SCUBA MARCH 2025 issue 153 | Page 35

Linking up with neighbouring clubs , quarry tours and smart fundraising are all part of the game for the can-do divers of Leicester . Interview by Kristina Pedder
Flying the flag at the Farnes
CLUBFOCUS

Leicester

Underwater Exploration Club

Linking up with neighbouring clubs , quarry tours and smart fundraising are all part of the game for the can-do divers of Leicester . Interview by Kristina Pedder

LOCATION : Leicester , England MEMBERSHIP FEE : £ 133 plus BSAC
CONTACT : Secretary Kirsty Majithia e secretary @ luec . org ! www . luec . org I www . instagram . com / luec _ bsac F www . facebook . com / luecofficial

Leicester Underwater Exploration Club , known as LUEC , is based in central Leicester and says it is as far away from the sea as it could possibly be – in any direction . Despite this , there ’ s a lot of diving and training going on , taking advantage of friendly links with local clubs DelMar in Wigston and Dudley Dolphins . Members often share day trips and dive days together .

Next steps for LUEC include building up the club ’ s membership base . Although matching the heady heights of some 200 members in the early years may not be within reach today , in-house Advanced Diver and seamanship training is expanding the club ’ s diving horizons . Oh , and you may have seen them out and about making new friends on their grand tour of inland sites this year .
When was the club formed ?
In 1958 , at the birth of scuba diving here in the UK , a small group of enthusiastic divers got together in Leicester . Nearly a decade later , they joined BSAC to become club number 321 . So , we are sixty-seven years young . One of our founding members , Bob Atkinson , was Diving Officer for 30 years . Another , on emigrating to Australia in 1972 , left us with the Tony Pitt Award . Once a year , at our club Christmas meal , we award that ship ’ s bell on a plaque to the diver who has contributed the most that year . Our longest serving active member ( joining us in 1975 ) is our Snorkel Officer , John Richardson , who has looked after all of the club ’ s snorkelling training and activities since 1982 . We have six active members who have been with us more than 30 years .
The Tony Pitt Award
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