The John Skerry Legacy
John was an enthusiastic member of SISAC for 18 years and gave much time and energy to both enjoying his diving and helping the SISAC. John said learning to dive through a BSAC club had been a launch pad into a world of adventure for him. In 2012, as a thank you for the opportunities which learning to dive had given him, he left £10,000 to the club in his will.
John's gift was given without stipulation about how it should be spent. To date, only a small amount has been spent (to support instructor training.) Suggestions have been discussed over the years and over many pints, looking for a single project that could represent John's memory. However, it has been recognised that options such as a club RIB or club air compressor would require ongoing expense and substantial resources to manage and are not a 'good fit' for a relatively small club.
The committee are currently proposing the following uses of the legacy:
Payment of the expenses of club members who undertake instructor training in future. Members who are committed to the club and are actively supporting club training will be invited to apply for reimbursement of their instructor training fees.
Instructors who provide open water instruction to novice divers (i.e. ocean diver training) are invited to apply to the treasurer for reimbursement of entry fees to Stoney Cove/Guildenburg as a contribution to their expenses. This is a token of appreciation to those who provide considerable time to getting new divers started on their diving career. This will continue as long as funds are available through the Skerry Legacy to support it as will support for instructor training.
We are proposing to invest in a club-owned oxygen kit for use on club trips. We currently rent this equipment but believe that having our own system would provide a more robust emergency response and reduce recurrent club costs related to hire.
We hope that these proposals honour John's wish to benefit the club now and in the future. The committee continues to invite suggestions for projects/uses for John's legacy.