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Over the last three years a team from BSAC HQ and BSAC Council have been researching the marketplace for a new Membership Relationship Management (MRM) system for the BSAC to replace the ageing Membership database at HQ. This project needed to take place at some point in the history of the BSAC and the expenditure and work involved to do this project has been carefully incorporated into a business plan.

The existing system has become increasingly frustrating for all our members and our HQ staff who struggle to retrieve information from it. It is beginning to run more slowly and does not allow HQ to work efficiently. So it is with great delight that we are now in a position to be able to replace it.

The decision to do this was not taken lightly. However, it was recognised by everyone involved that if, the BSAC is to develop and progress as the Governing Body for the sport and support and lead our branches, members and the diving community, then a new system is needed!

This research was extensive and included the team visiting membership organisation exhibitions, membership organisations and networking with other National Governing Bodies to understand what other similar organisations to ourselves used to record their membership records.

An internal review of the current system then took place and a scoping report of what the BSAC wanted from a new system was put together with help from HQ staff, Council, NDC, Regional Coaches, Instructors, and other volunteers. The people who use the current system and those who will use the new system were asked questions to ascertain what they would like to be able to do with a new MRM? This then enabled our IT Manager, Chris Horan to put together an extensive internal scoping of the BSAC needs.

Once we understood what type of system that was needed for the BSAC, research commenced for a suitable supplier that catered for our needs. This was very detailed and visits were made to potential suppliers, tests on different systems were carried out, and site visits were then made to customers who used the various suppliers that the BSAC was assessing. A due diligence process took place and further data gathering was carried out on three preferred suppliers. As a result of this, CSG were then appointed by Council. CSG supply systems to various sport and professional bodies. Other NGB's who they supply are Amateur Swimming Association, (ASA), The Football Association, British Mountaineering Council and the English and Welsh Cricket Board amongst others.

I am therefore delighted to inform you that the Project Neptune Team will now be implementing a new Membership Relationship Management System over the next 12 to 18 months. The plan is for the project to be phased.

On 5 October 2005 BSAC HQ Project Neptune team will meet with CSG to take the first step of this project. Chris Horan, the BSAC IT Manager, will lead the project in HQ. The deputy of the project will be Wendy Davies, BSAC HQ Deputy Operations Manager and Financial Controller. The support team consists of Mary Tetley as Operations Manager, Keith Lawrence, BSAC IT Director, Adrian Hall, BSAC Treasurer, Andy Moll, BSAC Council member and myself, Marcus Allen, as BSAC Chairman. Weekly progress reports will be sent out to this Group and careful management of the project will take place so the minimum of disruption will take place to our members and branches.

The benefits of this project for the BSAC and all of our members are immense. The aim will be to offer all of you a more efficient and effective service. We will be able to communicate in a more direct manner. Our communication will be more targeted so we can tell you about specific areas of the BSAC which you are interested in. Our service on the telephone will be more efficient. Records will be up to date and less duplication will take place internally. Currently we all work from different databases and a member's name can be updated in one area and then not in another. Integration between departments with marketing, and communications will be possible. Updating of records will be easier; eventually we will offer Branch Secretaries their own online service to update their own members' records. Many of you are now requesting that we move to direct debit as you feel that this would be easier and less work for you. So those of you, who want to do this, will be able to.

This system will offer many other development opportunities to the BSAC. We aim to keep you updated on the project regularly and we will be having a column in BSAC Talk which will be designated to Project Neptune so that you can understand what has been happening and know what progression is being made. We plan to have limited interruption but we are realistic in understanding that a project of this enormity will bring with it some challenges.

We have allocated time, resources and planning in order to keep this to its minimum.

Over these next few months we would really appreciate your patience, although we do hope that this project will not cause any inconvenience to you. Project Neptune will help the BSAC to fulfil its mission statement of being "The Best Diving Club in the World".

Marcus Allen, BSAC Chairman.

All BSAC Members are insured for causing damage or physical injury as a result of the negligent use of a compressor whether branch owned or not.

Compressor cover under our third party policy is on a contingency basis. However, in the absence of any other insurance, a BSAC member who is certified and/or competent to use a branch compressor will be covered for any negligent acts, which cause injury or damage arising out of such use. A non-BSAC member is not covered under this policy. So if the club or anyone else is sued as a result of a Non-BSAC member operating the compressor, then they will not be covered. Also, the compressor itself would not be insured for damage, breakdowns etc.

