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Fire Service donates water safety equipment to charity

Firefighters have donated new equipment to the Swinton Lock Activity Centre which offers educational and leisure daytrips on their narrowboat to youngsters.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) has given the charity two water throwlines to assist with the safety on the boat.

Swinton Lock Activity Centre is a community based arts, education and activity centre next to the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation Canal at Swinton.  They provide a wide range of activities for young people including fishing, arts and crafts, spraycan art and boat handling on their own narrowboat which is used for residential and accredited boat handling courses.

A number of the youngsters who attend the centre have been involved in anti social behaviour such as fire setting and other behavioural issues and find it difficult to integrate into schools.  The centre helps them develop their social skills by offering a variety of activities to take part in which helps to build their confidence.

Crew Manager Adam Dilkes, a firefighter at Rotherham fire station, has been attending the centre for the past two years talking to the youngsters about fire safety and promoting a positive image of the fire service.

Crew Manager Adam Dilkes said; “I am really pleased that we have been able to help the centre by giving them this life saving equipment, and that I also get the chance to educate them of fire safety issues and give advice on life experiences while encouraging the youngsters to think about their behaviour and the effects of it.”

Sharon Cooke, from Swinton Lock Activity Centre, said: “The staff, boat volunteers and crew of Swinton Lock Activity Centre would like to say a massive thank you to South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue for donating brand new throwing lines for use on our canal boats. They are a crucial piece of life saving equipment to have when the boat is in use and for training purposes. Working on and right beside the canal makes water safety a priority for us all.

“As a small independent Charity the help and support no matter how big or small, provided by the local community, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue and local business has a huge impact and enables us to help and support others.”

This content was last updated on May 17th, 2016