Each month we feature a selection of your letters
Each month we feature a selection of your letters
We ’ re still looking for a new prize for a Star Letter , so please bear with us for a while longer . It ’ s a difficult time for the diving industry , so sponsorships are a tricky proposition at the moment .
ChatSend your letters to simon @ scubamagazine . co . uk
PHOTOS : EMLYN MORRIS
Competitive life saving
MY BACK ACHES , MY FINGERS HURT AND my feet are blistered , but what a weekend !
You may remember that Sandwell Sub Aqua Club ( formally Alpha Divers ) moved to the newly opened Sandwell Aquatic Centre that was originally built for the 2022 Commonwealth Games . We expected that a venue of such profile and quality would attract large scale aquatic events , but we weren ’ t expecting to be involved .
A recent weekend saw the Royal Life Saving Society ’ s British lifeguard Games visit the venue , with teams from all around the UK & Ireland , plus France and Norway ! They were all competing to prove themselves the best lifeguards in the business .
Chiefly a swimming event , it included many individual and team competitions for junior lifeguards through to adults of all ages .
The highlight for me was watching the competitors swim a full 50m length of the pool underwater , then surface swim 12m ( ish ), submerge again to collect a manikin and then tow it the remaining 35m ( ish ) with the now casualty totally submerged . As an impressive feet of endurance as it is , I hope that in a real rescue they would remember to have the casualty ’ s head above the surface and not underneath the swimmer ! Still , it was fascinating to watch .
Sandwell Sub Aqua was asked to aid with the moving and positioning of the manikins to the appropriate place in the 50m pool for each of the heats .
Over the two days we had a couple of club members on the pool side performing a dive management role , air checks , dive times and reminding the divers to drink and eat ! It was busy .
We also provided general assistance for the competition , which involved dragging up to four manikins dangling on a rope 50m from one end of the pool to the other . The first 20 times it was fun , the second 20 less so , from then on backache and blisters . I am prone to a little exaggeration . Our divers had a much easier time , positioning the manikins for the start of each race .
Hopefully the event will return to Sandwell Aquatic Centre next year ; we also hope to be invited back so we can do it all again . In the meantime , I ’ ll be in the gym ! LEE DUGMORE , Sandwell Sub-Aqua
Leeds goes Crowdfunding
LEEDS SCUBA CLUB ( BSAC 115 ) IS MAKING WAVES WITH A NEW Crowdfunding initiative aimed at fostering a thriving diving community in West Yorkshire . The club is seeking support to replace their decommissioned compressor and to provide post-covid equipment servicing of club equipment .
Many clubs have experienced the same problem since the pandemic - ageing kit that needs replacing , along with a lack of funds .
We are tremendously grateful for the ‘ Leeds Community Grant ’ and the ‘ Leeds Sports Club Equipment Grant ’ for their generous funding , which has contributed towards our continued efforts to provide diving training and expertise in the local community . However , we are still in need of further funding to achieve our aim to engage further with the wider community .
Achieving the Crowdfunding fundraising target of £ 8,000 will allow us to continue to train members of the community in diving and to support new members .
We will also be able to offer wider community activities , including offering ‘ try dive ’ opportunities to local scouting and young persons ’ groups , veterans ’ groups and other groups within the community .
On our Crowdfunder page , a number of rewards are offered for pledges - for example , pots of homemade jam , branch merchandise , and RIB rides . Please have a look ! crowdfunder . co . uk / p / leeds-scuba-diving-clean-air-revival VICTORIA PERRY , Leeds Scuba Club
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