Congratulations to our new National Instructors

BSAC is delighted to welcome five new National Instructors following their success at the 2026 National Instructor Exam.

National Instructor is the highest instructor grade in BSAC, and reaching it takes real dedication. This achievement reflects the hard work, teamwork and expertise each candidate has shown, both on their journey to the exam and throughout the exam itself.

Meet our new National Instructors

• Gillian Bell
• Denys Ilyushenko
• Gareth Morris
• Nick Sims
• Chris Wilson-Collins

Many congratulations to them all!

A message from our National Diving Officer

Sophie Rennie, BSAC's National Diving Officer, said:

Huge congratulations to Gillian, Denys, Gareth, Nick and Chris. The National Instructor Exam is a demanding test of diving skill, teaching ability and judgement, and every one of them rose to the challenge with professionalism and good humour.

National Instructors play a vital role in BSAC. They help shape the next generation of instructors, raise standards across our clubs and keep our training among the best in the world. I know each of our new NIs will bring their own experience and enthusiasm to that role, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the difference they make. Well done, all of you.

Thank you

We'd also like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported our new National Instructors along the way. Special thanks go to the volunteer instructor team, whose time, encouragement and commitment made every 2026 NI event possible.