In attendance: Pat, Brett, Ken, Ross, Victor
Training
- Noted that the role of Training Officer
has proven to be very demanding, and this – together with other reasons –
has resulted in no takers for the job this year.
- Agreed that Diving Officer (Brett) will
oversee training, with Grant and Victor taking responsibility for Ocean
Diver training, Chris being responsible for Sports Diver training, and Kim
being responsible for Dive Leader training and SDCs. These volunteers
won’t deliver all the training, but will be the first port of call for
trainees, and will sort out what the various training cohorts now need.
Brett willing to send call-out emails to instructors, and to send reminder
emails setting out what training has been planned each week.
- The aim is to have all theory and pool
sessions done by March, so trainees are lake-ready.
- A lake training/shakedown weekend is
planned for 8th and 9th March.
- Noted that Shoreham boat (Buccaneer) is
good for training, as it is small and has an accommodating skipper.
- Agreed to continue promoting dive
training, and recruiting Ocean Diver trainees.
- Agreed that depth limits (20m for Ocean
Divers, 35m for Sports Divers) should be adhered to.
Advanced training
- The club has no Advanced Instructors, so
can’t run Advanced Diver training. Other clubs have AIs, and we could
approach them for help, possibly offering reciprocal help with training. Brett
to send out initial emails to contacts he has, Ken to follow up and
organise.
Co-opted positions
- Agreed to ask Teresa to be Welfare Officer
again.
- Agreed to ask Daniel to be Marketing and
Publicity Officer. This would involve taking responsibility for website
and blog content, postering and any other club promotion.
The Barry Maisey Award
- Lars has paid the person who will bronze
and mount Barry’s dive knife.
- Agreed that Steve will be the first
recipient of this annual award, for his regular, reliable and quiet
helping out with training and other club activities.
- The award will be presented at the club’s
xmas do.
2014 dive list
- Kim’s Falmouth trip is to be a “funded”
club trip, provided a satisfactory arrangement with fills can be made
with/by Kim and the skipper, and written confirmation regarding the
deposit arrangement is obtained. It is understood the £150 deposit covers
all 4 days, that this would be forfeited if the club cancels with more
than 4 weeks to go, and the full cost of the dives will be payable to the
skipper if the club cancels with less than 4 weeks to go. Given the number
of takers so far, this trip needn’t be punted to divers outside the club
yet.
- Agreed that Plymouth, Weymouth (both), and
St Abbs/Farnes will be “funded” club trips.
- No deposits for club trips will be
collected, however deposits or the full cost of private trips (e.g.,
Nemo/Bruges) may need to be collected in advance.
- Agreed to change the 2-week cancellation
rule to 1 month, to reduce risk to the club.
- Agreed to book Shoreham day dives on 5th
or 6th April, 21st or 22nd June, and 4th
or 5th Oct. Pat to make bookings.
- Swanage trip proposed on 31st
May. This may be attractive (but will be optional) to divers on the
Lymington trip on 1st June. The Lymington trip may include a
dive on the SS Mendi, a South African wreck at 40m which Mariette was
interested in diving.
Succession plan
- The committee discussed how to encourage
new people to stand for committee positions, to prevent the club
stagnating. Demands on time such as exams were amongst the reasons why
members had declined their nominations for committee positions.
- The position of Secretary is a good way of
starting to get involved. Encouraging new people to help with training and
other club activities is also helping to lay the foundations for future
committees. It is noted that individuals (not on committee) are welcome
and encouraged to organise dive trips, and can ask the club to promote and
possibly fund these. Members may get their dive bug and enthusiasm for the
club back after xmas. The 2014 dive list is already filling up rapidly.
Other matters
- Brett will continue to maintain the club
website (but not its content).
- Victor to check CRB requirements for
instructors.
The meeting ended at 9.30pm.
