SCUBAHUB
Robin Hood and the merry divers
THE BSAC CLUB AND CENTRE Partnership has just added a new partner - Robin Hood Watersports ( RoHo ) – to its centre list , enabling the scheme to support even more participating clubs .
Launched earlier this year , West Yorkshire-based RoHo now joins three other centres – Berkshire-based Divecrew , DM Scuba in Bristol and Stoney Cove ’ s The Dive School – in the scheme .
Designed to offer trainees a choice in how they learn to dive while supporting resource-stretched clubs to grow their membership , the partnership scheme already supports over 25 clubs .
Bringing together clubs and centres in a region , it effectively ‘ buddies up ’ local branches with a nearby BSAC centre to work together on providing more flexible
training . The scheme also means clubs can get additional help in training new members , directly supporting their member recruitment and retention plans .
The scheme has already been endorsed by a participating club , Bath SAC , who have partnered with Bristol-based DM Scuba . The club turned to DM Scuba to help introduce three new members ( who had learnt to dive abroad ) to the joys of British seas .
“ I don ’ t think I could have found a better way to introduce our new members to UK diving . They are still fizzing with excitement ,” said Bath ’ s
PHOTO : DM SCUBA
Diving Officer , Johnathan Hudson .
New Bath SAC member and PADI Rescue Diver , Alex Starkie , who completed his drysuit course with DM Scuba , said he had benefited from the partnership scheme .
“ This symbiotic relationship ensures the needs of individuals such as myself can be met in a timely , practical and most importantly safe manner ,” Alex explained . “ I am now excited to get out and experience British waters .”
Webinars return in September
AFTER A MINI BREAK FOR THE SUMMER , BSAC ’ S PROGRAMME of webinars is back and better than ever before . Building on the success of the previous programme launched in spring last year , 30 webinars — all free for BSAC members — will run from this September to February 2022 .
Topics covered in the new season will include diving safety and medicine ; conservation and underwater heritage ; photogrammetry and filmmaking , and other member-favourites such as wreck histories , location-specific diving and much more .
The new programme will also welcome ( and welcome back ) specialists in their chosen fields , including documentary filmmaker John Ruthven , marine biologists Dr Karen Boswarva and Dr Jessica Bellworthy , and Midlands Diving Chamber ’ s Dr Michael Gonevski , among others .
Coaching Advisor Mark Paisey , who schedules the webinar programme , said : “ We are looking forward to launching the new
season of webinars . It was great to deliver something last year that seemed to resonate so well with members , and the plan is to build on that from September .”