A GRIEVING mother has launched a water safety awareness charity after her eight-year-old son drowned in the River Arrow near Alcester.
Rebecca Hinde’s son, Joshua Hillstead, died on July 23 last year and on the first anniversary since his death, she is founding The Joshua Hillstead Foundation charity.
Her mission and determination to fight for wider water safety awareness has seen her support national charity, the Royal Life Saving Society UK, with initiatives such as Water Smart Schools, to help share free education with young children. In June, Becky also went to Westminster, joining RLSS UK to help lobby at Parliament for class-based water safety education to be included across all schools in the National Curricula in England.
Speaking on the launch of The Joshua Hillstead Foundation she said: “July 22 2024 was the day my life changed forever. At around 9.30pm, I received a call that ensured life would never be the same again.
“My lovely son Joshua had fallen into the River Arrow and was being taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital. His heart had stopped beating, but paramedics had got it beating again. Once at the hospital, he suffered a pulmonary haemorrhage and was having seizures. He was put onto a ventilator and the doctors worked tirelessly but unfortunately he stopped responding and we had to make the hardest decision to turn off the machines and let him go. He passed away on July 23 at 10.46pm, the day before his ninth birthday.”
Becky continued: “He was the most wonderful, kind caring boy with so much love for his family. I see now just how loved he was and how many people are feeling the deep pain of his loss. I couldn’t be there to help save my son as he wasn’t with me at the time of the accident, so now my goal is to help other families and prevent others from feeling the devastation we feel every day.
“In honour of Joshua, my family and I have created The Joshua Hillstead Foundation. Our aim is to help raise awareness and empower children through education on the dangers of natural waterways. We want to introduce comprehensive water safety and first aid in schools across the UK in order to prevent any further accidents such as Joshua’s.
” Our goal is to help all children to understand undercurrents, tides, ice, cold water shock, while also highlighting surrounding dangers such as sand banks, rocks, weeds and sudden drops. We endeavour to give them the knowledge and tools to keep themselves and others safe around water. “
