Accessible try dives with Bradford
A BSAC CLUB WITH A LONG-TERM commitment to making try dives accessible to all has just completed three successful taster sessions for children in care.
Bradford SAC recently collaborated with their local council’ s Looked After Children’ s Services to offer try dives to youngsters in care or in a foster placement. So far this year, 19 young people have had a chance to discover scuba, with another 18 set to take the plunge.
The recent try dives are part of Bradford’ s‘ mission’ to offer scuba tasters for members of their local community where cost may be a barrier. To date, the club has worked with a range of local groups, including the Scouts, Girl Guides, the Women’ s Institute and the NHS, as well as their local schools and community centres. They have also forged new links with the British Legion and their local health authority’ s social prescribing teams. Bradford SAC’ s Chair Mick Barraclough
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2025 Awards, offering the perfect opportunity to celebrate our volunteer coaches – instructors- who are making a real difference in communities across the UK.
Whether they’ re inspiring young beginners, championing inclusivity, or leading the way in environmental sustainability, these awards recognise the incredible impact of instructors at every level.
There are 10 award categories in total: Community Coach of the Year( Children said the whole club is behind the initiative.
“ Try dives are very significant to the club, in that they give people in the community an opportunity to take part in an activity that they may not have even considered.”
Bradford originally decided to offer free try dives 12 years ago, after attending some local galas. With feedback indicating that the cost of getting into the sport was a problem for many, the club decided to offer 60 try dives to less privileged or underrepresented members of their local community.
With demand meaning they actually delivered 100 free try dives, the club decided to carry on with the initiative, which has since gone from strength to strength.
As Bradford SAC prepares to celebrate its 70th anniversary next year, the latest sessions with children in care have proven to be a real boost for the club.
“ The main emphasis for the sessions is for all attendees to have a great experience in a safe and controlled manner. At the most recent try dive session, the children were the happiest and noisiest we have come across to date,” added Mick.
As a club, we are not just sharing our love for the sport; we are also creating opportunities and changing lives. It’ s been an incredible journey!”
and Young People), Community Coach of the Year( Adults), Young Coach of the Year, Change a Life Award, Talent Development Coach of the Year, High Performance Coach of the Year, Online Coach of the Year, Inclusive Coaching Award, Coach Education and Development Practitioner of the Year, and the new Green Award.
Nominations close on Tuesday 2 September 2025, with the High- Performance category remaining open until Thursday 11 September.
Nominate your coaching hero today at ukcoaching. org / campaigns / our-awards /
Benefit of the Month
Overseas BSAC training
( referral and other training)
IF YOU STILL NEED TO COMPLETE your diver training but find it’ s conflicting with your holiday plans, then why not double-up and enjoy the best of both worlds!
As a BSAC member it’ s possible to travel and train, thanks to our extensive network of overseas centres. Here’ s how …
Referral training
Combining travel with your diver training can be the ideal solution for keeping your scuba skills on track. With BSAC centres in both short and long-haul destinations, you can include referral training into your holiday, meaning you can still enjoy some downtime with your family or friends.
Club time
Referral training overseas has many benefits for your club too, as it can help ease the pressure on its own instructors while making a great warm water club trip. It can also mean a club can‘ fasttrack’ its newer members, opening up the opportunity of diving in the UK sooner and progressing through the other diver grades.
Widen your skills
If you don’ t have much spare time on your holiday but would still like to build your diving or snorkelling skills, then many overseas centres also offer BSAC’ s Skill Development Courses. From first aid to underwater photography, you can hone your skills without detracting from your topside holiday plans.
Make it a family affair
If a family member is scuba-curious, then why not arrange for them to have a try dive on your next overseas holiday? If they are aged 10 or over, they could even complete their first BSAC diver training grade, whether that’ s Discovery Diver or Ocean Diver. And think of the diving holidays you can plan with more of your family in Team Scuba!
Search for a BSAC overseas centre at bsac. com / findacentre
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