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the yorkshire region is holding a conference on the 13th Noveember 2005 at York go to the yorkshire region web site for further details or contact me direct. There are only 100 tickets available so you better be quick.
Garry Ridler
<a href="http://www.bsac-yorkshire.co.uk/" >http://www.bsac-yorkshire.co.uk/</a>
Steve Pearson
11-10-2005, 21:57
the yorkshire region is holding a conference on the 13th Noveember 2005 at York go to the yorkshire region web site for further details or contact me direct. There are only 100 tickets available so you better be quick.
Garry Ridler
http://www.bsac-yorkshire.co.uk/
Hope you have a better response than we've had in the North West Garry.
Three and a half thousand members in our region, a lot of work gone in to organising the event and securing 2 thousand pounds worth of prizes and we are struggling to get over a hundred people to go to a fabulous day with a packed program of guest speakers. I don't know why we bother putting on Regional events when the majority of the regions divers can't be bothered to set aside a day to support what has been done for their benefit at a cost to them of ?5. And that ?5 ticket goes into a prize draw for a Vytec computer.
Well there seems to be little reponse so far we have jack Ingle and others so it will a very interesting day I dont know why people dont support the regions maybe somone could give come back with answers
Garry
Adrian Kelland
12-10-2005, 09:40
Well there seems to be little reponse so far we have jack Ingle and others so it will a very interesting day I dont know why people dont support the regions maybe somone could give come back with answers
Garry
Have the branches been asked what they want from the Region?
Mike Halligan
12-10-2005, 12:12
Steve,
Those remarks, however deeply held your view, are over-simplification and fail to recognise the needs or aspirations of others (like to go diving under arrangements made long before this particular rabbit was produced from the hat).
If you're going to turn chopsy when you don't get what you want, please do it more quietly. (It could be one reason for others skirting what should be an opportunity.) Like you, I'm sorry that response has been poor, I've been trying for weeks to get someone to go and get me raffle tickets. However, this is a launch event, scheduled within the diving 'season', right on top of Come & Dive and whilst many trainees are finishing their skills. More senior divers seem to be heavily engaged in completing higher grades, too. Perhaps it is worth reflecting, when pointing fingers, that we could always look down - and note how many fingers point firmly back at ourselves.
Best wishes to both events, may they prosper in parallel. I'm off out of the country for a while.
Mike ;-)
Steve,
Those remarks, however deeply held your view, are over-simplification and fail to recognise the needs or aspirations of others (like to go diving under arrangements made long before this particular rabbit was produced from the hat).
If you're going to turn chopsy when you don't get what you want, please do it more quietly. (It could be one reason for others skirting what should be an opportunity.) Like you, I'm sorry that response has been poor, I've been trying for weeks to get someone to go and get me raffle tickets. However, this is a launch event, scheduled within the diving 'season', right on top of Come & Dive and whilst many trainees are finishing their skills. More senior divers seem to be heavily engaged in completing higher grades, too. Perhaps it is worth reflecting, when pointing fingers, that we could always look down - and note how many fingers point firmly back at ourselves.
Best wishes to both events, may they prosper in parallel. I'm off out of the country for a while.
Mike ;-)
Sorry Mike but who is getting chopsy I was asking for suggestions not personal attacks please fel to explain what you mean about pointing fingers ect I was pointing out we have an event and the initial response is slow and asking for ideas I think that Adrian is spot on do the branches want these events or not and if we cant ask that here then where else do you suugest
garry
Mike Halligan
12-10-2005, 16:14
Garry,
I addressed myself to Steve (and his reply), not to your advert.
Mike
Steve Pearson
12-10-2005, 22:16
Mike as usual you reply with pretentious drivel. This is a forum to air views.
This particular rabbit as you call it was posted on here on 4th June this year, well in advance of a lot of scheduled trips. It is a regionally organised event for members of the region and any others who would like to come.
We have a region with 3,500 members and have only had a 3% uptake, despite the efforts of my colleagues within the coaching team who volunteered to try and sell the tickets.
