Lowestoft Sub Aqua Club Clubmark
BSAC has been awarded its Clubmark licence by Sport England, becoming the 27th Governing Body to be accredited by the scheme. Clubmark is a unique example of BSAC Volunteers at their best. The whole project start to finish was managed and driven by BSAC volunteers Martin Hammond, Mike Halligan, Michelle Haywood and Bob Healey. Obtaining our Clubmark licence underpins BSAC's ongoing commitment to its junior members and to providing a high quality club experience for all. Clubmark is an excellent way of letting people know that the branches who have attained this award will support excellent, high quality standards and adhere to welfare and equity policies as well as being welcoming to young members.
Di Cook, who took responsibility for the Clubmark application for the club, coordinated the collection of evidence required by Sport England. The whole process took a year to complete and is intended to ensure that clubs support excellent high quality standards and adhere to welfare and equity policies as well as being welcoming to young members. The club can now take in members from the age of twelve, enabling more people to enjoy the sport of diving and discover the underwater world.
For many clubs, achieving Clubmark status has opened doors for grant aid and sponsorship, and Di is hopeful Lowestoft Sub Aqua Club will benefit in this way too "I'm delighted about this; it's been a long and stringent process, but this is a fabulous start to 2009, and we're really looking forward to welcoming new members and growing the club and the popularity of diving."
Mark Owers, Chairman of Lowestoft Sub Aqua Club said "We're all really pleased and feeling proud that we've reached this national standard. Di has done a fantastic job of pulling together all the necessary evidence, but I want to give thanks to all our volunteers who've also worked hard to make this possible."
The British Sub Aqua Club has 1200 branches of which Lowestoft sub aqua club is the fifth to be awarded Clubmark status Mark said "Not only will this accreditation enable younger members to join the club, but we hope the local community will become more involved in our activities and be as proud as we are of this magnificent achievement."
