News
Deptherapy charity celebrates triple success
The sterling work of scuba rehabilitation charity Deptherapy has been recognised once again with a prestigious military award.
Dr Richard Cullen, Chairman and one of the Founders of Deptherapy & Deptherapy Education, was presented with the Veterans’ Foundation Award at the Heropreneurs Awards in association with The Telegraph, celebrated last week in London. As part of this recognition, the charity receives a much-needed donation of £10,000 from sponsor, The Veterans’ Foundation.
Peter Mountford, the Chairman of Heropreneurs and Founder of the Heropreneurs Awards, said:
“The Heropreneurs Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of anyone who has served in the Armed Forces, and their dependants, in the world of business. Richard has created a charity that is very special. Helping injured veterans through scuba diving is a proven and effective method and I am delighted that Richard has won this award”.
This exciting announcement follows a month of outstanding achievements for the charity. Last week, Deptherapy announced that Team Member Josh Boggi has been nominated in the Royal Foundation’s 2019 Endeavour Fund Awards, which follows Ben Lee’s award earlier this year.
Former Royal Engineer Josh first dived with Deptherapy in 2017 and has subsequently followed a continuing education programme with the charity that last month saw him achieve his Rescue Diver qualification whilst on expedition in Egypt.
Josh is now the world’s first triple amputee PADI qualified Rescue Diver.
Josh explains:
I first tried scuba diving in the Maldives in 2016 and fell in love with it instantly. After joining Deptherapy, I qualified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver in Egypt and continued my diving education with the charity in Truk Lagoon. This October, I returned to Egypt to attempt to complete my PADI Rescue Diver course.
I was under no illusion that this would be easy and I was told I would have to hit standards, and then some, to pass the course. It was physically and mentally hard, and at times frustrating, but I managed to adapt and overcome all the challenges that were thrown at me and I passed! Becoming the world’s first triple amputee PADI Rescue Diver is great but not why I did it, I wanted to further my diving education and become a better diver.
The Ocean terrifies me; every time I go underwater I think I am going to be attacked by something bigger than me, but this is exactly why I do it. It takes me out of my comfort zone and puts me in a position where I am constantly being challenged. Doing these endeavours helps me to overcome that fear and to prove people wrong when they question how a triple amputee can be a Rescue Diver.
Josh was recently interviewed about his latest achievement by ITV news and the footage can be seen on the ITV channel here.
The 2019 Endeavour Fund Award Winners will be announced at a special ceremony on 7th February in London.
Find out about the work of Deptherapy & Deptherapy Education at www.deptherapy.co.uk.
News
Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
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SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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