The Community Safety Podcast

Nazir Afzal  

The drug war in the UK and worldwide has been going on for a long time. It's not new to see news coverage on buy busts and undercover operations. It makes us more aware of the drug problem, but also lulls us into a false sense of security that things are improving. In reality, these drug busts pose more threats to our community safety.

In this episode, Neil Woods gives a sneak peek into the life of an undercover cop. He shares talks about the futility of the drug war and how it empowers organised crime. So many vulnerable individuals get caught in the crossfire between criminal organisations and the police. Fortunately, Neil shares that there is some change happening. He also details the concrete steps we must take to win this fight against drugs. 

Tune in to this episode to find out the truth about the drug war and what you can do to help end it! 

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

Discover the ugly truth behind drug policy and why it needs to change.

Learn about Neil’s experiences and realisations from working as an undercover cop.

Find out what you can do to aid the social movement against the drug war. 

Resources

For over 25 years, Sharon Bryan has worked in the field of domestic abuse. She is also a survivor of domestic abuse. In 2020. Sharon set up Sharon Bryan consultancy, a community interest company which involves running the Freedom Programme for women who have experienced domestic abuse. In January 2021, Sharon joined the award-winning National Centre for Domestic Violence as head of partnerships and development for domestic abuse services.

Sharon joins me on the Community Safety Podcast to explain what life is like living with an abusive partner and why she stayed in an abusive relationship for so long. She describes the purpose of her new role working for the National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) and why the organisation feels it is so vital to build partnerships with other organisations that come into contact with people that are experiencing domestic abuse in their role. Sharon also shares her concerns that domestic violence is still so prevalent and why the NCDV is so committed to making it completely socially unacceptable.

"I try to be the person that I wish had been there for me and wasn't. Because it's a very, very lonely place when you don't know who to talk to. You don't know if you'll be believed. You can be in a room full of people and feel like you're the only person in there." - Sharon Bryan

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

● When and why Sharon’s husband’s violent behaviour escalated and what she had in common with other sufferers of domestic violence

● The awful catalyst that led to Sharon fleeing her marriage

● The trauma that children experience when they are caught up in abusive relationships

● How the Assist Database works to help police assist victims of domestic violence

● Sharon’s advice for somebody that is experiencing what she went through

Bonus Episode

Iain Donnelly

Former Superintendant of West Midlands Police,

Iain Donnelly, has over 25 years in various intelligence, covert policing,

counter-terrorism, and serious crime investigation roles in London and the West

Midlands. Iain is also the author of Tango Juliet Foxtrot and the presenter of a podcast of the same name, exploring how the British police have changed over the last 30 years in

response to ten years of budget cuts combined with exponentially growing

demand.

Iain joins me on the Community Safety Podcast to discuss why closing 50% of the police

stations in England and Wales and 75% of the police stations in London had a

hugely negative effect on effective relationship-building between police

officers and the community they serve. 

We dig into neighbourhood policing’s

impact on the rise of knife crime in the UK, and Iain shares stories about his

first postings in London and what he learned about policing and human behaviour

during his training period.

"Neighbourhood policing, for

me, was such an unbelievably flexible resource to be able to problem solve all

sorts of issues." - Iain Donnelly

 Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

●       Iain’s experience of growing up in Belfast at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland

●       How the British Army’s loss turned out to be the Metropolitan Police's gain

The differences between methods of policing when Iain joined the service and when he left.

●       Iain’s views on the efficacy of communitypolicing

●       Why the Police Federation and the Superintendent's Association have been proved correct when they said ten years ago that harsh budget cuts would have far-reaching consequences for public safety

●       The impact of COVID-19 on the relationship between the police and the public

●      Why Iain feels that social media has been toxic for policing

●       Whether policing is seen as an attractive career option in 2022

Connect with Iain Donnelly:

Carl Chinn MBE Ph.D 

Carl Chinn, MBA Ph.D. Carl is a social historian with a national profile, a writer, a teacher, an animator, and a public speaker. He was formerly a professor of Community History at the University of Birmingham, and director of Birmingham Lives Project collecting working-class memories as a freelance social historian. He gives history tours of Birmingham and collaborates on local history projects in several schools. He's the author of 34 books, his latest words are Peaky Blinders: The Real Story, the true history of Birmingham's most notorious gangs, which was a Sunday Times number one bestseller.

