Cornwall LivingIssue #115
Into the blue
Saving all life in our oceans is Dive Project Cornwall’s ambitious vision for the future.
Plastic is entering our oceans at an alarming rate. According to Ocean Conservancy, eight million metric tons of plastic makes its way into our oceans every year, with plastic production and consumption predicted to double over the next 10 years. As a PADI Divemaster living in Cornwall, this is a subject very close to the heart of Andy Forster, Project Director of Dive Project Cornwall; a not-for-profit, Community Interest Company dedicated to tackling plastic pollution in our oceans by introducing teenagers across the UK to diving and so empowering them to become the ocean influencers of the future.
“Dive Project Cornwall has two parts,” explains Andy. “The education programme is designed to reach thousands of children across the UK via a suite of educational tools, videos and other resources available to schools through the Marine Conservation Society. We are also communicating with millions of adults through our audience providers in order to raise awareness. In collaboration with these media partners, collaborating charities and sponsors, which include leading national dive brands such as Suunto, Beuchat and Cornwall-based fourth element, we are able to share our message across social media and various other communication channels. Our current reach is just shy of 10 million adults already.”
The second part of Dive Project Cornwall is an amazing experience programme, available to all secondary schools across the UK. Through a nation-wide competition, schools can compete for the opportunity to bring 20 of their students from each of the 20 regions across the UK, on a week’s residential course at Porthkerris. That’s a total of 400 lucky teens set to visit Cornwall’s premier dive centre, where they will be trained by experienced, qualified PADI Instructors and leave as certified as PADI Open Water Scuba Divers.
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Get involved and make a difference!
If you are a school that would like to be involved, a business interested in sponsoring a childís or schoolís Dive Project Cornwall experience, a brand or a charity who would like further information on this unique project, then please contact andy@diveprojectcornwall.co.uk
“Not only will the children leave as qualified Open Water Scuba Divers, they will also learn first-hand, from leading marine industry experts, the important part our oceans play in the survival of our planet and how this impacts our very own existence,” adds Andy. “The aim is that these children will leave as ambassadors for the project, sharing their experience and knowledge with friends and families, so activating a network of campaigners whose mission is aligned with our own; to save the ocean.”
DIVE PROJECT CORNWALL
07711 160 590
