SCUBAHUB
part of shaping the future of diving and snorkelling while celebrating your local impact. It’ s a chance to shine a spotlight on your members’ passion, innovation, and commitment – and to inspire others to follow your lead,” Phil added.
Heinke Trophy new criteria announced
AFTER A SHORT PAUSE, BSAC HAS announced the return of the Heinke Trophy – its premier award recognising club excellence.
Since 1958, the Heinke Trophy has been a cornerstone of the BSAC community, celebrating the achievements and impact of its clubs and their members. It has championed scuba diving, snorkelling and highlighted the contribution BSAC clubs make to our sport.
As BSAC moves forward with its ambitious 2025 – 2029 strategy, the Heinke Trophy has also evolved – becoming not just a celebration of past success, but a catalyst for future growth, inclusion, and innovation.
The refreshed Heinke Trophy now champions the five key goals of BSAC’ s strategy: Inspire and Promote, Protecting our Waters, Improve Accessibility, Grow Training Capacity and Increase Member Value and Engagement.
Phil Harrison, from the Heinke adjudicating team, said the refreshed Heinke has been brought up to date while remaining true to the original ethos of the award.
“ More than ever, the Heinke Trophy will be a platform to showcase how clubs are actively bringing BSAC’ s strategic vision to life – in how they dive, train, recruit, and connect with their communities,” he explained.
Clubs entering the Heinke Trophy will record and produce a report showcasing a‘ year in the life’ of their club. Each year, the winning Heinke Trophy club will receive a £ 1,000 prize, and be awarded the Heinke Trophy. They will also gain national recognition, with their achievements shared across BSAC’ s platforms.
The relaunch of the Heinke Trophy starts in June 2025 with a newly introduced‘ preparation phase’. This is followed by the activity phase from January to December 2026, when clubs record their activities, achievements and successes throughout the year to create their final Heinke Trophy report
The final adjudication of the Heinke Trophy 2026 entries will take place in early 2027.
From then on, the award will return to its annual rhythm, with a rolling two-year cycle to allow clubs to plan, deliver, and present their stories with pride.
“ By entering, your club becomes
How to Take Part – Heinke Trophy 2026
Interested clubs will need to register their interest in entering the Heinke Trophy 2026 by 30 November 2025 at the latest. You can find the online registration form at bsac. com / heinke
If you are thinking about applying, but are not sure, please email heinke @ bsac. com for a discussion with one of the Heinke team who can advise you if this is the right time for your club to enter.
Once registered, your club can then access one-to-one mentoring to help plan their application year journey in 2026. Your club will then need to:
■ Record and document your club’ s activities from 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2026
■ Submit your final report by 31 January 2027
The Heinke Trophy 2026 winner will be announced in Spring 2027. For more details on the new-look Heinke Trophy and how to register go to bsac. com / heinke
Simpler. Smarter. More Supportive.
After listening to club feedback, BSAC has made the Heinke Trophy more accessible to enter than ever. Here’ s what’ s new:
■ A streamlined application process, with more time to prepare and submit
■ Judging criteria aligned directly with BSAC’ s strategy
■ A two-year timeline to give space for reflection, planning, and storytelling
■ New mentoring support – with up to three one-to-one sessions available for interested clubs
■ A series of Heinke webinars, featuring past winners and judges
■ A comprehensive online toolkit launching in June 2025 at bsac. com / heinke – including templates, examples, and the updated application form.
Have a question about the Heinke Trophy? Get in touch – email the Heinke helpdesk at heinke @ bsac. com
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