The summer months are a time when the British public flock to the seaside and jet off to sunnier beach destinations to enjoy the school summer holidays, but it is also the busiest time of the year for RNLI volunteers and lifeguards.
In a bid to educate the nation on water safety, Kärcher and the RNLI have launched an open access floating gallery to raise public awareness on how the lifesaving Float to Live technique can look different for each person, showcasing that everyone floats differently.
The RNLI’s Float to Live campaign advises the public, if they find themselves in difficulty in the water, to tilt your head back with ears submerged, relax and try to control your breathing, use your hands to help stay afloat. Also depicted in the new image bank, the RNLI also highlights how It’s OK if your legs sink as every body floats differently, and can involve people gently treading water to keep their airways clear of the water.
The bank of imagery captures everyday people of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds with the aim of improving access to Float to Live images across digital platforms with a refreshed view of what it actually looks like to safely float – challenging the myth that everyone floats motionless in a starfish shape. With almost a quarter of Brits admitting they’re unsure how to float, the gallery represents the many ways different body types stay buoyant.
With 83% of Brits expected to visit the coast this summer it is vital that people learn this life saving skill, as over a third of the population say they don’t know what to do if they get into trouble in the water and 64% are unaware that it is advised to Float to Live when a difficult situation arises.
Captured on the shores of Brighton at the open-air Sea Lanes pool, the gallery includes floating demonstrations from a range of people from different backgrounds and with different abilities, including body positivity model Izzy Nicholls and Caleb McDuff, the UK’s only male Deaf racing driver.
To see the images live, the Floating Gallery will be afloat in London’s St Katharine’s Dock on 7th August, 10am-4pm.
The activation is part of a wider four-year partnership between Kärcher and the RNLI, helping to prevent drowning and save lives at sea. Known for its outstanding cleaning credentials, Kärcher is committed to providing £300k worth of cleaning equipment to the RNLI’s lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland.
This includes professional pressure washers and other important equipment including scrubber dryers, to support vital cleaning of the lifeboats and stations. The brand also supports the partnership with fundraising activities and sales promotions, raising funds to help the RNLI continue to save lives at sea. As part of this, for every OC 3 or OC 3 Foldable purchased through karcher.co.uk during August, the brand will donate £5.00 from every sale to the RNLI.
James Gordon, marketing director, Kärcher UK and Ireland, comments: ‘We are excited to partner with the RNLI again this year to help make a difference when it comes to educating people on the lifesaving technique of floating. We hope that the launch of the innovative Floating Gallery helps bust the misconception that there’s only one correct way to float and will help others to find their float. This campaign reflects our commitment to our ongoing partnership with the RNLI, and our dedication to support their water safety mission. By highlighting what floating looks like across different individuals, we hope to empower everyone to practise floating and feel confident and secure in the water this summer.”
RNLI national water safety partner, Samantha Hughes says: “We are so grateful to Kärcher for helping us to share our lifesaving messaging while showing that Float to Live is for everyone. We really encourage people to practise floating whenever possible. With people using the technique both at the coast and inland in rivers and canals, it has really helped to save lives”.
