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2022-12-31-accounts

Annual Report and Accounts

2022

Registered Charity (Charity Commission for England and Wales, Charity Number 306094)

Accredited Commonwealth Organisation Incorporated by Royal Charter Registered with the Fundraising Regulator

Drowning

The process of experiencing respiratory impairment from immersion/submersion in liquid

The World Health Organization estimates that 2.5 million people lost their lies to drowning over the past decade, 90% occurring in low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC's)

In 2017, over 110,000 people died from drowning in Commonwealth countries

More than one-third (37%) of global drowning occurred in Commonwealth countries

Drowning is a leading cause of child deaths (1-4 years) and is a top ten leading cause of death for children 1-24 years in every region globally

Half of all drowning deaths in Commonwealth countries occur among children and adolescents (0-19 years), 26% occurring in children in their fist five years of life

The highest rates of drowning occur in African and many Small Island Commonwealth Member Nations

Contents

Contents
Page
Obituary to HM Queen Elizabeth II, Patron of the RLSS 1
Message from the Commonwealth President 2
HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO
Message from the Deputy Commonwealth President 3
Mr Clive Holland
Trustees' Report
Charity Information and Overview 4
Governance 6
Members 7
Our Charitable Purpose, Mission, Vision, Motto, Scope and Values 8
Our Strategic Priorities 2020-2023 10
Our Achievements 2022 11
Our Plans for 2023 23
Financial Summary 24
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities 25
Accounts
Independent Examiner's report to the Trustees 27
Accounts to the year ended 31st December 2022 28

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Patron of the Royal Life Saving Society

21 April 1926-8 September 2022

Her Majesty assumed the role of RLSS Patron on 3 June 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI.

The origins of the Royal Family’s connection to the RLSS can be traced to the founding of the Society in 1891 with King Edward VII, King George V and King George VI having accepted the role of Patron.

Her Majesty held several Society awards including the Elementary and Intermediate Certificates and was the first young person in the Commonwealth to achieve the Society’s Junior Respiration Award.

The Society is grateful to Her Majesty for her unwavering support to the RLSS and the cause of drowning prevention over 70 years.

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I.QDIITDOIèJ, W. 8. It has been a difflcult few years for the Royal Llfe Savln8 Soclety and its members but it is good to see that so much has been achieved despite the challenges. The two Survival Swlmmlng projects that were run in Sri Lanka and South Africa during 2022 provided much needed water safety educètlon. My congratulations go to the Srl Lanka Lifesaving Society and Llfesavlng South Afrlca for runnin8 these successful projects and our thanks to Speedo International for their support in fundln8 them. 2023 will see the Soclety embark on a strateglc plannlng process that wlll set the prlorltles and actions for the next 5 year5. 1 am delighted to hear that thi5 proce55 will be in consultation wlth all our member organisations around the Commonwealth to ensure our plan reflects thelr requirements and wishes. I look fopward to seeing the outcome of thls plece of work. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all rnembers, supporters and volunteers for thelr valuable contrlbutlons to the Soclety. HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO Commonwealth Presldent

Message from the Deputy Commonwealth President

2022 saw a marked change in the Society’s activities around the Commonwealth as the world re-emerged from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of 2022, all our members were back training face to face although many are now using a blended programme of online and face to face training. The pandemic has taught us to use technology more widely and we have certainly benefited from using it connect with members more than we did previously.

The Society’s activities during 2022 are detailed later in this report but member engagement is still a key priority for our Headquarters team, and we continue to host our Committee of Presidents meeting bi-annually which provides us the opportunity to update them on our activities and to keep informed with our members activities and identify any support we can provide to them.

2022 was a bittersweet year for the Society as we celebrated the Platinum Jubilee of our Patron, HM Elizabeth II and then sadly, like many around the globe, mourned her passing. As part of the Jubilee celebrations, we produced a commemorative book highlighting how her support of the Society was a constant throughout her reign. Although a sombre occasion, I was honoured to represent the Society at HM The Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey. We will be eternally thankful for her Patronage over the last 70 years and for her constant support for the work of the Society.

