The BiG Scuba Duo, Gemma and Ian chat to Sophie Heptonstall. Sophie was introduced to diving by her dad, grandad and uncle who were diving in the UK. She did a PADI Discover Scuba abroad at twelve years old and then PADI Open Water Course at Stoney Cove.
At university in Wales Sophie joined the university BSAC Club and continued her diver grade training and instructor training in the club with BSAC but completed other agency specialty courses with TDI and IANTD and worked as a PADI Divemaster in the UK at weekends for a few years. Sophie then had opportunities to dive abroad – Caribbean, Red Sea, Maldives and Truk Lagoon.
In 2004 Sophie became a BSAC Instructor Trainer and in 2005 was asked to be the Communications Advisor on the BSAC National Diving Committee and a few years later was elected onto BSAC Council. In 2015 she was elected as BSAC National Diving Officer, the youngest person to hold the post.
Sophie is a CCR Mod 3 diver and CCR Instructor and have also held the BSAC positions of Tech Lead, First Class Diver Chief Examiner and National Instructor Chief Examiner. All these previous roles were volunteer roles but in March 2024 her hobby became a full time job taking in the BSAC employed role of Head of Diving and Training.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-heptonstall-82a44925/
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