This is an event with many guest speakers giving up their time for the benefit of others. Are all trainees within the region and the senior divers whom you obviously know all personally as you claim they are engaged in completing higher grades, fully conversant with RNLI, Coastguard, Police Search & Rescue, Writing a book on wrecks, long range Rhib Expeditions, Shark Trust and several others. If so then perhaps they would have no reason to go, but I'm damn sure that all the trainees if asked to go along by senior club members would find it of interest, and also have the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes such as a vytec computer, or Analox Analyser, along with a further 10+ prizes.
When is it not the diving season, I dive all year round as do a lot of my friends so what time would be a good time. If you're sorry the response is poor why criticise a thread highlighting that the response is disappointing.
It is BSAC HQ who are pushing to have Regional Conferences, not individuals who have nothing better to do. You obviously don't realise the time and personal expense put in by the few members of the coaching team who've oganised this, but I can assure you, we've all had better things to do on the days we've been meeting, contacting speakers, touting for prizes etc, yet we've put aside those better things to try and make a good, well balanced event for those attending.
So don't give me any crap about pointing fingers, nor tell me to do it quietly.
Your know-it-all attitude is probably what gave you the chip you've got on your shoulder, but it's a well balanced one as you've got them on both. If it's Gozo you're going to I suggest you reflect on what I've said about attitude this time. You know what I mean.
To others reading this thread I apologies if I sound like I'm being harsh, but I believe Mikes comments aimed at me were uncalled for
Steve
Without getting involved in any spats, perhaps the awnser to
many of the "problems" associated with this conference is
indicative of how we (the clubs) percieve coaches and thus BSAC
as a whole.
So how about asking the question, what is the role of a coach?
The stock awnser is to provide teaching support through
regional events such as SDC's etc or to act as a fire brigade
when things go wrong in a club, maybe sorting out problems.
What is sadly lacking in that remit (or its so far down the
list as to be ignored) is the promotion of BSAC as a whole.
Ok obviously as a coach interacts with the odd club or member
on an SDC, he might try and get the message across, but thats
always compromised by the course or other business on the
night.
So what am I getting at?
Take your average firm or buisness.
Most have departments with defined roles servicing there
clents. Back at HQ you will have somebody to take orders, run
training or maintainance, but on the road will be a salesman or
representative. There job is not to sell individual items as
such (although that does happen) its to sell the company as a
whole. To service accounts and get the message across of what
is and can be done. Without this interaction at client level the
firm becomes nothing more than an order taking machine.
So where is the BSAC representation at coach level? Awnser its
simply not there. The remit doesnt include the active
promotion of BSAC in that sense.
So you want to get more than 3% at a regional venue?
Each area coach has what say 12 branches under his/her wing.
So why not visit one a month? Treat each club as a clent and
interact. Dont wait for that 999 call, get out there and sell
BSAC.
If this isnt in the remit of coaches or theres resistance with
the old school, then create another role within each region
solely for this job.
No matter how much effort goes into the promotion of one single
conference, how many clubs are saying, so what?
Maybe if they felt part of BSAC through regular coach visits
they might actually want to go!
BTW its not unique to Yorkshire. Dispite an open invitation
we havnt seen a coach in at least 7 or 8 years.
I'm hoping that the launch of Neptune will finally make BSAC
interactive as never before. Making bookings and logistics etc.
easier and changing a mindset that filters down to coaches.
Who knows in a few years we might get to a place where a visit
is seen as the norm, not the exception.
TerryH
David Walker
14-10-2005, 08:20
I think Terry hit the nail on the head, so to speak. I've only ever seen regional coaches when i've done SDCs in any particular region... which is about twice. We don't have any conferences in the West Midlands (as far as i'm aware), although the one in the North East (my other region) is always very popular, so they're obviously doing something right up there. No idea what, i'm never in the area when its happening.
