After 14 years of building community connections, a Cornwall-based non-profit organisation called Sunshine And Showers (SAS) plans to head under water this spring with a scuba programme aimed at bringing disconnected divers together.
SAS was created in 2012 with the aim of reducing isolation, including for people living with long-term health conditions. Through peer-led groups and organised activities, it provides “safe spaces” where people support one another, build friendships and regain confidence.
Now it has an offshoot called the Cornwall Community Scuba Peer Support Group, based in the south of the county and focusing on shore-diving opportunities. Initially much of the diving will take place from Portmellon near Mevagissey, with pool sessions at Polkyth Leisure Centre in St Austell.
Midweek options
“The idea grew from a simple observation,” says scuba diver Claire Jones, an SAS founder-member and an assistant diving instructor.
“Newly qualified divers often complete their Open Water Diver course full of enthusiasm, only to find themselves without a regular buddy network or accessible midweek diving options,” she explains. Midweeks are regarded as important because divers living near the coast are well-placed to take advantage of favourable weather windows as and when they occur.
“Without continuity, confidence dips,” says Jones. “Life gets busy, equipment gathers dust. Without ongoing connection, many drift away.” The new group represents a “welcoming space” where divers can meet up, explore dive-sites and build their confidence together, with trained shore-cover and medical-support divers available.
The members might be newly qualified divers, those returning after a long break or experienced divers wanting to explore the coastline with like-minded locals. “Above the surface, the coffee and conversation matter just as much as the dive itself,” says Jones.
Training ecosystem
While SAS makes connections it emphasises that it is not a training agency, so group members still have to gain new qualifications through established local dive-centres: “The group complements the local training ecosystem rather than competing with it,” explains Jones.
Last year she was involved in a different Sunshine And Showers project as director and assistant instructor of a local SSI dive-centre called Viewpoint Diving, as reported on Divernet.
Together they had been crowdfunding for a compressor and dive-gear on the basis that Viewpoint claimed to be the only UK dive-centre offering community scuba clubs and water-skills classes to both children and adults with disabilities. However, Jones says that because of differences both she and Sunshine And Showers have since split from Viewpoint Diving.
SAS is supported by Cornwall Council through its Growth Capacity Fund, so should be able to provide scuba equipment for the new group, although it is also seeking additional grant funding to help members to access subsidised training and continued development.
Anyone interested can check out the Sunshine And Showers Facebook page or email sunshineandshowersgroup@gmail.com.