Carl joins me on the Community Safety Podcast to discuss why we should be valuing every young person and finding the challenge for everyone in our community whatever their talents and passions. He shares why we still need a radical transformation of our educational system to allow all young people to find their niche. Carl also discusses his historical interest in gangs in 1900’s Birmingham, and his research for the book Peaky Blinders: The Real Story.

"It should be local people that are pushing everything forward, not outsiders, ... we've got to start promoting young working-class talents from all the backgrounds in Birmingham." - Carl Chinn

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

● Carl’s perspective on growing up in a large storytelling family in Birmingham

● Who were the ‘gaffers’ of the street in Aston in the 1950s and 1960s and how they were the anchors of the community at the time

● How we can appreciate all sorts of skills and work to spotlight non-academic talents

● Why we shouldn’t be snobbish about academic education

● Perceptions about class and accent and why we should look beyond them to see value in people

● The truth behind the TV series Peaky Blinders, and why they were not gentleman criminals but vicious thugs

● Why it is so critical to provide opportunities for young people to avoid being drawn into crime in the 21st century

● Carl’s views on how we can eradicate some of the violence on our streets

Connect with Carl Chinn:

Alison Cope

The biggest trauma Alison Cope has ever faced was losing her son Joshua to knife crime in 2013, but she uses her resilience and strength to educate and support others in seeing a future beyond negative experiences. Alison presents the Joshua Ribera Achievement Awards that recognises and celebrates the achievements of young people who are not in mainstream education. Alison has also worked with West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police, Hertfordshire Police, and Crimestoppers along with keynote speaking and lecturing at Birmingham and Nottingham universities

Alison joins me on the podcast to share how Joshua had turned his life around and had evolved from writing about violence to focusing on positivity, working hard, and loving his family. She discusses why negative imagery in music is so dangerous to children and young people and why it is such a problem that it is so widely available on social media. Alison also share with me what happened on the day in September 2013 when Josh was murdered, and the moment that she realised how powerful her voice could be and why she decided to devote her life to helping young people 

"It’s Joshua’s life that inspires and his death educates. My focus isn't Joshua's death, my focus is Joshua's life, and to inspire young people to see a future with hope, regardless of their past.." - Alison Cope

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

● Alison’s upbringing and why it gave her the strength and determination to fight forwards 

● Why the traumas that Alison faced growing up helped her to help Joshua, and see past challenging behaviour and see to the core of a young person 

● The traumatic event that threw Joshua off the rails at 13 years old

● Elements that led to Joshua’s custodial sentence and why Alison feels that it was a blessing in disguise

● Joshua’s involvement in the grime scene and how he became so successful as a lyricist

● Alison’s feelings about the man who killed her son and why she would like to meet him

● Alison’s thoughts on how to reduce knife crime in this country and how she works with young people to change the mindset around violence

Connect with Alison Cope:

Caroline Goode QPM

Caroline Goode served for 33 years in the Metropolitan Police in London. She retired as a Detective Superintendent in the Counter-Terrorism Command after spending ten years leading more than 100 complex murder investigations. One of those investigations, the so-called honour killing of a young Iraqi Kurdish woman by her family, was to become a life changer for Caroline. This investigation, which began as a simple missing person’s report, was particularly challenging and complex. After the Banaz case, she trained thousands of police officers nationally and internationally in Honour Based Violence Awareness and was awarded the Queens Policing Medal for her work in 2012. 

Paul Walmsley 

Nazir Afzal 

Anyone can be a target of Domestic Abuse with Samantha Beckinsale 

Samantha Beckinsale is an English actor best known for performances Firefighter Kate Stevens in the ITV series drama London's burning which ran from 1986 to 2002. She started her acting career with the TV series Agatha Christie's, the adventure of Johnny Waverley in 1989.  Sam is also known for playing Lesley in the sitcom Shelley from 1989 to 1992.

"The biggest thing I would say to anybody wondering whether abuse is just toxic? Take a step back, look at the bigger picture, and ask yourself what someone is doing or saying or how they're acting, especially if it's not acceptable in any other context. It's not acceptable in a relationship, either. Because you're in a relationship together, any relationship doesn't excuse abuse is abuse, and love doesn't come into it in any way, shape or form, so if you ask yourself if that is love, you have your answer".

