BSAC

 MARK WILSON
I first started diving when I was 16, that's 30 years ago now. And for the last 20 years I have been a member of Harrow Sub-Aqua Club, where I have been both DO and Chairman. Wreck diving has been my principal interest over the years and has taken me all over the UK and many places overseas to study the finest scrap heaps the bottom of the ocean has to offer. In 1990 I passed my AI (managing to win the Wilkinson sword in the process, nobody was more surprised than me!) and started to work on the ITS. Two years later I got through First Class Diver, then a year later 1993, I passed NI. I have thoroughly enjoyed working on instructor events, both with the teams in the UK, and occasionally solo abroad. Most recently, I have served for 3 years (2004-07) on NDC as the First Class Diver Chief Examiner, excellent fun.

• Selecting the examiner team
• with support of a local organiser
• Conduct the examination according to the guide lines in a fair and scrupulous manner
• Provide extensive feedback to the candidates after the exam
• Work on any amendments to the National Instructor examiner notes required following the NIE 2007.
• Oversee all NI exams thereby maintaining standards from all events.
• Moderate all reports from events advising of any anomalies that arise.

MAGGIE COWING
I learned to dive with the University of London BSAC branch in 1981 and have been a keen and active diver in the UK and abroad since then. I love scenic and wreck diving of all types.

I started to teach diving within my branch soon after qualifying as a diver, and my enjoyment of introducing people to our sport led me to develop my skills in this area. My interest in diver training led to involvement in the Instructor Training Scheme, in which I have actively participated since 1986.

Within the BSAC, I have served my branch in a number of different roles, including Diving Officer & Treasurer, have served as a member of Council for 5 years and as a member of the National Diving Committee (NDC) since 1992, undertaking various roles including First Class Diver Chief Examiner and National Instructor Development Officer. I led the changes made to the Instructor Training Scheme following the ITS review carried out in 1999 - 2001, and have been a member of the NDC Steering Group for 6 years, the last three years as deputy NDO and Steering Group facilitator.

My current role in the Instructor Training Group is to assist, advise and support the National Diving Officer in managing and overseeing the National Instructor Examination.

• To implement the current criteria for the NI exam
• Rotation of the location for the event
• Most importantly of all encourage more candidates and provide support that gives them the best chance of succeeding.

 PETE CHURCH

• Promote and encourage more Advanced Instructors as the grade is recognised as such a pivotal role both in branches and on regional events.
• Analyse all examination results
• Ensure consistency of Advanced Instructor (2006) examiner notes.
•  Oversee all AI exams thereby maintaining standards from all events.
• Moderate all reports from events advising of any anomalies that arise. 

MIKE THOMAS
I started diving 1977 with Chesham BSAC, passing the "A" test on February 13th ! My first open water dive was "The Blue Lagoon", a pit adjacent to the Council tip near Bletchley. I progressed through training, becoming "3rd Class" diver in 1978, then moved to Norfolk and began learning about low viz. diving in the North Sea. I became a "2nd Class" diver in 1980.

I achieved "First Class" diver qualification in 1986 -I spent 4 years as Eastern Region Coach and became a National Instructor in 1991. I've been actively involved on the I.T.S. since then. I try to do about 100 dives each year and am progressing steadily towards my 3000th dive. I enjoy all types of diving, being equally happy ferreting round wreckage, attempting to take the perfect underwater picture in warm clear water, or training other divers and instructors. Geographically, I have dived Ascencion Island, Aqaba, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curacao, California, Carolina, Corfu, Eire, England - mainly East coast and South west, Florida, Great Lakes, Jamaica, Kenya, Maldives, Malta - Gozo and Comino, Northern Ireland, Red Sea, Rhodes, Scapa Flow, Sri Lanka, Vancouver, Wales, and the wonderfully named Lake Minnewanka in the Rocky Mountains !

