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Saturday 25 June is World Sand Dune Day, a day celebrated annually by coastal communities and projects across the world.

Established in 2021 by Dynamic Dunescapes and Sands of LIFE, two projects working to restore coastal sand dune systems, the day offers an opportunity to highlight the importance of sand dunes.

Along Sefton’s natural coast we are fortunate to have one of the best ranges of dunes in the country and one of the most important dune stretches in Europe.

The Dynamic Dunescapes project has worked on a number of activities on our Nature Reserves, including control of the invasive Rosa rugosa and scrub removal at Queen’s Jubilee Nature Trail in Southport.

Most of the work to the sand dunes can only take place in the winter months to avoid disturbance to breeding species, so summer is a time to enjoy the spectacle of the dunes.

Guided Dune Walks

To mark the occasion, John Dempsey from the Council’s Green Sefton service will be running two free guided walks in the natural splendour of Ainsdale Local Nature Reserve on Friday 24 June and Saturday 25 June.

The first event will explore the dunes south of Shore Road at Ainsdale, while the Saturday trek will take place in the nature reserve north of Shore Road.

The walks are taking place as follows:

• Friday 24 June – Meeting at Ainsdale Discovery Centre (PR8 2QB), running from 1pm to 4pm
• Saturday 25 June – Meeting at Ainsdale Discovery Centre (PR8 2QB), running from 10am to 2pm

Booking is essential for the walks and unfortunately, both are now full.

Dynamic Dunescapes Ainsdale event

However, the Dynamic Dunescapes team will also be at Ainsdale National Nature Reserve to host their World Sand Dunes Day event on Saturday 25 June, from 10am to 3pm.

There will be lots of free activities running throughout the day, from Tai-Chi to Viking dress up. There is no need to book, people can pop along to Pinfold Meadow and join in the fun. To find out more, people can head to Dyanmic Dunescapes website.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said: “Sand dunes are among the most threatened habitat on the planet due to climate change, invasive species, and people pressure.

“It is fantastic to be celebrating and highlighting the importance of Sefton’s dynamic sand dunes. Our natural coast is a cherished asset among our local communities and visitors alike, and it is wonderful to see many free events available for people to learn more about our special landscapes.”

People can also get involved by sharing photographs of the dunes over on social media! Don’t forget to tag us @seftoncouncil / @greensefton_ and use the hashtag #WorldSandDuneDay

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), have launched a brand-new animation to encourage children to get learn more about water safety as part of their national Drowning Prevention Week campaign.

Over 400 people die each year in the UK and Ireland from accidental drowning.

In a recent survey, only 30% of parents surveyed said they are ‘very confident’ that their child knows how to stay safe in and around water, which leaves a lot of parents less confident that their child would know how to stay safe around water. As well as this the survey showed that of those surveyed only one in five children have had any formal water safety education at school in the last year, showing that there is a gap to be filled for children when it comes to understanding water safety.

Even for parents of children who can swim, there is still much to be done, as research conducted by RLSS UK shows that despite 88% of parents whose children have swimming lessons being confident their child knows how to stay safe in and around water, the statistics show there is still a concern for swimmers. In RLSS UK’s analysis of 76 accidental drownings of 8-18 year-olds in the UK, 61% were described as swimmers.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “With June, July, and August proving to be the months with the most fatalities, it is vitally important that everyone has an understanding of water safety, especially during the summer months, and we believe it is never too early to start learning about water safety.

“We have seen a rise in the number of drownings over the last few years, with peaks during the summer. In July 2021, there were 49 accidental drowning fatalities in the space of just two weeks in the UK, and we know that with the right water safety knowledge, accidental drownings are avoidable.

With this in mind, for Drowning Prevention Week this year, RLSS UK have launched a brand new animation which is freely available to watch on YouTube to give parents the opportunity to engage their children in learning about water safety in a fun way.

For more information on the campaign and tips to keep yourself safe this summer, please visit the RLSS website