Your post though does seem to me to be implying that while the regional coaches are putting in lots of work for BSAC, that club committees are just lazy and can't be bothered to tell their members about it - I think thats probably offensive to a lot of very hard working committee members of clubs who are there every week (several times per week) doing things for their own clubs. To expect them to run around trying to get trainees etc to go to a conference they probably know little about (I guess you sent a general e-mail to each club saying "conference - please come" which probably went straight into most people's junk mail filter) is rather optomistic when they're busy organising so many other things.
Remember that everyone else is a volunteer, not just yourself, so as "regional" volunteer you really shouldn't be criticising other more "local" volunteers for not promoting your event.
David
Steve Pearson
14-10-2005, 09:58
David
Whilst I take on board your comments about only seeing regional coaches at SDC's it seems that you may not be aware of the commitments of the Regional Coach. Assume a region with 100 clubs, even if the Regional Coach visited one a week it would take two years to get round them all. You would then get the clubs complaining "well we've only seen our Regional Coach once in the past two years", on top of that the coach would be a member of a club and be expected to go each week on club nights, and also has an involvement in SDC's, IFC's, OWIC, They also have a home life, and work. They also don't get paid for it, just expenses. They then put together a Regional Coaching team, who are once again volunteers and give up their time freely. They may be allocated 5-10 branches each to act as area coaches, they also have club nights of their own, and involvement in SDC's, IFC's, OWIC and have a family life and work. All of the above are probably commitee members of their own clubs doing things as you have stated above for their own clubs during the week and at weekends. "why do they volunteer then if they can't do everything that's asked of them?" some of you would ask....It's becuase they want to get involved and want to try and make a difference and help out within the region. OK so they can' make it to every club on a regular basis, but if the club has a problem the DO/Chairman knows who they are and could ask them to come in.
Do you not think that regionally organised events such as the conference are a good way of getting members to meet and discuss things with their coaches, and air any problems they may have. Is it not a good place for clubs to meet and interact with other clubs. Is it not an opportunity to learn something outside the club circle. The RNLI are doing a pyrothechnic display, have you or your club members had the opportunity to set any off before, well here's a chance.
I did not imply that club committee members are lazy, nor did I say that, it's obviously just your interpretation of things. The same with your interpretation (I guess you sent a general e-mail to each club saying "conference - please come" which probably went straight into most people's junk mail filter)
Members of the conference committee contacted every club in the region several times by email, and phone. Posters were designed and printed and went into dive shops and to each club. Tickets were distributed to dive centres, and so a lot of effort was put in by people who also have "local" responsibilities as well.
It's all very well when clubs need help from the region. They ask and expect to get it, whether it be providing a qualified instructor to run a club SDC, with club NQI's assisting to get their tickets to run the courses in house again, or whether it's to hire/borrow regional equipment, or whether it's for help in resolving a dispute or just providing advice.
So let's put you on the spot......what do you expect from the regional coaching team, what do you want from them, and why would you not attend a conference put on for your benefit.
Steve
Steve Pearson
14-10-2005, 10:16
Thanks for the constructive comments Terry, Im sure HQ will be looking at the issue of coach/club interaction, but I don't feel there is an easy solution.
I do know that there is however feelings from some clubs that they don't want coaches to attend their meetings as they feel it's a sort of "big Brother" watching them, and consequently make the area coaches feel a little unwelcome. Perhaps when a coach visits the club a few drinks bought for them and introductions to club members or even an organised open forum would help, but not to the extent that the coaches are put in the firing line, criticed publicly for failings in the system and there for everyone to take a pot shot at.
I feel it may be better if once a month there was an organised meeting for coaches and the DO's or any other committee members who may wish to attend at a different venue within the region. It would be a sort of clinic where representatives from each club could put forward their problems/suggestions which could then either be resolved on the night, or by the next meeting and may even generate some inter-club events/training between clubs within the region.
The faults within regions don't just lie with the coaches and clubs need to take some responsibility as well, and try to resolve it by helping to promote BSAC and BSAC run events to their members. After all they are BSAC clubs and should be proud of it.
