LOCAL charity Warrington Disability Partnership are Going the Extra Mile with their annual Scuba Challenge to help raise funds towards their work and to provide opportunities for disabled people to try the sport of Scuba Diving.
The event is being led by Dave Thompson MBE DL, joint founder and Chief Executive, a full-time wheelchair user after sustaining a spinal cord injury whilst playing American Football in 1989. He has tetraplegia, with limited use in his left arm and none in his right arm and both legs.
Now in its 8th year, Dave started scuba diving in 2009, he is PADI Advanced Open Water accredited, with over 200 dives.
Dave will be joined tomorrow (Sat Nov 2) at Livewire’s Great Sankey Neighbourhood Hub by nearly 30 able bodied and disabled divers including Tom Coleridge who was seriously injured in Afghanistan back in 2010, and is also a fulltime wheelchair user due to paraplegia.
Other team members include John Munslow who has had spinal surgery, Neil Davies and Jill Doran, who are both double amputees and fellow amputee Damian Harper, who has recently returned from his epic Kilimanjaro Challenge.
WDP’s Scuba Challenge is open to novices who can attempt a fully supervised Try Dive and qualified divers (PADI or BSAC) who will take on the Going the Extra Mile Challenge of 64 lengths.
Dave said, “The ongoing success of this event is made possible because of the team at Livewire for providing the pool, facilities and their staff, and Derek Howden and his team at Cheshire Scuba Academy for providing the kit, instructors, underwater and poolside support. Plus admin and counters from Birchwood Lions and our staff and volunteers at WDP, and not forgetting the divers”
Dave also added “A huge thank you to all of the scuba divers, qualified and those taking part in the try dives, everyone behind the scenes and everyone who has made a donation.”
It’s not too late to make a donation online via Just Giving www.justgiving.com/fundraising/wdpscuba2019 or call in to any of WDP’s services to make a donation.
WDP have already starting planning next year’s Scuba Challenge, titled “The Three Deeps” which will involve diving in three countries in one day. An early morning 18 metre dive in Loch Long in Scotland, a mid-day 18m dive in Capernwray in England and an early evening 18m dive in Vivian Quarry in North Wales.
There’s still time to join Dave and his team for this year’s Challenge, or if you are interested in supporting next year’s challenge, as a diver, an assistant or sponsor, please contact Dave Thompson via [email protected] or telephone 01925 240064.
Dave Thompson & Tom Coleridge
