Understand
Southampton mum of drowned teen campaigns for a water safety minister
Overview
Vanessa Abbess, whose 17-year-old son Joe died in a 2023 rip current incident off Bournemouth Beach, has joined other bereaved families to deliver a letter to 10 Downing Street. As part of the national Save Lives for Sam water safety campaign, she is calling on the government to appoint a water safety minister to address drowning prevention on a national scale.
Key points
- Vanessa Abbess's son Joe and 12-year-old Sunnah Khan died after being dragged out to sea by a rip current on 31 May 2023.
- Bereaved families delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street demanding the appointment of a government water safety minister.
- The campaign is part of the national Save Lives for Sam initiative, backed by organisations including Swim England, The National Water Safety Forum, and the RNLI.
- Water safety has recently become a statutory part of the Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum in English schools, but campaigners argue broader public health awareness is also needed.