We continue to work with a dedicated team of volunteers to deliver our activities and I would like to send my sincere thanks to all those who have helped us over the last year.

We have some exciting plans for 2023, including the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships that will take place for the first time in four years. This and other events in 2023 will provide us with the opportunity to meet face to face and I certainly look forward to meeting up with colleagues once again.

Clive Holland Deputy Commonwealth President

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Charity Information and Overview

The Royal Life Saving Society RLSS, RLSS Commonwealth, Commonwealth Drowning Prevention, Commonwealth Lifesaving Charity Commission England and Wales, Charity Number 306094

Registered Name: Working Names:

Registered Charity:

Accredited Commonwealth Organisation Registered with the Fundraising Regulator Registered Address:

Red Hill House, 227 London Road, Worcester, WR5 2JG, United Kingdom

Patron: HM Queen Elizabeth II until her passing in September 2022 Commonwealth President: HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO Deputy Commonwealth President: Clive Holland Treasurer: Clive Patrickson PhD Portfolio Directors: Norman Farmer AM ESM Executive Director Anne-Maree Gardiner AM Director of Lifesaving Sport Development Dr Aminur Rahman DCM PhD Director for Drowning Prevention Dr Shayne Baker OAM DProf Director of Organisational Development Becky Lehman Director of Training and Education Operations Manager: Emma Harrison Operations Assistant: Jo Hepburn Society Bankers: Lloyds Bank, PO Box 1000, BX1 1LT Independent Financial Examiner: Richard Oddy FCA Honorary Legal Advisor: Alastair Collett

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RLSS Board of Trustees

Chair Clive Holland

Treasurer Clive Patrickson PhD

~~Elected Trustees~~

----- Start of picture text -----
Asia Pacific Europe & Africa Canada & Caribbean
Pene Snashall Cavell Burchell Robert Clark
Australia United Kingdom Canada
Geh Thuan Tek Dylan Tommy John MacFarlane
Malaysia South Africa Jamaica
Sanath Wijayaratne Job Kania Jonathan Bruce
Sri Lanka Kenya St Lucia
(also holding the Youth Portfolio)
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~~Appointed Trustee~~

Dr Stephen Beerman Canada

Trustees are appointed or elected in accordance with our Regulations to be representative of the range of our network. All Trustees have participated in an induction programme to acquaint them with the responsibilities of trustees and update them on current aspects of our work

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Governance RLSS ComnM)nwealth Council Officers Commonwealth President Deputy Commonwealth President Treasurer RLSS Board of Trustees Officers Regional Trustees Appointed Trustees lincL Youth) RLSS Headquarters Secretarièt Operations and Administratlon Business Development Cormlittee Honours Committee Heritage Committee Medals Committees (Mountbatten & Russell) Advixacv RLSS Network Communications Drownin8 Prevention Director Lifesavin8 Sport Director Drowning Preventk)n Through Sport Project Lead Organisalional Development Director Executive Direttof Education and Training Director Youth Advocate Commonwealth Fatal Drownin8 Fact Sheet Workin8 Group Organlsatlonal Devekjpment Projects Dlrertor and Administration Co-ordination SuTvlval Swimmin8 Development Committee Lifeguard Reciprocity Commonwealth Championships Organisin8 Committee Diploma Committee Strate8ic Plan Review and Reportln8 Drownin8 Preventton Projects 8ronze Medallion Governance Co-ordination Youth Engagement

Our Members

Europe Members

Cyprus Gibraltar Malta United Kingdom

Canada & the Caribbean Members

Barbados Canada Cayman Islands Jamaica St Lucia Trinidad & Tobago

Africa Members

Botswana Cameroon Ghana Lesotho Kenya Malawi Mauritius Rwanda Sierra Leone South Africa Tanzania Uganda

Asia Pacific Members Australia Bangladesh Brunei Hong Kong India Malaysia New Zealand Pakistan Singapore Sri Lanka

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Our Charitable Purpose

The Royal Life Saving Society provides public benefit as a charity through reducing drownings and the impact of drownings in the community across the Commonwealth.

