Wakefield is a small friendly BSAC club with about 12 ‘hard core’ diving members and a variable number of new trainees. We currently own a 6.7 mt Tornado RIB. We will also have the use of a brand new RIB which is privately owned by one of our members. Everyone is encouraged to ‘handle’ (and maintain!) the Club boat, especially non-diving partners! We dive almost exclusively in the sea, resorting to sheltered water sites only when the weather is really bad or for training purposes. As with most UK divers we are wreck lovers and will venture up to 20 miles offshore in search of treasure!!
We meet at 8.30pm every Thursday in a private room at ‘The Jockey’ pub in Altofts (Church Road). This is where we chat about great diving adventures of the past and plan new ones for the future. Ask a committee member for directions.
Since we are a small club we do not have our own pool session but have instead formed links with two local clubs whose water time we share (or poach?!!). The alternatives are Kippax Sports Centre (Monday night) and Leeds International Pool (Wednesday night). We find that the two venues offer new trainees flexibility, and also the opportunity to get wet twice a week for anyone who is super-keen!! The pool sessions begin at 8pm, are an hour long, and cost £2.50 for qualified divers and £5 for Club Diver trainees.
Long weekend dive trips are arranged throughout the year to venues such as Oban, the Farne Islands, St Abbs, Anglesey, Lyme Bay, and the Clyde. Often a week of diving is also arranged. Previous destinations have included Cornwall, Scapa Flow, and Islay, and in 2001 we are off to the Scilly Isles (by helicopter!). All members are encouraged to get involved in dive planning especially during the summer months when the diving becomes more spontaneous and we can be found in the water most weekends.
We have four nationally qualified BSAC instructors and teach up to the level of Dive Leader within the Club. The instructors are volunteers and training is provided free of charge to all club members. Full dive kit can be supplied to new trainee divers until the pool training section of the course is completed. External skills development courses which include boat handling, VHF radio operation, oxygen administration, rescue skills, Nitrox diving etc. are also organised on a regular basis.
Full diving membership is £170 per year and can be paid by monthly direct debit. This includes the BSAC annual subscription fee (£40 which entitles you to third party liability insurance and a monthly magazine) and the Club membership fee (£130 which covers maintenance of Club equipment). New divers are required to pay an additional £60 upon commencement of the diver training programme. This is paid directly to BSAC and includes the first years’ subscription fee (£40) and the training materials (£20).
The Club structure is detailed below. Please feel free to direct any queries you have to the relevant committee member.
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