Free safety wristbands for children and vulnerable adults are now available across Bournemouth’s beaches as BCP Council and insurer LV= relaunch their annual KidZone scheme. The programme covers 15 miles of coastline from 1 July to 31 August, with dedicated operatives joining the beachfront from 18 July.
Families can collect the wristbands from all seafront offices and RNLI lifeguard towers between Alum Chine and Fisherman’s Walk at Southbourne, as well as at sites in Christchurch and Poole. Parents write a contact number on the band so that if a child wanders off, staff can reunite them quickly. Last summer the team handed out 37,000 wristbands and brought around 130 lost individuals back to their families, taking an average of seven minutes. “Losing someone like this can obviously be very distressing, and this scheme plays an essential part in keeping our beaches safe and providing peace of mind to our community and visitors,” said Councillor Richard Herrett, BCP’s Portfolio Holder for Destination, Leisure and Commercial Operations.
The KidZone partnership, now in its 18th year, has distributed nearly one million wristbands and reunited more than 3,000 lost children and vulnerable adults since 2007. Samantha Preece, LV= Chief Brand and Communications Officer, said the insurer was proud to support a project that helps families enjoy the coast with confidence. Kester Sheppard, RNLI Lead Lifeguard Supervisor for East Dorset, added that the bands make a lifeguard’s job quicker and reduce distress for everyone involved, especially when beaches are busy during hot weather.
The scheme also teaches children the STOP protocol—Stay, Tell, Observe, Pop to a lifeguard tower—and encourages parents to agree a meeting point. Wristbands are available now, while the dedicated LV= KidZone operatives in blue shirts will be on Bournemouth Beach from 18 July. Seafront rangers in pink shirts and RNLI lifeguards will continue to patrol the shore throughout the summer.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