Steve
David Walker
14-10-2005, 11:55
So let's put you on the spot......what do you expect from the regional coaching team, what do you want from them, and why would you not attend a conference put on for your benefit.
Personally, i have to say i don't expect anything from the Regional Coaching Team to be completely honest. Its mainly just another source of SDCs, like another branch or school would be.
As for the conference, then if people are aware of it from all of the posters then they mustn't believe that it would be of interest, or possibly that they are busy with something else at that time. I suppose now being near to the Dive Show (effectively a very big diving conference) maybe smaller ones are overlooked? Or if people are saying that the ?5 is putting them off (has anyone said that??) then if the ?5 entry mainly goes towards a prize, how about trying a cheaper / no prize next year and lower/no ticket prices see if that changes peoples minds?
I don't know, its just that your post came across as very much "the regional coaches do a lot, and branches can't be bothered" which I don't think is right. If you weren't implying that (can't remember where abouts, and can't see that post while i'm typing) then feel free to ignore me :O)
David
Thanks for the constructive comments Terry, Im sure HQ will be looking at the issue of coach/club interaction, but I don't feel there is an easy solution.
I do know that there is however feelings from some clubs that they don't want coaches to attend their meetings as they feel it's a sort of "big Brother" watching them, and consequently make the area coaches feel a little unwelcome. Perhaps when a coach visits the club a few drinks bought for them and introductions to club members or even an organised open forum would help, but not to the extent that the coaches are put in the firing line, criticed publicly for failings in the system and there for everyone to take a pot shot at.
I feel it may be better if once a month there was an organised meeting for coaches and the DO's or any other committee members who may wish to attend at a different venue within the region. It would be a sort of clinic where representatives from each club could put forward their problems/suggestions which could then either be resolved on the night, or by the next meeting and may even generate some inter-club events/training between clubs within the region.
The faults within regions don't just lie with the coaches and clubs need to take some responsibility as well, and try to resolve it by helping to promote BSAC and BSAC run events to their members. After all they are BSAC clubs and should be proud of it.
Steve
Think you are falling into the trap of believing BSAC's own
hype :-(
BSAC thinks its this great club which we all belong to and
everybody is happpy bunnies. To some maybe, but to an awful lot
of us the reality is that BSAC is a facilitator of courses to
enable my mates to learn to dive. I could choose SAA or PADI to
do the same job, its just historicly we happen to be BSAC and
so pay our subs to that organisation. My aligence might be to
BSAC down the line, but 1st and formost, it's my own club.
To truely belong we need to feel a part of it and have
interaction and local contact. That doesnt mean just through
membership reciepts, the odd SDC or email etc, but real face to
face contact. BSAC puts great sway by flooding LIDS and the NEC
and using that as the the general meet the BSAC PR stuff, but
that isnt personal in the sense it allows anough time to
discuss specific issues relating to MY club with MY local
representative.
I was even told a couple of years ago by one of the big cheese
that having coaches at the show wasnt neccesary as they were
busy doing courses etc. So even this avenue of inteaction was
denied to me.
As for animosity towards a visit, ask yourself why? If you
didnt ever get a visit and then suddenly you do, of course
there will be suspicion. Change that to ALL clubs are now
going to be visited and the representaive (not coach) starts
to interact. Clubs will welcome them and see it as a conduit
towards BSAC HQ.
Or look at it another way.
I'm a Yorkshire club and havnt seen anybody from BSAC apart
from attendance on the odd SDC where naturally the topic of
conversation is soley the SDC. So out of the blue I get a call
from Local BSAC saying, hey we've got a conference, you coming?
If I feel I really belong to BSAC then the awnser will be, yes
of course.
If the awnser is apathy and why? Then the only conclusion is
that I dont feel enough of this organisation to merit going to
not an event hundreds of miles away, but one on my doorstep.
That's a pretty damming inditement.
IMO we desperately need BSAC reps.