Within my branch, East Anglian number 11, I have been Expeditions Officer, Secretary, Training Officer, Diving Officer, and am currently Chairman. I strongly believe that it is the enthusiasm and dedication of our members that makes BSAC the best diving club in the world.

Email - ai.chief@bsac.com

• Help refine the role for Advanced Instructors within BSAC.
• Work with the AI Project Officer to develop the AI grade.
• Promote and encourage more Advanced Instructors as the grade is recognised as such a pivotal role both in branches and on regional events.
• Develop AI with eye to the future to maintain interest from BSAC membership. 
• To develop AI in line with modifications to BSAC training philosophy. 
• To develop AI in line with technological development (particularly technical updates such as rebreathers and mixed gas). 

 JIM BROMHAM

I have been diving since 1990 and I learnt to dive at Poole in Dorset shortly before going to Bangor University.  At Bangor I was heavily involved with the University Sub Aqua Club.  Most of the diving I did was in North Wales, in particular around Anglesey but also on trips to areas such as St. Abbs and Eyemouth, Oban and the Western Isles.  I was also lucky enough to spend two months diving on the Belize Barrier Reef where I did my honours project.  I qualified as a Club Instructor in 1993 and attended an Advanced Instructor Course in the same year.

 

I joined Inverness Sub Aqua Club in 1997. As a branch most of the diving that we do is scenic, and to certain extent exploratory. The West Coast of Scotland, in my view offers some truly world class diving, and I have done a lot of diving in the area between Oban and Cape Wrath. I have also enjoyed diving in the Red Sea, The Maldives, New Zealand and Vancouver Island.  In addition to our local patch in the Moray Firth we also visit Scapa Flow a couple of times a year.

 

On joining the Inverness Club I quickly took on the role of Training Officer, a post which I held for three years. I also spent two years as Diving Officer.  I passed my AIE in September 2001, my First Class Diver Exam in September 2003, and had a first shot at NI in 2004, passing in the Isle of Man in 2005 winning the Wilkinson Sword Award in the process.

 

I have been instructing on Advanced Instructor Courses since 2004, and am delighted, to have been given the opportunity to take on the role of Advanced Instructor Development Officer within the Instructor Training Group.  My key roles and responsibilities are to ensure that all the Advanced Instructor Courses run by the BSAC operate to the high standards expected of the organisation.  In addition with the help of the Advanced Instructor Project Officer we will be developing the Advanced Instructor Course on an ongoing basis with the aim of ensuring that it remains fit for purpose and that Advanced Instructors continue to have a key role in diver training at branch, regional and National levels.

Email - aid@bsac.com

• Work with Steering Group and the Advanced Instructor Development Officer to deliver any developments thought to be necessary to the AI grade.
• Help refine the role for Advanced Instructors within BSAC.
• Develop AI with an eye to the future to maintain interest from BSAC membership. 
• To develop AI in line with modifications to BSAC training philosophy. 
• To develop AI in line with technological development (particularly technical updates such as rebreathers and mixed gas). 

ALLAN GOODWIN
I started diving in 1984, training with and being involved with my local BSAC branch in the Midlands (Worcester). About ten years ago I relocated 'back home' to the North West and joined my current branch (Stockport). I know from experience that the BSAC's Branch and Regional Coaching Scheme structure provides a great environment to develop and support instructors.
I have been involved with diver training since my early days in diving. This interest led me to become involved working on the Instructor Training Scheme from the early 1990's - a very enjoyable experience. If you haven't tried it, I can recommend it !
I qualified as a National Instructor in1999, meaning that since then I have been able to become involved in an even greater range of diving instruction.
My first experience of working on the NDC was as OWI Cheif Examiner and I plan to build on that experience in helping with the redevelopment of Advanced Instructor.

