Decompressing with a
Redeemer statue , Malta
Bude Divers
LOCATION : Bude , north Cornwall MEMBERSHIP FEE : £ 50 plus BSAC
Members of this north Cornwall club are determined to make a positive impact in their local community . Interview by Kristina Pedder
Breakfast in Mallorca
To visitors , the north Cornish coast seems an idyllic location for a dive club , but as the locals know , this part of the far south-west of the UK is designated as an area with low incomes and high social deprivation . Bude Divers , a friendly local scuba diving and snorkelling club , works hard to break down these barriers .
In Autumn 2020 , this was the first dive club to apply for and receive Sport England match-funding under the Active Together scheme . Working with a crowdfunding platform , the club raised half of its target amount and Sport England matched that figure .
Bude Divers offers members more than just a sports club , seeking also to break the cycle of exclusion so easily seen in remote , rural areas . People of all ages and walks of life are encouraged to join , participate and learn about the environmental side of scuba diving .
When was the club formed ?
A group of local divers got together in 1975 to set up the club . We live in a beautiful part of the world and enjoy diving the north Cornish coast , despite the fierce local currents and the exposure to the prevailing weather heading in from the Atlantic .
28