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

• Sam talks about her life in the early years in Nottinghamshire.
• Her time working on the ITV series drama London’s burning, how they all had to do firefighting training, filming in a real fire station in South London.
• How she became a patron for Broxtowe Women's Project. 
• What White Ribbon stands for.
• Her journey through domestic abuse, “I never thought it would happen to me”.
• The increase of domestic abuse cases during the ‘World Cup’.
• What are the red flags and the behaviour traits to look out for?  ‘Oh, My God’ moments.
• Who to reach out to for help when going through domestic abuse?  Grassroots organisations (IDVAs) are available in your local areas.
• Bring domestic abuse into the mainstream.  Training the younger generation.
• How shows like ‘Love Island’ are promoting domestic abuse to the younger generation.
• Sam explains how she was once homeless.
• How domestic abuse increases once the person decides to leave.
• The awareness that ‘you don’t need to be hit’, in order to go through domestic abuse.
• 16 Days of Action 
• Saveslives ‘I AM Project’
• Her latest a featured docu-drama titled ‘LOVE”

Connect with Sam Beckinsale

Violence and how we can tackle it in our communities with Graham Goulden

Graham is a former Chief Inspector with Police Scotland, and he spent the last part of his 30 years of service working on the violence reduction unit. He's now a consultant trainer. His interest in developing personal and organisational brands and how individual and societal attitudes and behaviour often negatively impact reputation performance, absenteeism recruitment and retention. Graham has experienced delivering bystander training in a host of establishments, including schools, universities and workplaces. He's the director of cultivating minds in the UK and states it's all about relationships.

We need to move into this conversation where we start with how we influence people in our communities to come along with us?  This is not about saying 'we are going to do this, you need to come with us'.  More and more, I  have thought about prevention; it's about how we will be persuading people to go with us?  For men, how are persuading them to take this role as leaders?  How are we going to persuade communities to follow us and work with them and take some proactive action, for me, we need to look at the science of persuasion. Graham Goulden

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

• Graham's early life and how he ended up joining the police in Scotland as a 19-year-old boy.
• How he started changing his transformation in thinking in 2018.  How he started challenging himself asking ‘if I am really making a difference?
• The power of community ‘there will never be peace in the streets if there is no peace in the home’.
• Prevention bystanding programme - how we can intervene as early as possible.
• The power of healthy relationships. Every child needs a champion.
• How early trauma can affect someone’s future.
• How can we get more boys and men to communicate?  
• Break down of ‘boys need stuff’.
• What is psychological safety?
• How important is good quality neighbouring policing?
• The importance of developing young people’s character.  Developing their own brand.  Character matters.

Connect with Graham Goulden:

Technology and how we can use it to make communities safer with Matt Polega from Mark43

Matt is the Co-founder and Head of Marketing Communications and Public Policy at Mark43.

Matt developed the earliest version of Mark43 records management system with his Co-founders as a recent college graduate and remains deeply focused on the mission of building culture edge software to support first responders and bridge the gap between the communities they serve.

Matt often shares best practise on public safety technology, ensuring agencies of all sizes understand how to navigate the digital age.   He has done so as a featured blogger for Gov loop and another panellist at the Code for America summit.  His leadership has lead Mark43 to be included on a notable list, including Ink Space Workplaces, Fast Company's World Changing Ideas, and America's Security Today's Homeland Security Awards. 

“Community safety and law enforcement we totally recognise as a team sport. It is about a bunch of agencies working together to share information working in  partnership. I'm very proud of the pace that we are moving, the ethos that we bring to building products and how we think about it and I'm proud of how many people we put on the ground it's actually learning the real problem and seeing what every person in the agency go through if we can bring some of that bigger to the market and get everybody to come to start paying attention to these problems that maybe we have half the chance.” Matt Polega

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

• Matt’s journey growing up in Chicago, going to Harvard University and being a Hammer Thrower.
• How Mark43 came about, working with Massachusetts State Police.
• The evolution of the Mark43 portfolio, from Business Intelligence and Analysis (Tier 2) and Management System.
• Working with the first UK police force - Cumbria Constabulary.
• The difference in complexity between working US or UK agencies.
• Helping alleviate the pressure on police officers
• Mark43 grand plan to help make communities safer
• Helping make police officers more visible and out on the streets.

Connect with Matt Polega:

Supporting Victims of Anti-Social Behaviour with Charlie Hamilton-Kay from ASB Help.

