To help you compile your final Heinke Trophy report, we have put together some guidance on what your entry should contain and an outline for its content.
Its format should be digital, containing photographs, graphics and video to creatively demonstrate your club’s achievements.
Putting together your Heinke Trophy entry
The Heinke Trophy champions the five key goals of BSAC’s strategy: Inspire and Promote, Protecting our Waters, Improve Accessibility, Grow Training Capacity and Increase Member Value and Engagement.
You will need to use these five strategic goals as the framework for your Heinke Trophy final report. You can download the full BSAC Strategy 2025-2029 for further information on the five key goals.
It is appreciated that some clubs may not have outstanding achievements in each area, so assessments will also take account of branch size. The assessment considers the wide cross-section of branch activities listed under five main headings below.
In order that a genuine assessment may be made of the club’s overall performance, it is important that full details are given, and that the entry material is presented in the order of the headings and sub-headings detailed below. The format of the Heinke Trophy can also be used by a club as an audit of achievement as well as a template for future planning.
Your entry
Applications should provide the adjudicating panel with all the information and documentation necessary to make such a judgment. The following should be used as a template guide for compiling your final Heinke Trophy report.
The quality and format of the entry will also be considered, e.g., its production, clarity of descriptions, supporting facts, inclusion of photographs, press cuttings etc.
What your Heinke Trophy final report should contain
Introduction: give a general description and short history of your club. Indicate the extent of involvement by club members in the design and preparation of the entry.
Content: The quality and format of the entry will be considered, e.g., its production, clarity of descriptions, supporting facts, inclusion of photographs, press cuttings etc.
Presentation: your club’s entry should be in an electronic format following the introduction using the prescribed order below, which is based on BSAC’s five strategic goals:
1. Increase member value and engagement
- Numbers: Give totals of new and renewing members at the beginning and end of the year. Are there any special factors or initiatives affecting intake of new members or renewal of membership?
- Communication: member, newsletters, noticeboards, printed dive programmes, use of email, social media, and branch website etc. Are any special provisions made for new members on joining? Give details of club meetings, social functions held regularly or on an occasional basis. Have there been any fundraising activities?
- Club dives: Frequency and organisation of dives and sites used: inland, coastal, boat dives. Were arrangements made for both novice and experienced divers during the year? What were the most memorable and why?
- Expeditions: Give full details of extended periods of diving, branch holidays, special projects. Who attended, what was achieved, were families involved?
- Competitions: Give details of club awards, e.g., diver of the year. Participation by members in local, national events e.g., octopush, fin swimming, underwater photography. Include results. Was your club involved in the organisation or running the events?
2. Grow our capacity to train
(this can be delivered by the club itself, regional courses and by partnering with schools)
- Water-work: frequency of training sessions pool and outdoor for individuals and groups. What tests, and assessment were included.
- Theory lessons: frequency of lessons for beginners through to advanced divers and instructors.
- Qualifications: list diver, instructor qualifications held by members, what did the club do to grow the numbers and how many were gained during the year. What was special and particularly successful?
3. Improve accessibility with snorkelling
- Promotion: how the club encourages snorkelling activities, what changed during the year and what delivered the most success.
- Growth: provide details of numbers, instructor qualifications and show how many were gained during the year.
4. Inspire and promote
- Promotion: How are prospective members made aware of your club? Detail any promotional action taken during the year e.g. displays, try dives. What worked best and why?
- Publicity: details of displays, open nights, articles in local and national press, specialist journals on behalf of the club. How many views or responses were received, what did the club learn through the year?
- Inter-branch liaison: Give details of any joint diving or social activities held with other clubs. Has the club organised or contributed to running any local or national conference or courses, e.g. Boat Handling, Lifesaver Award.
5. Protect our seas
- Impact: collaboration with the local community, beach clean ups, education around sustainability and safety. What did the club support through the year, how many were involved what were the results?
- Scientific: observation of underwater ecology and habitats, marine studies archaeology, surveys, conservation activities etc. What happened because of the activity, reports produced, action taken?
Looking for inspiration? Here’s some top tips on putting together your Heinke entry from previous trophy winners:
“As a tip to other clubs I would suggest you include photos etc and make sure it is all proof read. And enjoy the process - we didn’t realise just how much we had done and achieved until we wrote it down.”
Anne Morrison, South Bay Scuba, 2015 winners.
“We loved going through the Heinke Trophy application process, it brought the club members even closer together - with hidden talents coming to the fore in the production of the submission. Who knew our membership and parents of members included accomplished drafters, graphic designers.”
Jim Burke, Aberdeen, 2023 winners
“ Start early, do it as a team with clearly defined jobs and responsibilities but with an editor with the final say. Also, speak to another club who have already done it before and do not be frightened to ask them for help or advice, Good luck!”
Mick Barraclough, Bradford SAC, 2014 winners
If you still have questions regarding your Heinke Trophy entry, then get in touch.
