BRANCHES UKDIVING + CENTRES
Centres Forward
Cotswold chums
The latest of our series celebrating BSAC Centres in partnership with their local clubs . This month : Cirencester BSAC teams up with DM SCUBA
Cirencester BSAC has been a partner club with DM Scuba since the start of the partnership scheme . According to the club ’ s Diving Officer Sophie Browne , resources were limited at Cirencester as its members began to emerge from the pandemic , so additional training resources were more than welcome .
“ Having the ability to send trainees to DM Scuba is hugely beneficial to the club ,” Sophie told SCUBA . “ Rather than asking trainees to put their enthusiasm on hold , we have been able to capitalise on their current enthusiasm and get them diving quickly . The trainees have come back happy and full of confidence .
“ I have complete trust in the centre owner , Paul Dowding , and his team at DM Scuba ; I know the trainees will be ready for their next stage of training on return . Paul is brilliant , friendly and affable . I really appreciate that he does not try and impose a model on us , rather he is willing to work with us and develop a model that works for Cirencester ’ s members .”
Cirencester ’ s varied membership all emerged from lockdown with individual needs . For instance , Craig Fletcher had not dived for five years and was keen to do a scuba refresher and get back diving . Jeff Flynn , a PADI Open Water Diver [ Ocean Diver equivalent ], had not used a drysuit before , having learnt to dive overseas , so needed specialist training .
Sophie says : “ As a club we were struggling to meet their needs ; we gave them a choice of hanging on for club training or taking advantage of the partnership scheme . Within two weeks they were booked into DM and then back with us able to join the club on inland dive sites .
“ Paul also offers us an equipment ‘ collect and drop-off ’ service for eight items or more . This has helped the club massively , because before we had to rely on members to take kit to a service centre . This is much more straightforward and really helps us . We are keen to develop closer ties between the club and DM Scuba .” �
Branch + Centre Partnership Scheme explained
Designed to support branches with their training , the model is that new members join your branch , train at the centre , then return to your branch as qualified divers .
Benefits to branches :
• There ’ s no cost to enter , and you can withdraw at any time
• The scheme enables BSAC clubs to take on more new members , year-round
• It assists with resource challenges , such as lack of instructors , or pool access
• The partnership supports and cements relations with local BSAC dive centres
More information and benefits at bsac . com / PartnershipScheme
PARTNERSHIP CENTRES
ANDARK DIVING AND WATERSPORTS 256 Bridge Road , Lower Swawick , Southampton , Hampshire SO31 7FL • 01489 581755 andy @ andark . co . uk • www . andark . co . uk
DIVECREW Brookers Corner , Crowthorne , Berkshire RG45 6ST 01344 771113 • info @ divecrew . co . uk www . divecrew . co . uk
DM SCUBA TRAINING 07920 556116 • dmscuba @ hotmail . com www . dm-scuba . co . uk
DV DIVING 138 Mt Stewart Rd , Carrowdore , Newtownards , BT22 2ES dvdiving . co . uk
ROBIN HOOD WATERSPORTS 152 Leeds Road , Heckmondwike , West Yorkshire WF16 9BJ • 01924 444888 • sales @ roho . co . uk www . roho . co . uk
SANDFORD & DOWN 24 Pier Street , West Hoe , Plymouth , Devon PL1 3BT 01752 266248 • dive @ sandfordanddown . co . uk www . divesubsea . co . uk
SCUBATS 19 / M Winchester Avenue , Denny , Falkirk , Stirlingshire , Scotland FK6 6QE 07449669494 • scubat2017 @ gmail . com www . scubats . co . uk
ST ABBS CHARTERS : St Abbs Harbour , Eyemouth TD14 5PW
STONEY COVE Sapcote Road , Stoney Stanton , Leicester LE9 4DW 01455 273089 • diving @ stoneycove . com www . stoneycove . com
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