News
UK woman born without arms becomes scuba diving ambassador
A UK woman who was born with no arms has been appointed as a scuba diving ambassador to encourage more women to take up the sport.
Laura Furness’ lack of limbs didn’t hold her back, and once the determined 34-year-old decided she wanted to try diving her local BSAC branch helped her achieve that ambition.
Four years later Laura, who lives with husband John in Rugby, has dived all over the country and abroad.
She said: “I’m pretty stubborn, so to be honest the reason I wanted to do it in the first place was mainly because people had told me I wouldn’t be able to as I have no arms.
“They said it would be a step too far, so naturally I was going to make sure I did it.”
Laura is a great role model for the This Girl Can campaign, which BSAC is backing as official partners of Sport England.
The campaign aims to encourage more women and girls to be active, and overcome the barrier of feeling self-conscious.
Laura is the fifth This Girl Can Dive Ambassador to be appointed by BSAC as part of the campaign.
She first tried scuba diving in a swimming pool in Chesterfield when she lived in Sheffield and, after moving to Rugby in 2012, soon joined her local BSAC branch – Rugby SAC – to continue the sport.
Having been born without arms or hands is an added challenge to Laura especially as communication underwater between divers is all done by hand signals.
She said: “It does give it an extra dimension but I’ve just created my own set of signals. It can be a bit tricky but that’s probably part of the appeal.
“There are more things I have to think about. For most people if you need to adjust your mask you just do it whereas I can’t but there’s no point worrying about things like that, you just have to get on with it.
“It’s probably more of a challenge for the people I dive with as I know my own capabilities but they have to get their heads round it.”
Since Laura took her first plunge in an indoor swimming pool she has enjoyed diving in the Maldives, surrounded by turtles, sharks and eels, as well as off the Northumbrian coast with seals.
She said: “Seeing sharks asleep at the bottom of the sea was pretty amazing, and playing with seals that were nipping at our fins.
“But I don’t care whether I dive in a swimming pool or open water or a quarry or the sea – for me it’s about the feeling of freedom you get from it.”
Only 27% of BSAC divers are women. If your dive club is interested in getting more women to join, BSAC have some tips that can help on their website. Find out more here.
Source: www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk
Last Thursday, Oyster Diving transformed Mercers Lake into a hauntingly unforgettable underwater realm for their inaugural Halloween Scuba Party. Approximately 20 intrepid divers plunged into the darkness, weaving through a mesmerising scene of spectral decorations, glow sticks, and eerie underwater pumpkins.
After the thrilling night dive, participants gathered to feast on a ghoulish spread of pumpkin soup, chilli con carne, and decadent fudge brownies, perfect fuel for the frightful festivities.
With a resounding success, Oyster Diving is excited to announce plans for this event to become an annual tradition. Next year, look forward to a fully licensed bar and live music, promising an even spookier celebration under the moonlit waters.
Join us next Halloween for an experience that promises to be a haunting delight!
Find out more about Oyster Diving at oysterdiving.com.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
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