UKDIVING
I returned to the UK in 1978 and joined Cirencester BSAC a year later . My mentor at the time was George Skuse , who was BSAC ’ s incidents analyst for 11 years before Brian Cumming took over ; he also wrote and developed the BSAC Lifesaving Award . He was one of the first wave of First Class Divers and National Instructors . Most of all , he taught me the importance of going through pre-dive checks .
Q What was your relationship with BSAC in your early days ?
A In my early days , BSAC was just a name . I was a member of a few local clubs , but I didn ’ t really associate that with the bigger organisation at that point . At Cirencester , I became Secretary , Treasurer and eventually Chair of the branch . I got my Sports Diver and then Dive Leader when the grade was introduced . Advanced Diver followed and then Club Instructor . That took me to the mid-90s .
Q And what does it mean to be a BSAC member today , in 2022 ?
A Being a BSAC member has had a huge influence on much of my life . The skills have helped me in my life and career , and I don ’ t mean specifically diving skills , but the ways of helping people that you learn in clubs and as an instructor . My experience as an instructor has been a huge help in my professional life , and my time as a diver has made me a great deal more aware of the environment . I went on to study oceanography with the Open University , and was finally awarded my Batchelor of Science in 2002 .
Q You have served the club in many ways – what made you want to become involved in club governance ?
A I first became involved nationally because of a financial crisis the club was facing in the late 1990s . It became clear the
Enjoying a sunny day of hard boat diving
“ I think we ’ re changing , from being a dogmatic organisation to being a dynamic one .”
club was in a problematic position , so I rang ( then Chair ) Phil Harrison and told him I was an internal auditor , and that governance is what I do as a job . He was quick to accept my help .
Q The new BSAC Strategy is in its first year , how do you think it has gone ?
A BSAC ’ s Strategy has been put together by a number of people , but Rachel Quinn , BSAC ’ s Vice Chair , is the figurehead of it and I think she ’ s set us on the right path . I like the concept that it ’ s down to the individual to decide how and when and where they do their training to become divers .
Fundamentally , if we just continue doing what we ’ ve always done we won ’ t progress as a training organisation . I think we ’ re changing , from being a dogmatic organisation to being a dynamic one . One of the things we ’ re also pushing for is the ethos of diversity and inclusivity . We ’ re ensuring all our Council members take this course , and I ’ d like to see all Instructors , branch Chairs and Officers take the course as well , to raise awareness .
I think the synergy between branches and centres is improving all the time , and that too is a key part of the strategy . I
visited a club / centre partnership recently in Scotland , where both sides thought it was working well . Society has moved on and diving has become a bit of a bucketlist activity ; so if we make it difficult for people , they may give up halfway through or leave once qualified . But if we make it easy for them , and help them enjoy it , there ’ s a better chance of them coming back to us .
At the same time as promoting UK diving , I think it ’ s important we don ’ t neglect our overseas branches , who are equally valued members of the BSAC family .
Q How would you describe BSAC today to a member who joined in the 1950s ?
A It ’ s a mature organisation that built on the skills and experiences that they put in . I believe it fundamentally still has the same principles , which is to allow people to experience the underwater environment in a safe , controlled manner . And I don ’ t believe that has changed . The biggest changes are the technology and the equipment we ’ ve got ; thanks to engineering advances , and computerization , advances in thermal technology . Today ’ s divers buy all their equipment , as opposed to making it themselves . Today ’ s BSAC is built on the foundations of what the pioneers created , and I don ’ t think we should ever forget that .
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