To help keep our club alive, investing in new Try Dive Equipment, New RHIB to enable students to explore the open water & post Covid support
by [email protected] in Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom
With additional funds this will allow us to replace all our dated Try Dive equipment and also purchase smaller sized equipment to support the 10 year old students and will also allow us to provide and be better equipped in supporting Diving for all. Taking disabled students for a Scuba Try Dive.
Three ways to get involved
1. Pledge money in return for a variety of rewards. You will see them on this page and they're our way of saying thank you for your support.
2. Spread the word. We need to reach as many people as possible and tell them about this fantastic community project so share the page on your social media pages.
3. Can you help with rewards? If you are a local business, or know someone with one, get in touch and play a part in what we're doing with rewards. This is a community effort.
Sub C Divers is a community based amateur sports club registered as Branch 1206 of the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) and is run in accordance with BSAC guidelines. The day to day running of the club is carried out by 11 elected committee members.
Our Key objectives are as follows
• A strong committed membership from within our local community.
• Giving people the skills to lead our club into the next generation of divers.
• Growing our club through Try Dives.
• Ensuring our club has the right equipment to retain existing members and attract prospective divers.
Founded in 1980 by two experienced divers who established Howe Bridge Leisure Centre as the club base in 1981, the club has grown to its existing 65 plus membership through Try Dive nights, word of mouth and local advertising. We have retained members who joined the club in the 1980s and 90s, we have had members who went on to work in the commercial diving industry and we have trained the children of some of our earlier members. We meet weekly at the Leisure Centre for club meetings, theory and practical training. Training is delivered by our qualified instructors who together with our Committee members are all volunteers.
A passion for our sport has helped sustain us when things looked bleak and membership numbers dwindled in line with economic downturns over the years and the increase in membership we are currently experiencing enables us to share that passion and gives everyone within the club a sense of achievement.
Like many sports clubs the COVID-19 pandemic has provided us with many challenges, using Zoom and social media we were able to maintain contact with one another even though we were unable to meet. During the pandemic we were also able to develop our website which also allowed members to keep in touch with one another.
We endured a 15 month interruption to our training schedule, the closure of our swimming pool and training room, we were unable to recruit new members and we were unable to go diving. Our club is self funding through membership fees and fund raising events throughout the year but because of Covid we could not justify charging membership fees when we were unable to offer anything in return, especially given that several of our members had lost employment or been furloughed as a result of the pandemic. Opportunities for fund raising were also unavailable, unfortunately during this time whilst we had no income we continued to have expenditure.
The equipment we use for Try Dives is subjected to annual testing regardless of whether or not it is used, this is a health and safety requirement. Subsequently, as we reopened we immediately faced significant costs for service and testing before we could welcome any trainees.
The club has a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) for diving, bought second hand 23 years ago it has served us well, although we were unable to use the boat during lockdown we still had to meet storage and insurance costs. On returning to open water mechanical and electrical faults resulted in further expenditure. Repairs and maintenance to the dive boat is a constant source of concern to us and given the age of the boat is likely to remain so. Having a club boat reduces the cost of running a dive trip and allows members to explore marine life, undertake wreck diving, supports our underwater photographs and allows our members the experience, once trained, of boat handling.
As we emerge from the restrictions of lockdown it is essential for our club to grow, to gain and train new members and to develop the skills of our existing members including boat handling and seamanship skills. Many of those attending Try Dives are young people from various community groups and the equipment we have, much of which has been donated isn’t suitable, for example a standard adult sized 12 litre cylinder is too heavy for our young Try Divers, 7 litre cylinders would be far more appropriate but we lack the funding to purchase and maintain them.
The cost of maintaining and repairing our dive boat is a constant drain on our resources but not having a dive boat would severely limit us as a dive club.
Our instructors are volunteers who pay for courses enabling them to train others, some have undertaken the Diving For All courses which enables them to train those with disabilities wishing to dive. We strongly believe that contributing to the cost of that training would encourage more to develop this skill.
A really great thing about scuba diving is how accessible it is for disabled people.
The BSAC Diving for All (DfA) Programme seeks to promote scuba diving to people with disabilities and provide divers, clubs and centres with the knowledge and skills to ensure that diving is safe for all BSAC members.
We hope to raise £46,000 towards the cost of a new RHIB, any additional funds would allow us to purchase smaller sized, child friendly equipment and to offer some contribution to our club instructors undertaking Diving for All training.
Sub C Divers is based in Wigan Borough within Greater Manchester and whilst Wigan may be famous for having a pier, it doesn’t have the sea nearby. It does however have many people wanting to experience a Try Dive many of whom go on to join the club. There are also several youth groups we have established links with and who regularly undertake Try Dives with us, these include scouts, local football teams and young carers. We have offered our support to a local organisation supporting injured ex-service personnel and our local authority has offered funding to provide training and club membership for someone with mental health issues.
We have supported local carnivals, done community gardening work, arranged litter picking events both locally and further afield whilst on diving tips.
Most of our members live in the area and with an age range of 8 to mid 70s they attend local schools and colleges and many work locally. Our members are part of the community in which we are based as well as part of the diving community.
Within our Sub C Divers community, we appreciate that diving within a club environment offers us the opportunity to experience some of the most thrilling, challenging and rewarding dives whilst at the same time providing an environment that promotes fun, friendship, adventure and personal development.
We have young members who have developed within the club over the years, a recent graduate who joined us when aged 13 and is now considering a Masters Degree in Marine Biology, a 14 year old who helped out in boat maintenance went on to become a mechanic. Those who had to be helped into dive suits are now confident enough to help other put their dive kits together. Young people have the opportunity to speak up without fear of ridicule, they know it’s ok to say they don’t understand and to recognise the importance of team work. The skills learnt include CPR, use of defibrillators as well as being safe in the water and with the equipment they use. All our members, regardless of age are passionate about safeguarding the underwater environment not only for themselves but for future generations of divers.
Interview above: Recently Qualified Discovery Diver Emily aged 11 & recently qualified Ocean Diver Amelia Aged 14. read Amelia's very own story Becoming a qualified ocean diver
Check out our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCHpDJdiLt3aAZl5i277Liw
A club expedition to Northern Ireland in 2016 resulted in the club winning the prestigious BSAC National Expeditions Award presented at the National Dive Show.
In 2019 we were nominated as a finalist in Wigan Council’s Believe Sports Awards managed by inspiring Healthy Lifestyles the award highlighted the excellent work and outstanding contribution made in the community.
2020 saw our governing body, BSAC recognise the club’s 40 years of furthering the exploration of the underwater world.
Take a look at the family fun clip below.. WARNING video involves Baby sharks.
Thank you
Sub C Divers BSAC1206
WWW.SUBCDIVERS.CO.UK
This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.