Our Trustees have complied with their duty in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 to follow the Charity Commission's guidance on the operations of this public benefit

~~Our Mission~~

Commonwewalth Drowning Prevention

~~Our Vision~~ No person in the Commonwealth should drown ~~Our Motto~~

Whomsoever you see in distress, recognise in them a fellow human being Quemcunque Miserum Videris Hominem Scias

~~Our Scope~~

"Drowning Prevention"

All activities that contribute to the saving of life in, on and near water

"Commonwealth"

All nations that are recognised at any given time by the Commonwealth Secretariat including overseas territories, protectorates and dependencies that are recognised at any given time by the Commonwealth Games Federation

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~~Our Values~~

Family

We are a Family with common heritage and values that works to achieve our mission through a common drowning prevention bond

Working Together

The Society is 'Our' organisation, and our strength comes from sharing and working together

Mutual Respect

We will embark on our tasks with honesty and mutual respect for the skills, knowledge and experience that we all bring

Learning

We will foster a commitment to curiosity and continual learning to help us in achieving our tasks

Inclusion

We will include and embrace organisations and personnel throughout the Commonwealth in achieving our missions

~~RLSS Positioning Statement~~

RLSS will facilitate drowning prevention, lifesaving and lifesaving sport activity under the brand of The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS). The RLSS will also foster and facilitate exchanges and sharing between RLSS Members and Companion Organisations

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Strategic Priorities 2020-2023

~~Active Membership~~

Member Relations

We will coordinate information and data on the activities of all member organisations We will facilitate the building of capacity in those member organisations seeking assistance

We will facilitate engagement with youth from all RLSS member organisations

Drowning Prevention Development through Sport

We will implement a lifesaving “sport for all” programme which facilitates broad participation for all Commonwealth nations. This will be a pathway towards Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships participation.

Virtual International Lifesaving Sport for Development

We will implement a sustainable lifesaving sport opportunity that focuses on interorganisational level pool competitions held locally and with international comparability of results.

~~Pool Lifeguarding~~

We will implement a Commonwealth wide qualification reciprocity program for pool lifeguards in enrolled Commonwealth countries. This program will provide a membership program of benefits for lifeguards that comes as standard with pool lifeguard qualifications

~~Advocacy, Partnerships & Collaboration~~

Drowning Prevention Advocacy

With a clear consistent message, we will position drowning prevention to a range of decision makers throughout the Commonwealth, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, governments and international organisations.

Drowning Data, Information and Evidence

We will understand drowning burden in the Commonwealth as the foundation for our advocacy and capacity building actions.

~~Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships~~

We will organize Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships biennially that enables inclusiveness and engagement.

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Our Achievements 2022

Sustainable drowning prevention in Sri Lanka through Swim for Safety in disadvantaged communities

Between April to October 2022, Sri Lanka Life Saving Society conducted 14 separate Swim for Safety 12 lesson programmes in the NorthWestern province and trained 418 students (229 girls and 189 boys) and 19 swim teachers (14 men and 5 women).

More than 5,300 individual lessons were delivered, reaching more than an estimated 1300 beneficiaries including the students, teachers and their family members (mother, father and siblings) on water safety and drowning prevention knowledge.

These outcomes are considered a great achievement despite the tough regulations and restrictions imposed due to the political and economic impact in Sri Lanka at that time. This project was support by Speedo International.

Survival Swimming in disadvantaged communities in South Africa

The primary focus of this project was to recruit survival swimming facilitators and implement survival swimming training in targeted communities in South Africa with resources specifically designed and adapted by and for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that can be delivered in-country using blended learning techniques. The first phase of this project took place in September through to December 2022 and consisted of an 8 week course of 16 lssons and trained 471 students. The programme consisted of the seven levels of the Lifesaving South Africa Survival Swimming Programme which includes: Water Discovery; Water Awareness; Water Sense; Water Wise; Junior Swim and Survive; Swim and Survive; and, Senior Swim and Survive. This was another programme that was supported by Speedo International and the second phase will commence in early 2023.