Property damage is also covered if it results from the provision of "Recreational Watersports Services". Therefore, a compressor air bank taking out a wall at the local swimming pool would possibly not be covered.

However, as in all insurance and legal cases, it will depend on the circumstances surrounding the claim. There must be a negligent act for the policy to respond.

In today's world even the cost of a cylinder fill from the local dive shop can be expensive, so clubs are looking at the prospect of owning their own compressor. Modern machines are very good and can deliver air to the required standard, in the quantity and pressure needed, however, this all comes at a cost.

As we all know Branch Treasurers are very good at keeping a tight reign on funds and will feign total physical collapse when some one suggests spending ten/fifteen thousand pounds on a new compressor system.

The alternative is to purchase a second-hand machine, perhaps from the club down the road, but beware; you may be laying out money for a machine where only a limited amount or no spare parts are available.

A compressor that has been looked after and serviced regularly will work well for many years but that can lead to problems as the machine gets older. Design changes, or disappearing manufacturers, means that your machine becomes obsolete leading to the supply of spare parts drying up. This would probably take a number of years, but it will happen.

When companies are taken over, manufacturers' names can also disappear making it difficult to find a spares supplier for your particular compressor. Bristol Pneumatic and Williams & James, taken over by Hamworthy, are just two examples where mergers have led to reduced spares availability for these machines. Some spares for these popular machines are still available from a limited number of suppliers, i.e. Gardener - Denver (ex Hamworthy) and Central Compressor Consultants.

Manufacturers, who have not been taken over and are still producing compressors today, will probably carry stocks of spares for their early machines.

Another problem that arises when purchasing an old machine involves the filtration system. Filter towers have a limited life, up to twenty years depending on the maker, and must be tested at five-yearly intervals. So, for a machine that is twenty-five or thirty years old and still has its original filtration system, extra funds would have to be found to replace the filters.

Therefore, before spending money on an old compressor, check that spare parts can be obtained as well as checking that technical information is available. The latter is vital for any maintenance to be carried out successfully. It should also be appreciated that overhauling an old compressor can be very expensive.

Alternatively, there are a number of specialist companies that refurbish compressors and sell the units on the open market, with a limited warranty, at a reasonable price.

Latymer Sub Aqua Club: the only Scuba Diving Club for people with disabilities in London.

Scuba diving will be so much easier for members of the Latymer Sub Aqua Club with a special hoist to help them get in and out of their training pool.

The hoist saw action for the first time at their BBQ party on 10th September, where £750 was also raised for the Club.

Helping to launch the hoist were:

Tony Marshall, BSAC Vice-Chairman, Joseph Marcell, Shakespearian actor - best known as Geoffrey the butler in Will Smith TV comedy series ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’. Gay Search, a well known TV gardener, was also there to represent Latymer School parents Gild in donating £2,000 towards the cost of the hoist. Other contributions included £1,500 from a Christmas Day event at Munson’s Café, Ealing.

Disabled people can learn to snorkel and scuba dive free of charge with the Club as all the facilities are provided by Latymer Upper School, and the training given is with volunteer divers. The Club meets fortnightly on Saturday afternoons at the pool of Latymer Upper School, Hammersmith.

For further information please contact: Club Secretary Pam Rutt by email at pam.rutt@btinternet.com or by telephone on 01923 770759 or contact Diving Officer Andy Papacosta on Mobile 07956 384547.

The annual Dive Show is fast approaching, this year's event will see the launch of the BSAC's latest addition to its renowned collection of Manuals - Seamanship: a guide for divers. Visit the BSAC on stand 1411 to purchase your copy.

Thinking of booking your next diving holiday? Why not book with one of the BSAC's Preferred Travel Partners at the show and receive a fabulous discount that could save you more than your annual BSAC Membership fee. The BSAC's Travel Club Correspondents will be on hand to give you advice and answer any questions you may have about the scheme.