DUNCAN LOCKE

• Maintain standards throughout BSAC ( UK and abroad).
• Analyse all examination results
• Work with the Diver Training Group to address issues to help divers succeed in becoming instructors.
• Monitor all exams that make up the OWI grade to refine and improve the scheme.
• Oversee all OWI exams thereby maintaining standards from all events. 
• Moderate all reports from events advising of any anomalies that arise. 
• Work closely with ITS Staff Development role at BSAC HQ to ensure a clear process is defined between both roles thereby providing the best service possible to the membership. 

 DAVE WAKELAM
I took up diving along with other new pastimes!! at University, in Bradford in 1978, quickly got the bug and on leaving moved to Telford SAC in the Midlands, eventually the glamour of diving in a crystal clear freshwater quarry or a muddy swamp depending on who got in first proved too much, and so I moved to the coast and Cardigan SAC in Wales in 1983. Since then I’ve been diving pretty consistently, enjoy all types of diving, in mainly Wales , but also Scotland , the south west and a few exotic spots. In the branch I’ve held most committee posts, regionally acted as an area coach and regional coach for Cymru ( Wales to foreigners), nationally working on the ITS Instructor Training Scheme and most recently as skill development course chief. I became an instructor trainer in ’99 and National Instructor in 2003.  It was the IFC (ITC back then) that opened my eyes to instructing and it’s been a great buzz ever since; back then my branch like many others had no qualified instructors, vast strides have been made since then, and many branches like mine now have several instructors across the grades, thanks to the efforts of divers and the highly successful Instructor Training Scheme. My experience and this role gives me the opportunity to maintain and build on the work of my predecessor. By review of the exams to reach Open Water Instructor to ensure we maintain the standards and the success rate of our candidate instructors and the needs of the examiners, encourage them both via feedback to improve and progress further as instructors, assess if and how we can improve, in conjunction with others working on their own elements that lead up to and beyond OWI in the Instructor and Diver Training Group so in  preview we can further develop the Open Water Instructor, the examiners and the ITS.

Email - owi.chief@bsac.com

• Maintain standards throughout BSAC ( UK and abroad).
• Work with Steering Group to deliver any developments thought to be necessary to the OWI grade.
• Work with the OWI Chief Examiner to create consistency between OWI courses and exam.
• Work with the Diver Training Group to address issues to help divers succeed in becoming instructors.
• Monitor all courses that make up the OWI grade to refine and improve the scheme. 
• As OWI Development Officer is responsible for all elements of the first Nationally Qualified Instructor grade she/he needs to make the elements attractive and achievable or BSAC divers who wish to become instructors. 

SOPHIE RENNIE
I first started diving whilst backpacking round Australia in 1990. I crossed over from PADI to BSAC when I joined a well known oil company with a very nice pool smack in the centre of London ! My Instructor route started with the old CIE and I was one of the first to go through the Open Water Instructor system – my number being 060! My roles at branch level have included Training Officer and also Diving Officer. I am just in the process of stepping down as South West Regional Coach – a post I have held for some 4 years. Other responsibilities include being a SADS (Military diving Supervisor) which means lots of Expeds in nice places! My remit for this job is to look after all aspects of the IFC and OWIC, and make sure we continue to run them at the high standard they deserve.

• Manage the creation of the Programme Of Events (POE) for all ITS events
• Ensuring efficient administration for all events by HQ
• To regularly liaise with the ITS Staff Development Officer to update/review new ITS members
• Assistance in dealing with enquiries / complaints / appeals
• Providing background to costs and implications of changes to Instructor Training
• Support information - Monitoring and reporting on:
• Event attendance figures and budgetary control
• Instructor numbers and trends
• ITS staff development and progress 

ITS Co-Ordinator
Alistair Reynolds

I started with snorkelling in 1965 in the waters off North Devon, dare I say spearfishing, and joined BSAC Merseyside Branch in 1969 in order to learn how to scuba dive and appreciate the fish instead.  I have been actively involved in diver training and instructor development since 1974 when I gained my Club Instructor.  This continued through Advanced Instructor and I qualified as a First Class Diver in '77 and a National Instructor in 1979.

