Alun Newsome, 26, Training Officer of Llanelli Sub Aqua Club, was presented with the BSAC’s Jonathan Crusher Award at the recent London International Dive Show in Birmingham.
The award, named in memory of a BSAC diver and volunteer, was created to recognise an outstanding individual who has performed as a volunteer beyond the normal call of duty for the benefit of their branch.
Newsome, from Pwll, was chosen out of 30 finalists in the BSAC’s annual Volunteer of the Year awards, sponsored by dive computer manufacturer Suunto.
It was judged that he had made an outstanding contribution to the training of young divers.
Receiving his award, he said that “I really enjoy seeing a young diver develop and grow in confidence”, while retaining the belief that “anyone can learn to dive whether they are 12 or 92, male or female”.
“It really is nice to be acknowledged by your fellow divers,” he said, “especially as I understand it was young divers who took the trouble to nominate me.
“Jonathan Crusher really did represent excellence and dedication while volunteering with the British Sub-Aqua Club and it's an honour to be awarded such a prestigious compliment by appreciative fellow divers.”
Newsome started diving at the age of 12 and went on to join the diving club at London’s Imperial College of Medicine. He later joined the BSAC’s Llanelli branch where he qualified as an instructor in 2010.
He has dived extensively at home and abroad while fitting copious amounts of youth training into a busy schedule.
Diving activities apart, Newsome is a volunteer Red Cross ambulance driver, public-events first aider and, when time allows, a Dyfed-Powys Special Constable.
Career-wise, he is a medical bio-chemistry Phd student currently on placement at the Royal Society in London.
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