Bermondsey BSAC committee meeting - 2nd November 2015

Bermondsey BSAC committee meeting, 02/11/2015

Venue: Victor’s

In attendance: Pat, Clive, Lee, Teresa, Ken, Victor

Apologies: Chris, Ross, Colin

Grant funding

• This is progressing. Ken to provide last bit of information so Sally can submit application.

Xmas do

• The Ivy House has been booked for 16/12/2015. Victor is collecting deposits. Venue needs menu choices 2 weeks in advance (so by 02/12/2015). We’d prefer 1 large table together. We won’t know which room we’re in until we know numbers. If the room is unsuitable for announcements etc, Barry Maisey award and other awards could be given out at the AGM instead – this is to be decided once we know numbers. 

Training and post-training dives/activity

• 2 students have recently begun Ocean Diver training (OS2 will be completed this week, with a lecture the following week), and various people are part way through their Sports Diver and Dive Leader training. Some have almost completed. Those who haven’t been seen for a while need to be contacted.
• Several members became Ocean Diver qualified this year. The club now needs to encourage and facilitate diving for these members – Red Sea and Nemo 33 trips may be suitable, and the Sports Diver course can commence in the new year.
• Various ideas for keeping newly-qualified members engaged over the next few weeks were discussed. These included starting Sports Diver lectures over winter, sessions at Seven Islands (DSMB use, navigation, lifting bag deployment, ditch and retrieve, CPR, buoyancy practice with hoops, search and recovery etc), asking newer members to speak with newcomers and/or assist with a specific task, and volunteering as casualties for pool lesson SS1.
• Mentoring of members who complete the Instructor Foundation Course was also suggested.

2016 dives

• 10 people are now on the Red Sea trip, plus a friend of Sally and Clive’s. Spaces are still available.
• No club kit shall be leant for the Red Sea trip.
• Noted that the club is not liable for non-members on the Red Sea trip.
• Pat to forward liveaboard bringlist to Teresa for circulation – this would be useful to newer members.
• DSMB and rescue skills session in the pool would be useful for Red Sea trip attendees. Testing of kit early (before departure) shall also be encouraged.
• Mevagissey (Scubafest) boats will be booked once announcements are made by organisers – this will probably be in the new year.
• A trip to Nemo 33 may be added to the 2016 dive list – to be confirmed.
• Renting a van or minibus for the Scapa trip was discussed. Daniel is willing to do some of the driving. A 2-day drive (stopping overnight in somewhere like Aviemore) means more than 2 drivers will probably be needed.

2017 dives

• Ken suggested fixing a date (early, before the 2017 dive calendar fills up) for a shore-based trip, intended to facilitate diving for newly-qualified members.
• Ken also suggested a trip to Scotland – St Kilda, Shetlands or Mull.

Website

• Some recent blog entries have been posted.
• Ken needs 2 solid days to work on the new website.

Snorkel members

• As agreed over email (after the last committee meeting), a “Snorkelling Member” will be charged £26 per annum (or £2.50 per month) in club/pool fees, in addition to the £18.50 annual BSAC membership.
• Once the current Snorkel Diver cohort have completed their course, they would be able to continue snorkel practice in the pool. Emily can be offered a try-dive. Snorkelling trips to Kimmeridge Bay or Swanage are likely to only happen as part of a dive trip to those locations.
• No new snorkel training courses will be commenced this year.
• Interest in the Advanced Snorkeler course has been expressed by 1 member.
• Noted that Open Water Instructors can sign off the Advanced Snorkeler course.

Falmouth fills

• Progress on this matter was discussed.

Socials

• Teresa noted the folk night at the Ivy House was cancelled, and suggested an India-themed event at the Victoria and Albert Museum on 27/11/2015.
• Socials were needed in November and January. Previous suggestions were recalled.

60^th anniversary

• 02 or 16/07/2016 were possibilities for the anniversary barbeque/gathering. 02/07/2016 to be suggested to Ross.
• Victor to speak with Dave and Ed about contacting past members.
• Teresa to liaise with Alex regarding food.

Club kit

• In the light of today’s update from Ross, means of keeping track of club kit were discussed. Submission of BSAC membership cards (as a deposit) was suggested, but committee preferred (and agreed) that – in future – club kit (including cylinders) will not be issued directly to students, but will instead be handed to instructors who will be responsible for that kit, and for its return after the dive.
• Call for return of club kit to be included in next weekly email.

Barry Maisey award

• A nomination for [to be revealed at xmas do] was made and agreed.

Next meeting and Annual General Meeting

• AGM to be held on Wednesday 03/02/2016, 8pm.
• Next committee meeting to be held on Thursday 14/01/2016, 8pm. Committee nominations will then be invited via email the following day, with 25/01/2016 being the deadline for nominations.