SCUBAHUB

National Diving Officer ’ s Report

Speaking on behalf of NDO Dai Atkins , Dom Robinson presented a buoyant perspective on the club ’ s diving and training activity . He highlighted the reinstatement of the Programme of Events ( POE ) and the proliferation of special interest webinars as signs of progress , alongside an “ excellent ” uptake of the Sport-England-funded scheme to develop more Dive Leaders and Open Water Instructors .

Dom also cited the advent of training in Equality , Diversity and Inclusivity as a sign that the club is rising to the standards set by its strategy . BSAC continues to encourage and reward diving with a purpose , with a new group tasked to encourage its proliferation ; many expeds and projects are already underway . The idea is to engage members at all levels , and also develop links with outside bodies such as Seasearch to widen the scope of club activity .

Turning to diver training , Dom went over BSAC ’ s diving products , mentioning the completed Advanced Ocean Diver , and new courses in Primary Donate and Tables , in addition to a Dive Leader review in progress . “ We ’ re looking at a syllabus with more emphasis on leadership and management skills , with new content lessons being created ,” Dom said .

Meanwhile , the challenge has been keeping the Instructor Training Scheme ( ITS ) active . ITS resources are now available on BSAC ’ s main website , and support has been made available from Sport England to support instructor development .

On the Technical side , BSAC has built on its momentum with new courses , including the Twinset Instructor Workshop and MOD 2 CCR . At the other end of the scale , a snorkelling guide is in progress , and materials have been revised .

Dom concluded a packed presentation by extending thanks to staff and volunteers , Regional Coaches and his colleagues on the National Diving Committee .

BSAC HAS OFFICIALLY welcomed its newly elected Chair , Edward Haynes , and three Council members who stood unopposed , John Gibbons , Helen Howard-Jones , and Lisa Shafe , following the results of the 2022 Council election .

The newly elected Council members officially took up their roles following the 68th BSAC Annual General Meeting ( AGM ) on Saturday , 14 May .

BSAC thanks its retiring Chair Maria Harwood and Council members Gerry Anderson , Claire Howard , Celia Marlowe , James Mudge , and Andy Shenstone as well as all the candidates who stood in this year ’ s election .

WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE ON BSAC Council , new Chair Edward Haynes is looking forward to stepping it up in his newly elected role .

A member of BSAC since 1977 , Edward has been an advocate of the club ’ s volunteer culture from the get-go . He learned to dive during his time in military service and is now an Advanced Diver and Advanced Instructor . Since 2007 , he has worked within the South Scotland Regional Team .

Most recently , Edward served as BSAC ’ s Honorary Secretary and has been involved in BSAC Council as an elected member on and off since 2005 . He is currently a member of Fyne Divers and Dunoon Divers .

A Chartered Internal Auditor by trade , Edward also brings a wealth of management and business governance experience gained in the Ministry of Defence and private industry to the BSAC Chair role . He believes his analytical nature will allow him to drive forward BSAC ’ s strategy and assess future

Voting numbers Voter turnout for this year ’ s election was 6.9 %. The full BSAC Election 2022 results are as follows :

Elected unopposed Council members – John Gibbons , Helen Howard-Jones , and Lisa Shafe

Special Resolution BSAC Council had put forward a special resolution regarding changes to the club ’ s Articles of Association ( AoA ). The changes were voted through , with 608 for , 26 against and 420 directing Council members to act as they see fit .

opportunities and potential risks . Edward says he also aims to demystify BSAC Council , to make it more accessible to all members .

“ I have a lot of gratitude for the work of previous Councils , who have created a solid foundation for BSAC going forward . We now need to work to show our membership that BSAC Council is not some mystical body that has no relevance to clubs or members .”

In his candidate statement for the BSAC Election 2022 , Edward highlighted the need for BSAC to remain member-focused , while nurturing commercial partnerships which will ultimately enhance what the club offers existing , new , and potential divers and snorkellers .

Member-led training , BSAC ’ s environmental policy , the club ’ s relevance to the wider diving community , and organisational governance are all also high on the new BSAC Chair ’ s agenda . “ As Chair , this is my opportunity to put something back into the organisation that has given me so much and maximise its opportunities for the future ,” Edward added . SCUBA will feature a full interview with BSAC Chair Edward Haynes in a forthcoming issue .

7