Charlie Hamilton Kay is a specialist victim project manager at the ASB charity ASB Help. Charlie joined the team in July 2021 she previously worked as an ASB practitioner within Derbyshire victim services providing practical and emotional support to victims of ASB.  As well as led the development of several projects to raise the profile of ASB within communities and the impact that it has on its victims. Charlie studied psychology at the University of Northumbria and takes a keen interest in the motivations of compulsions behind anti-social behaviour.   She hopes that by understanding more about the reasons behind ASB we can effectively tackle it.

“It is absolutely key that we get support services available to victims of ASB.  They feel like they have nowhere to go to escape from it which can do a lot of damage to a person both mentally and physically.  It is important that within our communities we have some way of offering that emotional support to the people who are going through it”.  Charlie Hamilton-Kay

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

• Born and raised in Bakewell, a country girl at heart.  Charlie explains her upbringing in Bakewell, University of Northumbria and coming back to Bakewell. 
• What motivated Charlie to want to help people?
• How she drilled down various jobs ending up in victim support for 4 years to get to her current role at ASB Help.
• What ASB Help stands for and the role they play within the community. 
• Describing her typical day-to-day role as a Specialist Victim Project Manager.
• Common themes on how cases are being managed and where they are going wrong.
• The importance of problem-solving.
• What is a ‘Community Trigger'?
• What is the ASB Pledge and how organisations can get involved?

Connect with Charlie Hamilton-Kay:

Young People are our Future-Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour with David Aynsley

David Ainsley grew up in his early years on RAF bases and experienced some very interesting experiences in places like Bahrain. Growing up, he went on to serve for the British Army and had some very interesting stints in places like Belfast. 

David later joined the police service in Cornwall. Where he eventually became a community police Sergeant. He was doing some fantastic work changing communities for the better by working with young people, and putting in a different approach to community policing produced some actual results.

“If you can find a reason to get people in a room and just listen to what they have to say, you are halfway there to come up with a solution to the problem.  All people want is someone to listen to them”. David Aynsley

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

• David shares his early years of growing up on an airforce base, ending up in boarding school. Then, ending up in Belfast, where he first experienced anti-social behaviour.
• David describes the two attempted murders in his life.
• The extraordinary levels of anti-social behaviour
• The realisation that the more the police force did by arresting children/youth, the worse anti-social behaviour got
• Dealing with criticism from local authorities/councils wanting the police to go back to ‘traditional policing.’
• Benefits of doing intensive work with children/youth leading to lower ASB

Connect with David Aynsley:

Gambling Addiction and the harm it causes people and communities with Mark Murray

Mark Murray, placed his first bet at the age of 16, something that started off as a bit of fun quickly turned into an addiction over 13 years.  

Mark gambled every day and built up debt with the wrong sort of people.  He was attacked with a hammer and ran off to a different country to try and escape his debt.  Mark had a number of failed suicide attempts and was kidnapped at the age of 29.

Mark finally got the help that he needed and now has gone 9 years without placing a bet and is the Co-Founder of the charity WHYSUP.

“To anyone who might be listening to this podcast, that has got a family member or friend that might be going through addiction. When you are going through it, it's the worst thing in the world.  It doesn't have to be gambling, but if it's having a massive impact on your life and you are thinking this is never going to get better and there is no way out.  One thing I would like to make clear is there is always a way out, there are always people, even if you’ve lost every family member, and every friend there are always people that will help you.  There are people who will open their doors and will help you fight, so don’t feel alone or feel like the only way out is to take your own life”. Mark Murray

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

• Mark will share his experience of becoming a dad at an early age.
• How he dealt with the fallout within the family
• Relationship with gambling ‘the all or nothing relationship’
• The reason why people may turn to gambling, and why they use it as a way out.  
• The moment when Mark had to flee for his life
• Being kidnapped at the age of 29
• The defining moment when Mark finally had enough and went to rehab.

Connect with Mark Murray:

Escaping Domestic Abuse with Gi Dhanoa

Gi Dhanoa embarked on becoming a full-time entrepreneur in 2020 when she began to realise her full potential; within. She's a published Amazon author for her book Forgiven Forgotten, Sooooo a poetry book raising awareness on Domestic Abuse and Mental Health. Gi is an ambassador for Aanchal Women's Aid which helps support women to rebuild their lives after abuse. Allowing her to use her first-hand experience positively to help inspire others to overcome being in a volatile relationship.