TerryH
I think you have read that wrong, remember that coaches are also integral members of their own branches a conference is a means to narrow that gap and make the coaches more acessable howver if the chance is not taken then dont be disapointed, when we have made the effort and the support from the branches is not there. I refer back to my first question what do you in branch want a coach to turn up at every training session is both in practical and unrealistic as well as my own branch I have a life outside diving.
Garry
I think some people are missing the point, this is a conference for divers that just happens to be run by BSAC, I don’t see any other agencies making an effort. I'm sure non BSAC members are more than welcome to attend.
I live in Birmingham and made the effort to attend Divewise in Durham last year, it was a great day out, I found most of the presentations interesting, entertaining and informative. The only BSAC propaganda was one speaker attempting to recruit hardened divers as snorkelling instructors (like I said entertaining).
I personally feel robbed that no such conference takes place in the midlands (best of my knowledge) as this is a great opportunity for divers to gather, share experiences and more importantly increase their list of diver contacts.
Sadly I will be on holiday for the Yorkshire conference, I would very much like to learn more about the Hyperbaric facilities in Hull, whilst I have no interest in technical diving, I’m sure the presentation by Jack Ingle would be informative and may even plant a seed.
I’ll just have to do with the lovely Miranda Krestovnikoff at the NEC in a few weeks.
This is a great opportunity, don’t waste it.
M
I think some people are missing the point, this is a conference for divers that just happens to be run by BSAC, I don’t see any other agencies making an effort. I'm sure non BSAC members are more than welcome to attend.
I live in Birmingham and made the effort to attend Divewise in Durham last year, it was a great day out, I found most of the presentations interesting, entertaining and informative. The only BSAC propaganda was one speaker attempting to recruit hardened divers as snorkelling instructors (like I said entertaining).
Thank you and thats what is all about
Garry
I personally feel robbed that no such conference takes place in the midlands (best of my knowledge) as this is a great opportunity for divers to gather, share experiences and more importantly increase their list of diver contacts.
Sadly I will be on holiday for the Yorkshire conference, I would very much like to learn more about the Hyperbaric facilities in Hull, whilst I have no interest in technical diving, I’m sure the presentation by Jack Ingle would be informative and may even plant a seed.
I’ll just have to do with the lovely Miranda Krestovnikoff at the NEC in a few weeks.
This is a great opportunity, don’t waste it.
M
Terry
We don't have a rep(utation) system on here but I must congratulate you on making your point in such a constructive fashion. As far as I can remember that is the first time you have managed it without crticising someone or some role within the greater BSAC.
Thankyou
Whilst I take on board your comments about only seeing regional coaches at SDC's it seems that you may not be aware of the commitments of the Regional Coach.
Well I certainly am. I am also aware of the commitment of MikeH, TerryH and the rest of the minority that allows BSAC to function on a voluntary basis. Personally I avoid playing the 'I am working harder than you game' as it is counter-productive. We have to work together and thank people for the help they do provide, even when we are not completely happy with how they provide it. The only currencies we have are encouragement and motivation and they are too precious to squander on our own self satisfaction.
Assume a region with 100 clubs, even if the Regional Coach visited one a week it would take two years to get round them all.
Do the math on the number of OW dives required to get a new joiner from OD to Instructor and divide it by the average number of active instructors in a branch. Allow for the attrition rate and it becomes clear BSAC has a major resourcing issue largely the making of previous Councils. The branches have been suffering for years and it now seems to be percing up to the region. The question is how long we have to wait before a current council does something about it. I am encouraged that Sean Gribben recently indicated that the problem is at last being discussed. I only hope that the decision makers have the (for want of a better term) <a href="mailto:b@lls">b@lls</a> to come up with affective measures. The ITS/DTP is the life blood of the BSAC and it's got a clogged artery.
You would then get the clubs complaining "well we've only seen our Regional Coach once in the past two years",
Drop the them and us. As far as I can tell enforcing divisions has been a major cause of the current decline. Try to accept that WE are all working as hard as we can, we all have pressures on our time and WE all own the problems.
on top of that the coach would be a member of a club and be expected to go each week on club nights
Personally I don't expect anyone to turn up on club nights. They do so because we endeavour to provide a club they want to turn up to.
