Surrey Aquanauts give helping hands
Following on from last year's successful event, Surrey Aquanauts (BS-AC 689) again took part in a fun day on Sunday 25th June for families of children affected by hemiplegia. Childhood hemiplegia is a condition, similar to cerebral palsy, which affects one side of the body. The effects are similar to that of a stroke and it affects around one child in 1,000. Further information can be found at www.hemihelp.org.uk.
The event, now in its 6th year, attracted some 200 children (with their parents) and they enjoyed a variety of activities, including Try Dives. Surrey Aquanauts provided seven instructors, an in-water photographer and six poolside marshal/helpers to give the children a chance to do this. Our in-water photographer was able to get individual pictures of all the participants as a reminder of the event. With help and advice from BS-AC and the Scuba Trust, (www.scubatrust.org.uk) a programme was put together with safety being paramount in the children's participation.The major challenge again this year was setting up equipment to accommodate small children and what proved the most effective were old fashioned backpacks with ABLJs attached to the packs to provide buoyancy, or alternatively a small wing with a 3 litre pony cylinder for air. Scuba diving was again voted the most popular activity and everyone was kept busy, with the instructors in the water for close on six hours, giving 62 children a try-dive experience. Many of the children were veterans from last year and were keen to do the diving again.
Once again we were amazed by the determination of some seriously affected children to dive and their ability once they realised that they could breathe in this new environment. It was particularly gratifying, and humbling for us, in the case of two wheelchair bound participants. All the children's pleasure was worth the effort we put into the day and we have already been ?booked to do the same again in 2007.
Surrey Aquanauts meet at 9pm on a Thursday night at Woking's Pool in the Park. Information on the Branch is available at www.surreyaquanauts.org.uk or by calling our free phone number 0800 018 6431.
Page last modified: 2nd Jan 2007 - 12:21:47