working together to help make Manchester’s waterways safer, with a key focus on the city centre.

2019 Water Safety initiative

In 2019 we reinforced our safety messages around open water working closely with the loved ones of two teenage boys from Bolton - Jason Varghese (15) and his older cousin Joel Aniyankunj (19) - who drowned while on holiday in August 2018.

Following on from the tragic accident Jason’s and Joel’s loved ones are urging young people not to swim in open water – both at home and on holiday – while also reaching out to parents to raise awareness and save others the heartache they have experienced.

You can read more about this here and watch a video below which includes Suby (Jason's mum and Joel's auntie), Jason's headteacher, Tania Lewyckji, and two of his best friends - Robbie Woodcock and Sam Gibbons.