Marine Life & Conservation
Congratulations to the Fifth Point – the first and only Green Star Dive Centre in the UK!
The Fifth Point Diving Centre, based in Blyth, Northumberland, has been recognised as a leader in environmental protection with the prestigious PADI Green Star Award.
This celebrated accolade is granted to dive centres and resorts that demonstrate a dedication to conservation across a wide range of business functions, including water conservation, energy use, use of sustainable materials, and conservation leadership. The Green Star Award identifies dive businesses that care about the environment and are acting to protect it.
The Fifth Point is the first and only Green Star Dive Centre in the UK, and one of only nine in the world.
Their eco-conscious values permeate every activity in their company. Protecting the ocean is of upmost importance, and they share this passion with their fellow scuba divers.
Ocean protection is embedded in all The Fifth Point’s training. Even as a beginner, not only do participants learn how to dive during the PADI Open Water Course, but they also discover how their scuba diving skills can be used to protect fragile underwater environments. With their unique approach to diver training, The Fifth Point include the Project AWARE Specialty Course as standard in their Open Water Experience. This inaugurates new divers as ambassadors of the underwater world and sends them into the big blue as environmentally responsible divers.
Once divers progress onto their Advanced Course, they also get the opportunity to become a qualified citizen scientist with the PADI Dive Against Debris Specialty. The Fifth Point have seamlessly woven the course into their PADI Advanced Open Water Experiences. It teaches divers how to plan and conduct debris surveys at their local sites, removing trash from the ocean and reporting the data back to Project AWARE to fuel evidence for change.
In 2017, The Fifth Point founded their volunteer wing – Our Sea Trash Free. They organise regular beach and underwater clean ups. As a result of their hard work, the group was awarded “Volunteer Group of The Year” by EBPC in 2018. With the help of their volunteers, The Fifth Point has removed over 1,800kg of trash from their local coastline.
Most UK divers are renowned for filling their swag bags with lobsters and scallops. In contrast, The Fifth Point, with their “no touch, no take” philosophy, will never remove marine life or wreck artefacts from the water. In fact, they regularly assist the local lobster hatchery in Amble to release baby lobsters back into the wild – helping sustain local lobster populations.
With a busy year of environmental action planned for 2019, The Fifth Point is a dive centre with a purpose and are always looking for volunteers to help grow their army of eco-warriors.
Find out more at: www.fifthpointdiving.com.
The Shark Trust is excited to announce that, for two more days only, all donations, large or small, will be doubled in the Big Give Green Match Fund!
Donate to Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants
The Shark Trust is hoping to raise £10k which will be doubled to £20k. This will go towards Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants. And they need YOUR help to reach they’re goal.
The Shark Trust’s citizen science project is to monitor and assess basking sharks through sightings; encouraging data collection, community engagement, and promoting nature accessibility. This initiative aims to enhance health and wellbeing by fostering a deeper connection with British Sharks.
Campaign Aims
- Increase citizen science reporting of Basking Sharks and other shark sightings to help inform shark and ray conservation.
- Provide educational talks about the diverse range of sharks and rays in British waters and accessible identification guides!
- Create engaging and fun information panels on how to ID the amazing sharks and rays we have on our doorstep! These can be used on coastal paths around the Southwest. With activities and information on how you can make a difference for sharks and rays!
- Promote mental wellbeing through increasing time in nature and discovering the wonders beneath the waves!
Donate, and double your impact. Click Here
Marine Life & Conservation
Leading UK-based shark conservation charity, the Shark Trust, is delighted to announce tour operator Diverse Travel as a Corporate Patron
Corporate Patrons provide a valuable boost to the work of The Shark Trust. The Trust team works globally to safeguard the future of sharks, and their close cousins, the skates and rays, engaging with a global network of scientists, policymakers, conservation professionals, businesses and supporters to further shark conservation.
Specialist tour operator Diverse Travel has operated since 2014 and is committed to offering its guests high quality, sustainable scuba diving holidays worldwide. Working together with the Shark Trust will enable both organisations to widen engagement and encourage divers and snorkellers to actively get involved in shark conservation.
“Sharks are truly at the heart of every diver and at Diverse Travel, we absolutely share that passion. There is nothing like seeing a shark in the wild – it’s a moment that stays with you forever!” says Holly Bredin, Sales & Marketing Manager, Diverse Travel.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our 10th year of business by becoming a Corporate Patron of the Shark Trust. This is an exciting partnership for Diverse and our guests. We will be donating on behalf of every person who books a holiday with us to contribute towards their vital shark conservation initiatives around the world. We will also be working together with the Trust to inspire divers, snorkellers and other travellers to take an active role – at home and abroad – in citizen science projects and other activities.”
Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust, said:
“It’s an exciting partnership and we’re thrilled to be working with Diverse Travel to enable more divers and travellers to get involved with sharks and shark conservation. Sharks face considerable conservation challenges but, through collaboration and collective action, we can secure a brighter future for sharks and their ocean home. This new partnership takes us one more valuable step towards that goal.”
For more information about the Shark Trust visit their website here.
For more about Diverse Travel click here.
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