Our specially trained BSAC staff are waiting to welcome you to the show which will be open from 9.30am until 6pm on Saturday 29th and 9.30am until 5pm on Sunday 30th October. To book your space call the ticket hotline on 020 8977 9878 or visit www.diveshows.co.uk Tickets cost £7.50 when booked in advance, £10.50 at the gate.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Spend £10.00 or more at the BSAC Shop, stand 1411 at the show, or join BSAC Direct and enter into our competition to win one of these fabulous prizes kindly donated to us by Northern Diver, Beaver Sports and David Doublet.

• 1st Prize - Ensign Dive Bag from Northern Diver - the ultimate Dive Bag worth £135.00
• 2nd Prize - Predator Fins, Stealth Mask and Nucleus Snorkel from Beaver Sports worth £100.00
• 3rd Prize - Tech Weight Harness from Beaver Sports worth £60.00
• 4th Prize - Water Light Time book by David Doublet and post cards worth £40.00

Phil Clifton has been appointed Technical Advisor looking after the Coaching aspects of the BSAC in the Technical Department. Phil is a BSAC National Instructor, gaining the award in 1997 and is the group leader for the NDC Steering group - Instructor Training Group.

Phil has been an active ITS instructor for many years, having started diving back in 1981. He will join HQ as soon as he has completed arrangements with his current employers.

AVAILABLE NOW!

A comprehensive manual covering every aspect of seamanship a diver coxswain is ever likely to require. It covers boat terminology, knots, charts, weather, boat handling, engine basics, VHF operations and much more. There is also a detailed section about procedures to take in an emergency right up to and including being picked up by a SAR helicopter.

Illustrated with many detailed diagrams and colour photographs this book is a must for anyone who owns or drives a diving RIB. Retail Price : £20.00 Members Price : £17.00

To purchase your copy now, please go to http://www.bsac.com/legacyorg/shop/manuals.htm

Don't miss out on the opportunity of attending the 2005 Diving Officers' Conference to be held at the Institute of Education in London.

The annual event provides the perfect platform for the recognition of work done by branches and individuals during the year and there is still time to nominate who you would like to win one of the many prestigious BSAC awards.

Remember all Diving Officers, Instructors, First Class Diver and two Branch Representatives are welcome to DOC! The Programme is already looking exciting and this will be announced to you in Dive Magazine soon. In the meantime have a look at the awards.

For full details of the awards, please visit www.bsac.org/techserv/tecpuba6.htm or on the attached information sheet or contact Odette Baker on 0151 350 6221 or at odetteb@bsac.com.

In addition to the awards' ceremony, the Conference provides all attendees with the opportunity to listen to the latest in diving news and to catch up with old diving buddies.

The 2005 event promises to be another superb day including exciting presentations from the BSAC National Diving Officer and the 2005 Heinke Trophy winners. Plus the latest on diving and depression from Dr Roger Beer alongside "Decompression Tables and the genius of John Scott Haldane" presented Professor Philip James, Hyperbaric Medicine Expert.

Clare Peddie, National Diving Officer of the BSAC commented about the day "I have put together what I hope to be a stimulating programme and am looking forward to seeing everyone there on the day."

There will also be the opportunity to pose questions to the National Diving Committee towards the end of the day. Tickets are priced at just £28 and lunch at £6.50, call 0151 350 6221 now to reserve your space.

For more information about reserving your space, please call Odette Baker on 0151 350 6221 or at odetteb@bsac.com

The BSAC are delighted to announce that the following were successful on this years National Instructor Exam.

Congratulations to:

Steve Anderson
Howard Barnes
Jim Bromham
Maggie Driscoll
Andy Henning

Well done on all their hard work.

Ipswich Sub Aqua Club is the first Scuba Diving Club in the country to receive Sport England's Clubmark award.

By achieving Clubmark, Ipswich Sub Aqua Club (ISAC) have demonstrated that they meet nationally-recognised standards and that they provide a safe and positive learning environment in which members can develop their skills.

A presentation of the award to the Club by Suffolk Sport took place at Fore Street Pool, Ipswich, on Thursday 8th September. During a try dive session held for a local Venture Scouts group, attended by many of the club's members, as well as representatives from, Ipswich Borough Council, British Sub Aqua Club and Suffolk Sport.

A demonstration was put on for the Venture Scouts, giving the youngsters the opportunity to learn new skills in a sport they hadn't tried before.

