To swim
DLRG increases membership numbers – record
In the coming years, the DLRG wants to increase the number of active participants in order to be able to teach more children to swim. photo
© Marcel Kusch/dpa
Taking away children’s fear of water is important and takes time – and people to help them. All the better if the DLRG membership numbers rise again: to a record high.
In the coming years, the organization says it wants to increase the number of active participants in order to be able to teach more children to swim. “Over half of ten-year-olds cannot swim safely,” said DLRG President Ute Vogt. “There is no reason for us to rest.”
According to its own statements, the organization had hoped for an increase in membership numbers – the corona pandemic and energy savings in the pools would have slowed down swimming training in 2022, but there were no restrictions last year. Accordingly, the number of children aged up to twelve years increased by 15,540 to 189,063.
Laid the foundation for the next generation of lifeguards
According to the information, that is at least 5,170 more boys and girls than at the end of 2019 and therefore shortly before the outbreak of the pandemic. “Our volunteers at the edge of the pool were finally able to get going again,” commented Vogt. This also laid the foundation for the next generation of lifeguards.
Last year, 17 of the 18 regional associations recorded more additions than departures. The DLRG in Hamburg grew the most in percentage terms, with an increase of 10.2 percent, to now 5,245 members. Brandenburg (plus 8.7 percent to 4,442 members) and Thuringia (plus 8.3 percent to 3,209 members) also increased their numbers significantly. With 98,962, the largest regional association in Lower Saxony grew by 4.5 percent compared to the previous year. Only Bremen reported a slight decline, with a decrease of 0.8 percent to 3,065 members.
According to the information, around half (48.9 percent) of all DLRG members are 18 years old or younger. Every tenth member is 60 years old or older. 47.2 percent of members are female.