Parliamentary event to back safety campaign in Simon Flynn's name
Our paddleboard leash safety campaign is heading to Parliament!
Industry figures are being invited to a Parliamentary reception in March to discuss paddleboard safety - following the death of Simon Flynn and comments by a coroner at his inquest.
Mr Flynn, 42, drowned in Cornwall's Camel Estuary on August 31st in 2020 after his ankle leash got trapped underneath a boat mooring and he was unable to free himself because of the power of the moving tidal water.
A coroner later declared it an 'issue for manufactures to look at' and Simon's best friend Sam Foyle has since campaigned for better safety information at the point of sale - and for new boards to be sold with both an ankle leash and quick-release waist belt as standard.
Mr Flynn was from Charlton Kings and his local MP Alex Chalk has now arranged a Parliamentary reception for industry figures on Monday March 7 to see what safety changes could be introduced - with the industry's backing.
Paddleboarding is thought to be the UK's fastest growing sport and world's fastest growing watersport. Campaigner Sam Foyle is concerned that more people could put themselves in danger if safety messaging is not improved.
Greatest Hits Radio has obtained figures - which are not due to be released for a couple of months - that suggest as sales of boards rise there's been an increase in rescues and RNLI call outs.
In 2017 the RNLI - and note the figures relate to coastal incidents as a posed to inland waterways - responded to 30 paddleboard incidents which helped aid 20 people.
In 2020 the number more than doubled to 88 launches, helping 113 people. By this summer the number of launches was 140, with 169 people aided.
Some industry experts believe 11 people may have lost their lives on a paddleboard in 2021, although the exact figure has not yet been confirmed.
The Cheltenham MP is now writing, along with campaigner Sam, to manufacturers and industry figures to ask about what safety steps they are planning for 2022 and if they would like to 'join the conversation' and attend March's event.
Sam Foyle has also studied manufacturer websites and discovered fewer than one in 10 currently highlights leash safety or sells quick-release waist belts as standard.
British Canoeing, which has applied to be the sport's governing body, has updated its guidance following Simon's death to reflect the different types of leashes and when they should be used. The updated advice is available for all retailers to display and is also being highlighted through its global network of affiliates and coaches.
Fatstick boards has pledged to sell both leash types as standard in future and Red Paddle Co - the world's largest brand with a global sales reach - has met with campaigner Sam and released a P.L.O.T water safety advice campaign.
Alex Chalk, the MP for Cheltenham, said: "Paddleboarding is a sport which is really growing in popularity and there is a responsibility on those manufacturers to be doing everything they reasonably can and the reality is there is some really positive practice in the industry, there is some less positive practice.
For more about the campaign in Simon Flynn's name click here
"What I want to do is to try and shine a light on that and really try to encourage those who perhaps have a little way to go to improve their safety standards - that's of course for the people who are using these products but it's also important for them - they need to be able to show they're doing the right thing by their customers and I'm really keen to try to coordinate that effort in the interests of overall safety.
"Having a reception in Parliament I think is going to be a really titanic moment where we can invite those businesses to come first of all to create more of a profile for the sport and the safety elements to it - but also to ensure that Parliamentarians, so MPs and peers, can be sighted on this campaign as well.
"Although I'm here in Cheltenham which is not exactly by the coast there is so many of my colleagues if they represent constituencies in Devon and Cornwall for example where there is a really growing enthusiasm for the sport.
"I want them to be aware of this campaign so they can play their part in ensuring that businesses that operate in their patches are also adhering to high standards of safety."