New students encouraged to stay safe near waterfronts

Student Matthew Wilcox, 19, drowned in the River Aire in Leeds city centre last year and the Leeds Riverside Safety Group was set up to alert people to the dangers around water and to work with landowners and other groups to encourage safety improvements around open waterways.

Mr Wilcox, a Leeds University geography degree student, drowned after falling or walking into the River Aire in the Calls area of the city in the early hours after a night out.

As freshers have been moving to the city for the first time and other students return to what is one of the biggest student cities in the UK, the group has been busy getting the water safety message out.

Members include representatives from Leeds City Council, British Waterways, West Yorkshire Fire Service, West Yorkshire Police, Aire Action Leeds and local universities.

Representatives of the group talked to students at the Leeds Met personal safety awareness week, as well as handing out a new waterfront safety leaflet, which gives tips on how to stay safe around places such as the River Aire, particularly after dark and when alcohol is involved.

Leeds Riverside Safety Group chair, Coun Richard Lewis, executive member for development at Leeds City Council, said: “By working closely with local universities and other higher education providers our message was introduced as part of the freshers’ introduction programme.

“Leeds is one of the biggest student cities in the country and we wanted to make sure that our message got out to as many of the new arrivals as possible. The Leeds Riverside Safety Group is working actively with a number of different groups to try to target those people most likely to encounter the risks of open water.”

The group is also working on a campaign to get its message to the wider community in the city. Its members have met organisations such as the City Centre Pubwatch group to encourage them to give out safety warnings and look out for vulnerable people as they close for the night.

Further work is taking place also with students on media and design courses to involve them directly in the campaign.