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24 Hour CPR Challenge

Given the success of the RLSS Commonwealth 48 hours CPR Challenge that was held in 2021, we adapted the format for the Challenge and once again, held the Challenge on 29th September to mark World Heart Day. We had nine member branches taking part, and rather than having a set time and duration for the event, each member had the flexibility to choose when they ran the Challenge during the 24 hour period.

Platinum Jubilee Book

To celebrate her 70 years as our Patron, we produced a book recording Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s engagement with the Society. The book also contained personal messages from our member organisations around the Commonwealth. The book was presented to Her Majesty prior to the Jubilee Celebrations in June 2022.

Lifesaving Sport for All

The aim of the Lifesaving Sport for All project is to engage more people into lifesaving sport, develop their lifesaving skills and contribute to the prevention of drowning. In late 2021 and early 2022 RLSS developed a Lifesaving Sport for All Guide that introduces the basic elements of lifesaving sport that is often part of or follows on from survival swimming education. It should be noted that this Guide is not a replacement for survival swimming and water safety education. During much 2022 the Guide was improved though consultation and the project trailed in Cameroon through the later part of 2022 under the excellent guidance of Justin Bakinga, President of the RLSS Cameroon Branch and Lifesaving Sport for All Project Leader. The trials will continue into 2023 when it will be formally launched.

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Other Notable Achievements

RLSS Website

In 2022, we launched a new website for the Society. The aim was to make the site easier to navigate with multiple pages sitting under each menu tab. The site now encompasses a members area that can only be accessed via a login that is only issued to our member branches. The members area contains various documents and resources for our members use and information.

World Drowning Prevention Day 2022

To mark WDPD 2022 on 25th July, we ran a social media campaign focusing on youth within the Society and the ‘one thing they did to prevent drowning’. Videos were submitted from Canada, Sri Lanka and the UK. In addition to this we supported the WHO messaging via social media.

At the beginning of July, we wrote to all High Commission in London, various Commonwealth organisations and bodies and several governmental departments drawing attention to the UN Resolution, alerting them to WDPD and the theme and providing links to WHO materials and asking them to further share within their networks

Review of Bronze Medallion

A working group consisting of representatives from our member branches who award the Bronze Medallion has been set up to review and update the existing elements based on contemporary standards and research, and to investigate the status of RLSS Bronze Medallion application and its relationship to Lifeguarding, with a view to producing a Position Statement.

Lifeguard Reciprocity

Following the successful completion of Phase 1 of this project in late 2021/early 2022, in the latter months of the year, Phase 2 was commenced under the leadership of Becky Lehman, Director of Education and Training. During this phase, the project activities that were commenced by each of the contributing countries of Australia, Canada, South Africa and the UK included the following.

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Review of Honours Handbook

The Honours Committee, under the leadership of Christopher Love from Canada, completed a thorough review of our Honours & Awards Handbook. Specific changes to the handbook included addressing posthumous awards, defined criteria for staff receiving honours, a small change to the Commonwealth Headquarters Commendation so that it can be awarded to staff members who have performed tasks or projects for RLSS Headquarters and rules for recognizing volunteers from another Commonwealth nation.

Higher Society Honours awarded in 2022:

Honorary Life Member

Julie Dawley (Canada) Kathleen Finn (Canada) Patricia Kitchen (Canada) Cavell Burchell (UK)

Honorary Life Governor

Ron Aubrey (Canada) Tony Toriglia (Canada) Gary Sanger (Canada) Commonwealth Vice President Robert Clark (Canada)

RLSS Diploma

The RLSS Diploma recognises significant contributions to our life saving knowledge. It is one of the Society’s oldest and most prestigious international awards. The RLSS Diploma is awarded to individuals and teams, who have added to our knowledge in way that can save lives and prevent drowning.

In 2022 the following Diplomas were approved:

Prof. Gryphon Sou (Hong Kong)

'A Case Study of the New World Harbor Race 2016-20'

R J Houston (Australia)

'2019/20 Victorian Public Pools: State of the sector report'

Lauralee March, Robert Caswell, Laura Terepocki and Daniel Vanderpyl

(Canada)

A collaborative participatory action research project that sought to explore the relationship between aquatic professionals and safety through education in the aquatic environment

RLSS Heritage

During 2022, we identified items in the Society’s archive that we would like to have in digital format and at the end of year, the items were sent to a firm to commence the process.Items that were identified to be digitised were historical annual reports, handbooks of instruction, Commonwealth reports and the Society’s Charters. Digitisation will enable us to make these items available more widely with a searchable function embedded in each document.