In order to be awarded Clubmark status, the club had to complete a comprehensive assessment file, as well as send its instructors on various courses. Helen Shand from the club said: "The criteria drawn up by Sport England's Clubmark has enabled all sporting clubs to achieve higher standards of safety and teaching. While working towards this award I realised that Ipswich Sub Aqua Club is a truly wonderful club. The training programme drawn up by our Governing Body the British Sub Aqua Club has meant that ISAC standards of teaching are excellent and our safety record exemplary."

ISAC is a friendly and sociable club, with about 50 members. Established in 1956 the club runs internationally recognised BSAC tuition and qualifications. Although the majority of their training takes place at Fore Street Pool in Ipswich, the main focus of the club activities are the dive trips where they visit local and other sites around the country to experience open water diving. Helen said "There is always a friendly family atmosphere within ISAC which encourages people from all walks of life to join us."

While working towards the award, the club worked in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council and were given help and advice by Club Development Officer Adam Keer. Adam said, "I am absolutely thrilled for Helen and Ipswich Sub Aqua Club, it's a tremendous achievement, especially being the first club of its kind in England to gain the recognition they thoroughly deserve through the accreditation scheme. Whilst working closely with the club I was increasingly impressed with the level of commitment and quality of work that Helen exhibited whist steering the club through the process."

Until recently clubs could only achieve Clubmark accreditation if the National Governing Body of their sport had adopted the scheme. Suffolk Sport has been working closely with Sport England on a pilot scheme to enable clubs such as ISAC who cannot access Clubmark through their Governing Body. To date, 14 clubs within the country have begun working towards accreditation as part of this pilot project, Ipswich Sub Aqua and Ipswich Lifesaving Clubs are the first to have achieved the award in Ipswich.

Dive Ireland 2006 is the first ever all-Ireland Dive conference. It will be held on 25th & 26th February 2006 in the Ramada Hotel in Belfast.

The aim of the conference is to bring divers together from all agencies to promote scuba diving in Ireland as a sport for everyone.

The conference will feature high profile speakers and practical workshops that will cater for all levels of diver interest including; photography, wreck diving, overseas diving, mixed gas and technical diving.

Two of the largest agencies in Ireland will be at the conference; BSAC and the Irish Underwater Council (CFT) and the BSAC will hold their first regional meeting with newly appointed Regional Coach for Ireland, Greg Hanna.

For more details about the conference visit www.diveirelandshow.com or email Gary Mulhall at info@diveirelandshow.com or call him on 07775 577090.

Double your discount - exclusive Red Sea offers for BSAC members!

Well the British Summer is finally over, and autumn is a great time to get away from it all and escape to the year-round sunshine and crystal clear waters of the Red Sea.

As a BSAC Preferred Travel Partner, Regaldive are delighted to offer BSAC members an exclusive 10% off* holidays to Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab and Nuweiba this October. This superb special offer applies to departures on following dates: 2nd, 9th and 16th October 2005 So don't delay! Get your BSAC number at the ready and call Regaldive on 0870 2201 777 to book your getaway this October. *These are limited offers, subject to availability and may be withdrawn without notice. 10% includes the normal 5% discount. Valid for new bookings only. Conditions apply - please call Regaldive for details.

Regaldive are delighted to launch their new 2005/06 brochure. This year, once again, Regaldive have expanded their range of destinations to bring you new and exciting places to explore such as Komodo, Bali and Oman. They have also included a wider range of accommodation and diving options than ever before, in over 20 destinations worldwide!

Regaldive offer a variety of accommodation options to compliment your diving, from small and simple diving hotels to luxurious resorts with extensive facilities. The new programme also features an impressive range of new Liveaboard boats and itineraries in the Red Sea and other worldwide destinations, including the Maldives, Tobago, Djibouti, Komodo, Thailand and the Galapagos Islands. From luxury steel hull boats in the Egyptian Red Sea to small exclusive charters in Indonesia, Regaldive are confident that they have a liveaboard holiday to suit you.

As a BSAC Preferred Travel Partner, Regaldive are able to offer BSAC members 5% off * all Regaldive holidays! Call the specialist team now on 0870 2201 777 and let Regaldive ensure your next diving holiday really is one to remember.

* Terms and conditions apply - please call Regaldive for details.

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