It is so vital that we keep raising awareness around this really serious subject and get different guests' perspectives and their own experiences around Domestic Abuse.  For example, Gi escaped an abusive and coercive relationship after several years.  She fled with her daughter and is now making an incredible life herself as a property developer, poet and author.

“If I could change one life or help one person to take that first step of coming out of a toxic domestic relationship, that would mean the world to me”.  - Gi Dhanoa

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

• Gi on why she gave up on her life in the Uk to start a new life in Jamaica
• The importance of teaching children what a healthy relationship looks like
• Implications around mental health
• A turning point where Gi realised she needed to get out 'wake-up call'
• Showing up for yourself - learning self-respect, self-love and deserving more out of life
• What is a toxic relationship?
• What does 'learned behaviour mean'
• Ambassador of Aanchal Women's Aid
• Inspiration for writing her first poetry book 'Forgotten, Forgiven, Sooooo
• The importance of sharing consequences and coming together as a community to end violence against women and girls.
• Gi's end goal of help children within the system
• Aspiring property management 'Ottilie Solutions'

Connect with Gi Dhanoa:

Violence on our streets and the devastation it causes with Adam Fouracre

Adam Fouracre is the founder and CEO of the charity Stand Against Violence.   Adam founded the charity in 2005 following the murder of his brother Lloyd.  He has over 14 years of experience in violence prevention through primary investigations and the charity sector, from management development to business strategy, fundraising, and public speaking.

Adam joins me to discuss the violence in our streets and highlights the devastating impact that it has on the families affected and also the wider community.  Adam Fouracre lost his brother as a teenager following a mindless attack.

"We had an independent evaluation done by the Centre for Public Health in 2014.  As a result, they found that young people were significantly less likely to resort to violence as a means of conflict resolution after our involvement, sustained for a six-week follow-up.  So there's some longevity in the attitude change for achieving.  We've continued to do that evaluation without the six-week follow-up; 94% of those are less likely to engage in violence, whether as a perpetrator or being around violence to risk becoming a victim, we've potentially saved quite a few lives”.  Adam Fouracre

Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

• Adam’s experience growing up in a sheltered childhood in a small village called Kingston St. Mary
• Growing up with his brother Lloyd and the tragic moments leading up to the tragic loss of his brother Lloyd. 
• Missed opportunities within the criminal justice system and the importance of early intervention, spotting the signs in early childhood and the importance of dealing with early childhood trauma
• The significant impact on the levels of violence but anti-social behaviour 
• Adam’s encounter in meeting Teressa May (then Home Security)
• Barriers faced when dealing with legal jargon
• What does it mean by ‘Joint Enterprise Charge’ mean? 
• How did Jay become part of the book ‘When September Ends
• What does ‘forgiveness’ mean to Adam
• How he overcame his grief of losing a sibling
• How domestic abuse can impact children's lives
• About Stand Against Violence - working with communities throughout the UK gives people a chance to live in a world without violence

Connect with Adam Fouracre: 

Iain Donnelly

Former Superintendant of West Midlands Police,

Iain Donnelly, has over 25 years in various intelligence, covert policing,

counter-terrorism, and serious crime investigation roles in London and the West

Midlands. Iain is also the author of Tango Juliet Foxtrot and the presenter of a podcast of the same name, exploring how the British police have changed over the last 30 years in

response to ten years of budget cuts combined with exponentially growing

demand.

Iain joins me on the Community Safety Podcast to discuss why closing 50% of the police

stations in England and Wales and 75% of the police stations in London had a

hugely negative effect on effective relationship-building between police

officers and the community they serve. 

We dig into neighbourhood policing’s

impact on the rise of knife crime in the UK, and Iain shares stories about his

first postings in London and what he learned about policing and human behaviour

during his training period.

"Neighbourhood policing, for

me, was such an unbelievably flexible resource to be able to problem solve all

sorts of issues." - Iain Donnelly

 Today on The Community Safety Podcast:

●       Iain’s experience of growing up in Belfast at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland

●       How the British Army’s loss turned out to be the Metropolitan Police's gain

The differences between methods of policing when Iain joined the service and when he left.