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Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships After the postponement in 2021, the organisation for the 2023 Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships to be held during September in Windsor, Ontario, Canada is well underway and in December the key officials were appointed as follows:

The Sport Development Committee and their working groups developed the RLSS 2023 Competition Handbook and the creation of a new and exciting event known as the Non-Aquatic Simulated Emergency Response Competition (Dry SERC). This new event will be included in the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships 2023 programme. RLSS is both honoured and appreciative of the opportunity to work with the 2023 Championships Hosts in the Lifesaving Society Canada and the Ontario Branch, both of whom have been long standing supporters of the work of RLSS throughout the Commonwealth.

Victoria 2026 submission

In April 2022, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced the 2026 Commonwealth Games had been awarded to the State of Victoria, Australia (Victoria 2026). In mid-2022, Victoria 2026 sought expressions of interest (EOI) from international sports federation for inclusion as one of up to five additional sports.

Life Saving Victoria (LSV) engaged with the ILS, Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) and RLSS to prepare and submit an EOI for Lifesaving Sport to be included as one of the additional sports. RLSS was well placed to be a party to this submission given its history of conducting Commonwealth Lifesaving

Championships and connections with the CGF. Our RLSS Hon. Executive Director was asked to be the primary author of the EOI given his knowledge of Lifesaving Sport and all lifesaving organisations. Unfortunately, the EOI from Lifesaving Sport for inclusion in Victoria 2026 was unsuccessful in a highly competitive process. This however has not deterred RLSS or any of its partners in promoting lifesaving sport as an important activity to impact the reduction of drowning death and injury across the Commonwealth and worldwide.

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RLSS Awards and Medals

2022 King Edward VII Cup

The King Edward VII Cup is the Society's most prestigious award for service and is awarded every two years to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to lifesaving.

In 2022 the King Edward VII Cup was awarded to Norman Farmer AM ESM

who has been a key figure within the lifesaving and drowning prevention for several decades and not only provides invaluable time and commitment to the Royal Life Saving Society, but to the wider community.

Although a junior member of the Mentone Life Saving Club where his parents were involved, Norm Farmer’s keen interest in lifesaving started in his late-teens when he joined the Mordialloc Life Saving Club, where he is still a member as well as a member of the Frankston Life Saving Club. Norm has held many roles within lifesaving in Victoria, Australia including CEO of RLSS Australia Victoria branch from 1998 to 2005, joint CEO of Life Saving Victoria from 2002 to 2005 and a volunteer Board member some years later.

He has held numerous voluntary roles within the international lifesaving community, particularly at the

International Life Saving Federation (ILS) where he was involved between 1994 and 2021, as a Board member, Chair of various Commissions and Committees and most recently as President for the Asia Pacific region and Vice President of ILS from 2016 until 2021.

Norm has been involved in a voluntary capacity in international lifesaving events over many years. He was the Chair of the RLSS International Competition Task Force which developed the rules for the 1991 RLSS Centenary Championships on which subsequent Championships were based; was a member of the RLSS Commonwealth Development Committee from 1991 to 1994 and Co-President of the 2007 World Water Safety Conference and a member of its Scientific Committee.

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In 2015, Norm became Honorary Executive Director of the RLSS. He has been instrumental in taking forward the Governance Review and putting policies and processes in place for the Society. He has been a driver for engaging youth and delivering major projects for the RLSS such as Emerging Leaders Events, Regional Workshops, CPR projects, a recent sponsored project in Malaysia and the development of a Sport for All programme. He has supported the creation of and led the delivery of the Society’s Strategy Action Plan and has been involved in many of the projects contained within the plan and supported each Portfolio Director.

