Across the UK, an estimated 14 million adults cannot swim. That’s roughly one in three of us. It’s a startling figure, especially when you consider we live on an island surrounded by water, full of lochs, rivers and reservoirs carving their way through the landscape.

Summer often brings thoughts of beach days, poolside relaxation, or family trips to waterparks. But for millions of UK adults, the reality is a quiet fear, as they can’t swim.

Tragically, in 2024 alone, the National Water Safety Forum reported that there were 33 accidental drownings in Scotland.

That equates to almost six fatal drownings per one million people, nearly twice the rate seen across the rest of the UK.

Most of those who lost their lives were male, with the highest proportion aged 20 to 29 years old. Many of these incidents occurred during recreational and everyday activities,........

© Herald Scotland