●       Iain’s views on the efficacy of communitypolicing

●       Why the Police Federation and the Superintendent's Association have been proved correct when they said ten years ago that harsh budget cuts would have far-reaching consequences for public safety

●       The impact of COVID-19 on the relationship between the police and the public

●      Why Iain feels that social media has been toxic for policing

●       Whether policing is seen as an attractive career option in 2022

Connect with Iain Donnelly:

The criminal justice system exists to create better and safer communities for everyone. People who commit serious crimes are sentenced to prison for them to reflect on their actions, and hopefully, come out better.

In today’s special episode, we ask the question: Can criminals reform? What are the circumstances that led them to a life of crime in the first place? What realisations can bouncing in and out of the prison system bring? And how can prison reform address issues on criminality? Having spent the majority of his adult life in prison, our guest sheds light on these questions and more.  

David Breakspear, a former career criminal and prisoner, candidly shares his life story with us. At the age of 10, he committed his first criminal offence which led to crimes that went on for four decades. Now, David does amazing work on prison reform and transforming communities. Indeed, prisoners aren’t inherently bad people and everyone is capable of change. It's about having the right mindset to move forward in life. With his experience of the criminal justice system, David shares his thoughts on prison reform and working towards what is best for the majority. 

Listen to this episode to learn more about the life of a prisoner and what it takes to push for prison reform!

1. Discover how the criminal justice system has affected prisoners’ lives.
2. Learn the importance of prison reform.
3. David shares his experience from his first criminal offence and how his prison life transformed his life.

CSP20-The drug war in the UK and worldwide has been going on for a long time. It's not new to see news coverage on buy busts and undercover operations. It makes us more aware of the drug problem, but also lulls us into a false sense of security that things are improving. In reality, these drug busts pose more threats to our community safety.

In this episode, Neil Woods gives a sneak peek into the life of an undercover cop. He shares talks about the futility of the drug war and how it empowers organised crime. So many vulnerable individuals get caught in the crossfire between criminal organisations and the police. Fortunately, Neil shares that there is some change happening. He also details the concrete steps we must take to win this fight against drugs. 

Tune in to this episode to find out the truth about the drug war and what you can do to help end it! 

1. Discover the ugly truth behind drug policy and why it needs to change.
2. 
   
3. Learn about Neil’s experiences and realisations from working as an undercover cop.
4. 
   
5. Find out what you can do to aid the social movement against the drug war. 

The criminal justice system exists to create better and safer communities for everyone. People who commit serious crimes are sentenced to prison for them to reflect on their actions, and hopefully, come out better.

In today’s special episode, we ask the question: Can criminals reform? What are the circumstances that led them to a life of crime in the first place? What realisations can bouncing in and out of the prison system bring? And how can prison reform address issues on criminality? Having spent the majority of his adult life in prison, our guest sheds light on these questions and more.  

David Breakspear, a former career criminal and prisoner, candidly shares his life story with us. At the age of 10, he committed his first criminal offence which led to crimes that went on for four decades. Now, David does amazing work on prison reform and transforming communities. Indeed, prisoners aren’t inherently bad people and everyone is capable of change. It's about having the right mindset to move forward in life. With his experience of the criminal justice system, David shares his thoughts on prison reform and working towards what is best for the majority. 

Listen to this episode to learn more about the life of a prisoner and what it takes to push for prison reform!

1. Discover how the criminal justice system has affected prisoners’ lives.
2. Learn the importance of prison reform.
3. David shares his experience from his first criminal offence and how his prison life transformed his life.

CSP 18-Equipping your loved ones with Open Water safety skills with Beckie Ramsay.

Swimming is one of the life skills we are taught at a young age. We learn to manage our breathing and to propel our arms and legs to keep us afloat. However, the open water houses dangers beyond its inviting surface. The water may be too cold. Debris and other objects may obstruct your path. Tides can be strong enough to pull even the best and strongest Olympic swimmers. To mitigate your risk, you need to be equipped with water safety skills. 

For today's unique episode, Beckie Ramsay joins us to talk about water safety. Ten years ago, she lost her firstborn to open water swimming. She graciously talks about the tragedy that led her to campaign for water safety. Most importantly, Beckie imparts life-saving safety advice that you and your family can use in cases of emergency. 

Listen to this episode to be prepared in the face of danger, not only for yourself but for your family and friends.

1. Understand the importance of water safety skills.
2. Discover the dos and don'ts during open water swimming.
3. Learn about valuable resources you can use during an emergency.