2021 Mountbatten Medal

The Mountbatten Medal is awarded annually for the most gallant rescue or attempted rescue undertaken in the previous calendar year. The 2021 recipient was Daz Lamb from South Africa

Norm has championed aquatic related research for many organisations within Australia and the ILS. He has presented and published work on a variety of aquatic safety topics including swimming pool safety, coastal safety and international lifesaving development.

On 20th February 2021, 47-year-old Dax Lamb was celebrating a friend’s birthday at Umhlanga Rocks in South Africa, when his group was alerted to a drowning in progress off Umdloti Beach. Dax, a holder of the Lifesaving South Africa Surf Proficiency Award, immediately sprinted across the beach and swam approximately 250m through the turbulent surf, reaching the 5-year-old casualty as he was pulled under a big wave. Dax dived under the water and pulled the boy to the surface, giving him a thump to the chest, causing the boy to vomit. At this point Dax saw his friend, a former LSA lifeguard, standing on the shoreline and signalled that he needed assistance. His friend swam out and

As a result of his reputation and wideranging experience, Norm continues to support and mentor many lifesaving organisations around the work, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Norm’s service to the RLSS and impact on lifesaving, water safety and drowning prevention over many years has been outstanding.

For his dedication to the Royal Life Saving Society and the wider drowning prevention community, it was with great pleasure that Norman Farmer was awarded the King Edward VII Cup for 2022.

reached them as they were being hammered by waves crashing over them. Dax and his friend were struggling to keep the boy above water, when two former Surf Lifesaving Club members, who were spending time on the beach, arrived on surfboards to assist.

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They loaded the young boy on to one surfboard, and the two of them swam him ashore. Dax’s friend used the other surfboard to get back to the beach. Dax, who was totally exhausted by then, allowed the current to take him further out and south, before he eventually managed to reach the beach. He then checked on the young casualty who was being monitored by the lifeguards.

Without Dax’s quick and fearless response, the boy would have disappeared below the turbulent waves.

A Mountbatten Medal Letter of Commendation was also awarded to Ilawen Le Dantec Gaussen from Mauritius who rescued a fisherman who had fallen into the sea and was tangled in his fishing net

The Russell Medal

Unfortunately, there were no nominations for the Russel Medal in 2021 which is awarded for the most outstanding resuscitation or attempted resuscitation performed by a person under 18 years of age.

The RLSS Board of Trustees, on the recommendation of the Russell Medal Committee, have amended the criteria for the Russell Medal so that is can be awarded to an individual who at the time of the rescue was under the age of 21 and that the individual does not need to be RLSS trained.

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RLSS Headquarters, Governance and Administration

We have continued to develop our internal processes and policies and continually monitor our risk management.

During 2022 the RLSS continued to improve its governance and systems by reviewing and updating our Regulations, reviewing quarterly the Risk Register and a range of polices that has included:

Our Board of Trustees meets quarterly via electronic format. In May 2022, the term of our existing Board ended and in the first quarter of 2022 we sought nominations for Trustees for the period 2022-2024. The new Board which included two new members were appointed in May 2022. The Business Development Committee, made up of the Chief Executive Officers from our four larger Members have met periodically during 2022 to discuss various matters and offer advice to the Trustees. Our Membership Committee continue to meet quarterly to review various membership issues and consider new membership applications. The Society’s Portfolio Directors meet quarterly to update on the progress under their activity within our Strategic Action Plan

Collaboration

Drowning is a complex public health problem which goes without recognition or attention in many areas of greatest need. Indeed, it has been called a hidden epidemic. There are more ‘at risk’ populations in the world needing drowning prevention assistance than there are organisations focused on providing help. The RLSS Commonwealth drowning prevention mission needs collaboration from all national, regional and international organisations and governments to be most effective – cooperating fully for the benefit of people worldwide to reduce the global burden of drowning. Strong partnerships are key to achieving our aim of eliminating drowning in the Commonwealth and have enabled us to support our Member Branches in low resourced settings.