Do you not think that regionally organised events such as the conference are a good way of getting members to meet and discuss things with their coaches
Sorry this is a bit blatent, but considering the lack of response to your event, perhaps not.
I did not imply that club committee members are lazy, nor did I say that, it's obviously just your interpretation of things.
The Daily Mail never prints 'Tony is an ar5e' but that is what most people read. It took a few years as a branch chairman to teach me that what I considered inoccuous comments could be deeply offensive to others due to their interpretation. Of course as a chair you can't afford to upset people - well not unless you want to end up doing everything yourself.
Members of the conference committee contacted every club in the region several times by email...
Did you ask people if they wanted the event?
It's all very well when clubs need help from the region. They ask and expect to get it, whether it be providing a qualified instructor to run a club SDC, with club NQI's assisting to get their tickets to run the courses in house again
So you are complaining that branches want to do the training themselves, which helps their members get a better service and relieves the pressure on the region!!!
=or whether it's to hire/borrow regional equipment
Who owns that euipment. I really do hope you are not hiring equipment to members that have already paid for it!
or whether it's for help in resolving a dispute or just providing advice.
Hmmmm. Sorry but whenever I went to the region for help all I ever got was 'try harder' The longer term result was that the branch contracted to the point where we could continue to help ourselves.
So let's put you on the spot......what do you expect from the regional coaching team, what do you want from them,
Personally I want a Nitrox assist so that when a club member needs Nitrox I can enable them to use it. I want an AI course and exam that I have a hope of attending - so that I can make various courses more accessible to my fellow branch members. I would not mind the opporunity of getting to know the regional staff and who knows I might be inspired to think about helping them out if I can.
and why would you not attend a conference put on for your benefit.
There is a limit to how much time I will spend in lecture halls. I joined BSAC to go diving at the end of the day.
Steve, I understand that the regional staff are caught in the middle and that must be frustrating at times.
Best of luck with the event
is a means to narrow that gap and make the coaches more acessable
So your going to be running Nitrox courses, Instructor theory exams, AI courses and the other things that branch members find inaccessible? I have the same problem at DOC, lots of opportunity to talk, little action afterwards.
howver if the chance is not taken then dont be disapointed, when we have made the effort and the support from the branches is not there.
That you ran an event no one wants? Sorry that's a bit harsh
I refer back to my first question what do you in branch want a coach to turn up at every training session
Absolutely not. I am 2 miles from the sea. Our club has been diving 51 years and I don't think that it is unreasonable to expect that we should be able to go diving/teach diving without having to travel 100 miles to attend confrences. The reason we need the region is because BSAC have engineered it that way. A branch like ours should be feeding the region not beholding to it.
I have a life outside diving.
Don't we all...but not much.
BSAC is a means to an end and that end is to go diving. No one involved in running the organisation should ever forget that. That is what it is all about.
Whilst I take on board your comments about only seeing regional coaches at SDC's it seems that you may not be aware of the commitments of the Regional Coach. Assume a region with 100 clubs, even if the Regional Coach visited one a week it would take two years to get round them all. :=
Or how about letting the AREA coaches do it and just vist the
ones in there remit. Now you only need to have an area coaches
meet with regional, say once a quarter to get an idea of
what's going on in the branches.
Most area coaches have a dozen branches in there remit. So
that's one a month. If that's a problem than delegate. I'd much
rather see an enthusiastic diver (an acting rep) who is some
sort of conduit to HQ then none at all.
TerryH
Terry
We don't have a rep(utation) system on here but I must congratulate you on making your point in such a constructive fashion. As far as I can remember that is the first time you have managed it without crticising someone or some role within the greater BSAC.
Thankyou
One of us must be mellowing in our old age :-)
T.
:=is a means to narrow that gap and make the coaches more acessable
So your going to be running Nitrox courses, Instructor theory exams, AI courses and the other things that branch members find inaccessible? I have the same problem at DOC, lots of opportunity to talk, little action afterwards.
