Join RAID at the forthcoming #1 Online Scuba.Digital Dive Show!
Scuba Digital is the new standard in dive shows where you can meet exhibiting dive professionals like RAID and talk about their training courses, initiates, dive shops, liveaboards, equipment and more, all in your online web browser.
RAID is extremely sorry to announce that we’ve made the hard decision to postpone these planned UK events – the IE (Instructor Exam) in Oct and the ITP (Instructor Trainer Program) in Nov. The current Covid 19 situation make it has become untenable for these events to go ahead, whilst protecting our international staff and attendees to our high standards of program delivery and safety.
Both events will be rescheduled as quickly as possible during the current lockdown restrictions and social distancing guidelines.
Scuba Diving rehabilitation charity Deptherapy is pleased to announce that it is recommencing its international scuba diving training expeditions this October with a small group trip to Egypt.
Travel restrictions due to COVID-19 have meant that training so far this year for Deptherapy Programme Members has been mostly limited to online academic study. Now, the charity is excited to be in the position to take a group of six beneficiaries for practical training, and to enjoy the restorative effects of scuba diving in the clear, warm waters of the Red Sea.
This expedition is funded as part of a grant from The Veterans Foundation. The Deptherapy Team will be heading to Hurghada, Egypt from London Gatwick on 10th October onboard an EasyJet flight, before travelling down the coast to Deptherapy’s international base at Roots Red Sea in El Quseir. Roots Red Sea re-opens on 9th October, the day before the Deptherapy team arrives after an eight month closure. It is one of the few dive resorts to have passed the stringent Egyptian Government inspection and to have obtained the necessary permits and license to operate under strict COVID-19 conditions.
Deptherapy will be running a RAID Advanced 35 course and a RAID Master Rescue Course during their 7 day stay at Roots Red Sea. One of the Programme Members who is joining the expedition is a 20 year old who was involved in an accident during basic Armed Forces training. He is a paraplegic wheelchair user who has been particularly affected by lockdown.
As part of the Deptherapy family, the team has been working with him closely throughout this period to keep him optimistic about his diving, socially engaged and psychologically well. To say that he is excited to get in the water again on this trip is an understatement!
“We would have liked to have taken a larger group to Egypt,” explains Deptherapy’s Chairman Richard Cullen, “but many things have mitigated against this. The requirement to quarantine on return from Egypt has meant that most of our beneficiaries and instructional team are unable to travel at this time. The difficulty in obtaining ‘fit to dive medicals’ is also a factor which means that sadly, no potential Open Water students have been able to obtain the necessary approval to dive. We are also limited by practical logistics as Roots is operating at a reduced capacity in order to be open at all BUT, we are hugely excited to be able to take this small group to Egypt next month and thankful to The Veterans Foundation for their funding which has made this expedition possible. The Deptherapy Board was strongly of the view that we should, even with reduced numbers, get beneficiaries back in the water, fly the flag that the charity is still very active, and not further delay our plans until 2021.”
In the meantime, Team Deptherapy continues to support its Programme Members in both online study and mental health and wellbeing 24/7, as well as developing some exciting new projects behind the scenes. The charity plans to resume the rest of its international training and expedition programmes as per the ‘new post COVID’ normal from Spring/Summer 2021.
For more information about the work of Deptherapy and Deptherapy Education visit: www.deptherapy.co.uk.
Two years ago SMB Diving took on the exciting project to open St Andrews Lakes in Halling Kent as a new inland scuba diving venue. We had to build the operation both above and below the water. We have enjoyed welcoming divers and clubs from all over and to see the reputation grow. We took responsibility for water sports and open water swimming but decided scuba diving is our passion. We have met and worked with some amazing people and made life long friends. We thank everyone who has been part of this journey.
The project at St Andrews Lakes is now entering into a new phase with new operators and more activities being run on site. We have decided that this is now the right time for us to take on new challenges and focus. We started SMB Diving to help encourage divers to get the most out of their diving and to enjoy a range of diving from inland sites, boat dives, shore dives, wrecks and even caves. We have always been very proud to be a RAID dive centre. RAID’s focus on quality and standards over volume is why we joined RAID as individuals. Being able to create SMB Diving as a RAID dive centre was a real achievement. It is an honour now to be able to work for RAID UK and Malta to promote RAID courses and dive centres in the south of the UK. We can also once again be actively involved in conservation projects around the UK.
We are extremely grateful to St Andrews Lakes for the journey we have taken and wish them every success. For us the focus is RAID in the UK and continuing our personal development in scuba diver training. Sometimes you have to stop and let go of one dream so you can move forward with another.
RAID UK wish the current owner every success in gaining the required planning consent for the site. Scott will continue to work as RAID Dive Centre and as a RAID UK as a business development representative.
Never in the history of our industry has communication been more important. We are excited to let you know that we are about to launch a new digital dive magazine that we are calling “The Edge—Powered by RAID.”
The magazine has been designed to be as inclusive as possible. The Edge is NOT a professional-only publication. It is a publication for all—those wanting to become divers, certified divers, divemasters, instructors, instructor trainers and dive centers—regardless of agency.
The Edge is a digital-only publication, and subscription carries no cost or obligation.
Inside, readers will find industry news, articles on global destinations, kit reviews, interviews and tips on becoming a more accomplished diver—no matter what your interest.
James Rogers—Business Director, RAID International—is quoted as saying, “Our divers have been asking for something fresh and new for some time. RAID is the best-kept secret in the industry; we are changing that.”
RAID has drawn on both a wealth of industry experts for regular contributions and their own in-house expertise to deliver what today’s diver needs.
To subscribe to the magazine, please visit our Dive RAID International Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/diveraid/.