In 2022, key partnerships for RLSS included:

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The Commonwealth - the Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent countries that are united by values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter. Whilst the

Commonwealth’s roots go back to the days of the British Empire, membership of the Commonwealth today is based on free and equal voluntary co-operation. The Commonwealth Secretariat implements the decisions and plans of Commonwealth leaders. As a Commonwealth Accredited Organisation, we attend meetings hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Independent Forum of Commonwealth Organisations and the Children's Interest Group.

Our RLSS Member Branches continue to work at the national and community level to reduce drowning through:

The International Life Saving Federation (ILS). Both RLSS and RLSS Member Branches are represented on the ILS Board and on the ILS Commissions and Committees, strengthening opportunities for effective collaboration.

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The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). We continue to collaborate with the RNLI and maintain regular dialogue on matters of mutual interest.

RNLI/WHO Workshop

In 2022, the WHO published practical guidance for teaching basic swimming and water safety. The practical guidance focuses on 12 specific areas where WHO advises that programme implementers adopt certain approaches. As the guidance is new, WHO is interested in programme implementers adopting the guidance, and where necessary, change their practice to follow as closely as possible the guidance provided. An important step in achieving this will be working with leading practitioners who are engaged in the provision of training for basic swimming and water safety.

The RNLI assisted in the uptake and implementation of the 2022 WHO practical guidelines publication by understanding where operational gaps may exist between current and recommended practice. They hosted an operationally focused, lesson sharing workshop from 17th to 20th September in Zanzibar providing the opportunity for leading programme implementers to exchange practice and experience to collectively identify feasible practices which conform as closely as possible to WHO practical guidance. The workshop will provide those delivering survival swimming programmes within low-resource settings, the opportunity to share their learning with others, and contribute to the development of implementation best practice.

We were delighted that Dr Shayne Baker represented RLSS as a facilitator for this Workshop and there were participants from several of our member branches in attendance.

Having signed a two-year agreement in late 2019 with Speedo International, we continue to work closely with them delivering our Small Grants Programme In Lesotho, Cameroon and Malaysia and a larger annual project, as detailed earlier in this report Survival Swimming projects have been conducted in Sri Lanka and South Africa using funding from Speedo International.

RLSS is most grateful for the ongoing support from Laerdal Medical that is helping our regional development and support activities which in 2022 included guidance on drowning prevention education and training to our member organisation in Malta, and survival swimming review activities with the WHO and RNLI in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

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Acknowledgements

The Society’s achievements would not have been possible without the support of and contribution from the following persons who gave of their time and experience.

Portfolio Directors

Committee and Working Group Chairs

Our Committees and Working Groups are composed of members from Australia, Canada, India, Lesotho, Malaysia, Malta, South Africa, St Lucia and the UK and we are extremely grateful to all the members for their valuable contributions.

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Our Plans for 2023

We will have effective and efficient administration systems that support the Society’s operations and activities.

This will be achieved through:

Specific Plans for 2023

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Financial Summary

Income

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 Total Income
£73,341
2021 Total Income
£52,232
Up by
£21,109
----- End of picture text -----

As with previous, years, much of the RLSS's income is member payments from the three largest members branches (Australia, Canada and the UK).

With members activities resuming in 2022, membership fees were up from 2021. We also received sponsorships from Speedo International and Laerdal Medical.

We will continue to look at diversifying income streams and funding opportunities.

Our largest branches have made commitments to continue to support the administration of the Society, allowing any raised funds to be spent on programmatic activity.

Expenditure

Most RLSS expenditure finances the valuable work of RLSS Headquarters (staff and running costs).

The running of survival swimming projects in Sri Lanka and South Africa along with other development activities recommencing increased our expenditure for the year.

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 Total Expenditure
£54,512
Up by
£13,539
from
2021 Total Expenditure
2021
£40,973
----- End of picture text -----

Donors & Funders 2022

The Royal Life Saving Society wishes to thank the following individuals and organisations for their most generous donations, sponsorships and grants during 2022

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Laerdal Medical Edinburgh Trust Speedo International The Lifesaving Society Canada TownsWeb Archiving Royal Life Saving Society Australia Clive Holland Royal Life Saving Society UK James McClelland BM

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Reserves Policy

RLSS has a Reserves Policy aimed at ensuring the financial sustainability of the Society. As at the end of 2022, we had £77,354 of general reserves and this meets the Society's Reserves Policy of two years core funding (excludes project work)

Over recent years RLSS has managed to increase its financial reserves through the continued contributions from major branches, increased contributions from member organisations, grants and sponsorships and good fiscal management. This allowed us to offer reduced membership fees to our members who were struggling financially during the pandemic.

