Dive Ability was set up to get as many people with disabilities and disadvantages aware of the many benefits scuba-diving has to offer and to have a go at it…
We started off as a group of friends experienced in scuba diving (some with a disability) diving monthly in a swimming pool together, and became a charity in early 2011 and are now registered with the Charity Commission.
Our charity is user led, consisting of disabled and non-disabled committee members and trustees. Our monthly pool sessions near Alton in Hampshire are fully accessible and we can offer try dives, Open Water and Advanced Diving Qualification Courses etc to all abilities, taught by our highly experienced and qualified instructors. We also hold numerous social events throughout the year and arrange accessible dive holidays abroad to enable our members to discover the amazing array of sea life places like the Red Sea have to offer.
We know from experience that scuba diving gives you something to look forward to, a goal to aim at and a great sense of achievement, all of which are important in anybody's life. This leads to a greater sense of well being and higher confidence levels, which will enhance life in many other aspects, most importantly whilst having fun!
I am a C4/5 Tetraplegic following a spinal injury 23 years ago which has left me paralysed from the chest down. I have now been diving for over six years and thanks to the amazing bunch of instructors and volunteers that have helped me, have managed to do over 50 dives in the Red Sea.
Diving is now my main hobby, I am one of Dive Ability’s committee members, and very committed to making people with disabilities aware of the amazing sense of freedom under water that scuba-diving has to offer. I'm also very keen for interested new instructors and volunteers to take me into the water in order for me to show them the skills involved and needed to enable a disabled diver such as myself to dive safely with their help; more often than not I find that they get as much out of it as I do!
So what's stopping you? If you have any kind of disability and would like to have a go at scuba-diving then get in touch – we have the right equipment, experienced and qualified instructors to make it happen!
Matt Colliard
(Dive Ability Access Officer)
Tel: 07721 890058 (Andy Wood, Dive Officer)
Web: www.diveability.org
Email trydives@btinternet.com