:=howver if the chance is not taken then dont be disapointed, when we have made the effort and the support from the branches is not there.
That you ran an event no one wants? Sorry that's a bit harsh
:=I refer back to my first question what do you in branch want a coach to turn up at every training session
Absolutely not. I am 2 miles from the sea. Our club has been diving 51 years and I don't think that it is unreasonable to expect that we should be able to go diving/teach diving without having to travel 100 miles to attend confrences. The reason we need the region is because BSAC have engineered it that way. A branch like ours should be feeding the region not beholding to it.
:=I have a life outside diving.
Don't we all...but not much.
BSAC is a means to an end and that end is to go diving. No one involved in running the organisation should ever forget that. That is what it is all about.
I have read quite a few of your posts Matt and I am looking forward to somthing without the intention to flame. This forum is becoming very hostile and its lectures like yours that make people reluctant to come back,
I have read quite a few of your posts Matt and I am looking forward to somthing without the intention to flame.
Are you sure you know what a flame is? Steve's response to MikeH is not a bad example. Personally I would just like to see some sensible discussion and action around the problems that have been frustrateing myself and others for the last 8 years or so. I think I can do that in a constructive manner without resorting to personal attacks. I fully admit to being unintersted in mutual back slapping though.
This forum is becoming very hostile and its lectures like yours that make people reluctant to come back,
Your oppinion. You may want to check with Keith as to it's accuracy.
Steve Pearson
17-10-2005, 00:35
The North West conference was a terrific success despite the lack of numbers attending. We had a turn-out of about 130 including helpers. All of them had a great day out, with some very interesting lectures and good contacts made with other divers.
Many thanks to those who attended, and if you're reading this, let those in your clubs who didn't come, know what a great day you had in the hope that they may come next time.
Steve
Bob Healey
17-10-2005, 10:29
I think some people are missing the point, this is a conference for divers that just happens to be run by BSAC, I don’t see any other agencies making an effort. I'm sure non BSAC members are more than welcome to attend.
I live in Birmingham and made the effort to attend Divewise in Durham last year, it was a great day out, I found most of the presentations interesting, entertaining and informative. The only BSAC propaganda was one speaker attempting to recruit hardened divers as snorkelling instructors (like I said entertaining).
So pleased that my talk stuck in your mind, must have been good, and it was remarkably successful.Look forward to seeing you at Divewise next time. Perhaps we could convert you to becoming a Snorkel Instructor.
Bob Healey
I personally feel robbed that no such conference takes place in the midlands (best of my knowledge) as this is a great opportunity for divers to gather, share experiences and more importantly increase their list of diver contacts.
Sadly I will be on holiday for the Yorkshire conference, I would very much like to learn more about the Hyperbaric facilities in Hull, whilst I have no interest in technical diving, I’m sure the presentation by Jack Ingle would be informative and may even plant a seed.
I’ll just have to do with the lovely Miranda Krestovnikoff at the NEC in a few weeks.
This is a great opportunity, don’t waste it.
M
david taylor
30-10-2005, 15:12
Having organised the North East conference, Divewise, for the last 5 years, I hope I may be able to shed some light on the phenomena of regional conferences!! Our first conference attracted less than 100 people, we now get closer to 300. But it has taken 9 years. It is a diving conference open to ALL divers, and billed as a day of education and entertainment. We ask delegates every year what they want to see next year and try to arrange it, every year more people come. Divewise is not there to promote the BSAC, although all of the volunteers who make it happen are members and HQ does give us lots of moral, but very little financial support. It is supported by the diving industy who sponsor and support the conference, it hopefully gives divers something to do at the beginning of the season rather than diving in muddy puddles and if it also allows BSAC members to meet the coaching team and ask questions or look for advice, then that is a bonus.
It is dissapointing that more people dont attend,and good diving weather always affects attendace, but the ones that do come always tell me that they have had a great day, thats why I kerep doing it!!
By the way next years Divewise March 12th !!!
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