Scuba Trust - March 2019
- Paul Jackson
- Mar 11, 2019
- 2 min read
Paul Jackson presents a cheque to the Scuba Trust
Visit to the Scuba Trust
John Greenwood and I visited the Scuba Trust on 10th March 2019. We joined the monthly dive and were able to present a cheque for £5,500 underwater! This money will go towards the replacement of an ailing van used for transporting and storing equipment.
While there, we met Amanda Ford and Eric Bellworthy, trustees of the charity. Amanda who is a qualified diving instructor, gives a lot of her spare time volunteering for the Scuba Trust. She explained the incredible positive effect of scuba diving on people with extreme disabilities due to weightlessness and the freedom of movement.
About the Scuba Trust
The Scuba Trust has been a registered charity for over 20 years. It's run entirely by dedicated and experienced volunteers and supports people with a wide range of disabilities. These include paraplegics, quadriplegics, the visually impaired, deaf, autistic and amputees. The Trust has a long and successful history of working with divers with disabilities.
A sense of freedom
Weightless, relaxed and free from a wheelchair or mobility aid, divers can for a short while forget the world above the water. Supported by qualified instructors, scuba diving can be enjoyed by virtually anyone, regardless of physical ability. For people with disabilities, there is a unique sense of freedom as they are transported into a world of near weightlessness.
Aims
For people with disabilities, it is often difficult to find suitable instruction. They can also face a greater outlay for training and recreational diving after certification. The Scuba Trust aims to provide a level playing field by arranging training, obtaining funding and subsidising such applicants. They rely on donations in order to do this. For the beneficiaries of the charity, it is often the only time in their lives when they are pain-free.
Due to my interest in scuba diving, I have known about the Scuba Trust for a number of years. One of the things I love about diving is the sense of weightlessness and the feeling of literally flying underwater. So, for someone with a disability, this sense of freedom must be life-changing.
For more details:
Visit The Scuba Trust website
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