FAVOURITEKIT
“
It’ s either my Fusion torch, because it was only £ 65, fits in my pocket and is excellent; or my
Shearwater Peregine dive computer, because it’ s very straightforward to use and easy to read.
”
SKILLSTIP
“
Don’ t overthink it. If they can do it, so can you, it can’ t be that hard.
”
she explains,“ but our club found itself without a fully qualified instructor, so I thought I’ d better step up and go for it. It’ s very rewarding.”
“ When I first joined the club, it wasn’ t particularly big, there weren’ t many women. Our numbers had dropped considerably and nearly every active member had a committee role; it only seemed right to help out.”
The Chair at Pontefract has traditionally managed a lot of the day-to-day work.“ I try to keep our social evenings interesting,” Deborah says.“ There are plenty of quizzes, show-and-tell nights, discussions and presentations; it makes learning fun and less stressful.”
“ I want everyone to have a voice, to feel that their thoughts and opinions matter, whether they’ ve just joined or been a member for years. I’ m fortunate to have such supportive club and committee members to work with.”
Deborah explains that it feels good to watch club members grow, become more confident and actively participate.“ I enjoy helping other clubs too,” she says.“ We all do the same sport, take the same risks, so
With fellow Pontefract members James Heath( left) and Rob Wellington
why not help each other out.”
I ask about her own diving.“ I visit a lot of quarries, but we’ re quite an active club so I do a fair few sea dives. I have around 240 dives logged. I don’ t log all training dives,” she explains,“ it depends how long they are”.
“ I quite like Swanage, I’ ve been there twice now,” she says.“ My favourite place abroad is Sharm el Sheikh; I’ ve dived Australia’ s barrier reef and Sharm beats it hands down. I’ ll be diving off Lundy Island and the Pembroke coast soon, I’ m looking forward to those dives.”
The club recently received £ 10,500 from Sport England and the lottery fund and was able to purchase women’ s BCDs, new regs and dive computers.“ Everybody’ s diving development is important, not just Try Divers or Ocean Diver trainees. I feel very proud to be a part of a club with
Swanage Pier
a growing number of women, and lots of diversity. People are eager to share their type of diving while respecting each other’ s diving choices.”
“ We’ ve more than doubled our numbers in the last two years, people say we’ re a very welcoming inclusive club, so we must be doing something right. I’ m already thinking of the next social club night I’ m going to do:‘ What would you do if...’ a group exercise about diving incident scenarios.” For anyone wanting to volunteer, Deborah advises asking the people in your club. She cautions against any thoughts of not being good enough, and that having your heart in the right place is more important at first.
“ There’ s always a way to achieve your goals,” she says. Sometimes the path might be a bit tricky, but keep an eye on the goal and you’ ll definitely get there.” �
Sharm el Sheikh’ s coastal strip
Become an Instructor!
Sports Divers and up( for scuba) and 16 + year olds( for snorkelling) can start instructor training.
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Or visit bsac. com / instruct
On a Red sea liveaboard
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