In 2022 we set up a Regional Development Fund that is to support regional work carried out in conjunction with our major branches. The total amount in this fund, and our other designated and restricted funds totals £69,242 at the end of 2022.

Given the amount of activity planned for 2023, the Society envisages that expenditure will be high. The Board of Trustees approved the 2023 forecast at their December 2022 meeting given the current value of the Society's general reserves.

Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities

In relation to the following financial statements of the Royal Life Saving Society to year end 31 December 2021

In accordance with the Charities Act 2011, the Trustees have prepared the following Financial Statements which give a true and fair view of the Charity's financial activities during the year 2022 and of its financial position as at 31 December 2022. In preparing these Financial Statements, bet practice has been followed and suitable accounting policies have bene consistently applied.

Applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" 2005 have been followed.

The Financial Statements have been independently examined by Richard Oddy FCA after he was given access to all relevant financial documents, general correspondence and Minutes of all Society Committee meetings.

Signed on behalf of the Society Trustees

Clive Holland W Clive Patrickson PhD Deputy Commonwealth President Treasurer 31st December 2022 31st December 2022

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Financial Statements For the year ended 31st December 2022

Report to the trustees of The R0171 IAfe ￿lets. and to the Commonwealth Councll On acrounts for the ?Tar ended 31 Decern￿r 2022 I report to thettuAees onmy ezaminknof the of the above cbty fthe for thEyW ended 31 Ikwttbu 2022 u xt out (￿pa8￿ 3 aDI 4. Respoasnthes and basis ot As the chanty ttustett of the T￿￿t, you are re4)onuTrle ts the PTryMTatum of the XCOllDts ' I rq￿rt in of my exarni￿ of TTUSt'I ￿cL￿llts cairied out under sectwn 145 0£ tht 2011 Act ￿ m cawing out exami￿titi￿ l knve followed the Ippbcabk I)I[reti￿ 8wen by the Cb•W xctioll 145(5XTh) ofthE ACL In&ptndtnl eximilltr's I have completed Illy ex￿]￿ T CODfitm that no JDatuiaI mattus bave coll￿ to ststernent at1￿￿00 tbe e%•M1￿ gNYs ¢mue to beb.eve that ML any Ricb•td Oddy FCA D•te: 08 May 2022 27

Royal IAfe saTr￿g s￿￿ety Receipts and pai'nicnts accounts For Iht porlod Oi.fj1.)22 JIA2r20 l fjlml fwidb Al Recdpts M¢1)￿Gr .771 43. 12 2JID 3J91 R¢yoiw¢e R¢u)IburyAbk %X ilijt JJ iJ 31 2• 210 211J Sub iulol (Jncomt JorARI •J41 73341 52232 A2 A54t nd Investment ile¥. (see TolAI recelpts 7JJ41 $22J2 AJP ents ch￿1￿1¢ A￿￿ties ￿lT￿l￿11Tdth co12￿1011￿¥￿th H¢niW¢r Co M¢i)b¢tyhipD¢vdown¢ Supytsrtkni¢¢J U2•6 Z321 12.111 3,746 2.167 144 22 Sublu¢ 4Tr&7J A4 Asset ind Invethenl pur¢hwes. 15ee tblel Sublol41 712 iJJ•• 4Tr,973 N¢1 ofr¢cditr'(pqvm¢n£t) A5Trinsfers between thnds A6 Csh lI￿d$ l#$t Yt￿ end 1•2 1&82 127.1 28

Clive Holland 14th June 2023
W Clive Patrickson 14th June 2023

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The Royal Life Saving Society Commonwealth Headquarters Red Hill House 227 London Road Worcester WR5 2JG United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)1905 958444 Email: commonwealth@rlss.org.uk Website: www.rlsscommonwealth.org