 

For some 18 years ('79 - '97) I ran a diving equipment servicing company part-time while doing my day job as a college lecturer, servicing all makes and models of diving regulators, dry suit repairs for most manufacturers' models and providing training courses for branch members in equipment care and maintenance as well as Nitrox Diver training.

 

Between 1992 and '94, I was the Advanced Instructor Chief Examiner and was instrumental, with the then NDO, Tony Hoile, in introducing the Open Water Instructor Course (OWIC) and OWI award.

 

In 2000 I left FE and took on the role of BSAC Technical Manager at BSAC HQ, the title changing in 2005 to Diver Resources Team (DRT) Manager.  I have continued to keep pace with advances in diving technology by becoming a qualified Trimix and Dräger rebreather diver.  I have been on NDC  and Steering Group since my appointment in 2000.

Telephone - 0151 350 6261
Email - itsman@bsac.com

• To organise Instructor Trainer Development Courses
• To review with the ITS Co-ordinator tracking of staff development through observes and assists
• To manage a team to provide guidance and assistance for new ITS instructors
• Reporting on progress and need for additional resources or events
• This will be developed to support ongoing training and development of existing ITS staff through:
• Guidance to event Bosses
• Dedicated refresher events
• Liaison with National Instructor Development Officer

CHRIS COOK
I started diving in 1984 with a local BSAC branch in the East Midlands NEDSAC 921 and immediately got hooked on diving.

Email - instdev.chief@bsac.com

• Maintain standards throughout BSAC ( UK and abroad).
• Analyse all examination results
• Work with the Diver Training Group to address issues to help divers succeed in becoming instructors.
• Oversee all Snorkel Instructor exams thereby maintaining standards from all events. 
• Moderate all reports from events advising of any anomalies that arise. 
• Work closely with ITS Staff Development role at BSAC HQ to ensure a clear process is defined between both roles thereby providing the best service possible to the membership. 
• Working with the Snorkel Training Programme advisor - monitoring the performance of the BSAC Snorkelling programme for the maintenance of relevant training standards.

MARGARET BALDWIN
When I joined BSAC in 1974 I had already been diving for 3 years but Rugby branch quite correctly insisted I went through the BSAC training programme. I quickly got into Instructing and by 1978 I was an Advanced Instructor and running one of the first BSAC recognised schools. 1984 I developed a wanderlust and was Diving Officer for an Operation Raleigh Recognisance Expedition to Roatan, Honduras. In Roatan I taught 2 venture scouts to dive and on my return I was very quickly 'volunteered' as a Scout Leader to teach diving. I am still involved with expedition diving and since 1989 I have been a diving advisor for Frontier Expeditions for their work in Tanzania and very recently for their project in Madagascar.
My branch, since it was formed in 1985 is Leicestershire Scouts Sub Aqua Unit. As with all Scouting the aim is to make opportunities accessible to as many young people as possible, consequently as a Branch we have always offered snorkel training to involve young people from about age 10 years. Around 2000 as a way to keep teenage members involved in branch pool activities I started to coach them as Assistant Snorkel Instructors and by the end of 2001 under the guidance of Mike Smith I achieved Snorkel Instructor Trainer. This was soon followed by members of my branch becoming qualified Snorkel Instructors and with the help of Sally and Gary Mutton from Stroud we made the Scouting HQ at Gillwell take notice of Snorkelling in the BSAC. In the Branch we find that our snorkelling activities has real family appeal, with the parents often asking if they can have a quick lesson before taking the family on holiday, and several families are now divers.
About 5 years Jim Watson had persuaded me to join ITS for scuba and I am very pleased I took the opportunity, I have met some great people and my enthusiasm for instruction for both scuba and snorkelling has a new lease of life.
To earn the money to go diving I am the Operations Manager for Stoney Cove.


Email - snorkelchief@bsac.com