Newbury Scuba Diving Club has enjoyed an excellent, long-standing relationship with Mary Hare School for many years now. Our members have built and maintained our own Boatshed near to the Snelsmore common entrance and we use meeting rooms in the Arlington Arts Centre as well as the excellent pool facilities in the main school grounds. Follow this link to the Mary Hare School website for directions. There are a few simple rules about our long-standing use of the school.
Access and ‘no-go’ areas at Mary Hare School
Many of the Mary Hare School children have hearing difficulties and may not hear your car coming. Please do not exceed the 5 mph speed limit. The school has asked the Club to limit where the members go within the school grounds for safeguarding reasons. This is because it is a residential school for children, and visitors (us) do not have access to residential areas. Therefore, all club members must keep to the following limits on access
Vehicle entry to the grounds should be by the entrance off Arlington Lane.
Please note that the Snelsmore Common entrance on the B4494 Wantage Road (i.e. where the boatshed is) is PNR barrier controlled and can only be accessed by cars registered to club members. N.B. there is no exit to the B4494
The meeting/lecture room is in the Arlington Arts Centre. Meetings start at 19.00
Members should park in the Arlington Arts Centre car park (see plan above)
All areas shown in red above are residential areas and access is not permitted
All of this is pretty straightforward and protects both club members and the school, so please comply.
Guidance on parking by the pool
Instructors who are instructing in the pool and club members using kit can drop their kit off directly outside the pool. Instructors and students can coordinate the barrier entry using the barrier cards. Parking is on the left hand side immediately inside the barrier in the NSDC marked bays. Preferred entry is via the double doors closest to the gas tank enclosure.
Please note that we are not permitted to go beyond the pool area i.e. in front of Mansell House as this is restricted. THIS INCLUDES NOT TURNING YOUR CAR AROUND IN FRONT OF MANSELL HOUSE
Lectures
If you are lecturing, please ensure that you are out of the room by 21.00.
Boatshed
Access to the boatshed is permitted for all current club members and the key code for the door access panel is updated annually. This will be sent out to all paid up members after the annual renewal date.
Mary Hare School Pool
Pool use and safety
Please make sure that the pool cover is put on the pool and the pool is locked after use. The keys must be returned to the key safe at the end of the evening.
Don’t trek any mud or leaves into the pool area – wear the plastic shoe covers provided or if necessary take your shoes off. If, despite your best efforts, the pool side does get muddy, a mop and bucket is provided inside the double doors to mop the floor.
It makes sense to ensure that school kids do not wander into the pool area or try to use the pool after we are finished – so if it looks like there is no-one in charge of the kids, please challenge them and do not let them use the pool. DO NOT leave the pool area unlocked unless there is someone responsible present, either from the club or the school staff.
If you are attending training in the pool, please help whoever is bringing the club kit to the pool by unloading and loading the kit from cars to pool and back to the boatshed etc.
Look after your personal possessions
The school changing rooms are not locked while we are in the pool, so it’s always a good idea to leave any valuables locked in your car while you are training in the pool.
NSDC Visitor Badges
Everyone needs to wear an NSDC visitor badge while on school premises. If you do not have a visitors badge please ask the Chair or Secretary for one.
Hire of club diving kit
The club kit is primarily for pool use by trainees and a surcharge is added to the first years membership fee to cover the cost of using the club kit.
Ensure the cylinder/s are full when you pick them up
Ensure arrangements are made for return of any kit before the following Thursday with at least 200 bar in the cylinder/s.
Use of club compressor
The club compressor is for use ONLY by club members who have been on the Compressor Operation SDC. These courses are run within the club and are open to all members. If you need an air fill and do not have authorisation to use the compressor, simply ask someone who does.
Air fills are free to diving members
Nitrox and Tri-Mix blending
We have gas blending facilities within the club. Only qualified gas blenders who are familiar with our system have access. Qualified gas blenders have no obligation to blend for other members, but speak nicely and we can arrange something. See page ‘How Much Does it Cost?’ for gas costs.
Rebreathers
Only divers who are suitably qualified as rebreather divers may use rebreathers on Club dives. As with any diving, a diver on a club dive is responsible for ensuring they dive within their qualification limits and have adequate experience to safely undertake the planned dive.
It is recommended that if diving with a buddy using open circuit kit, a rebreather diver has a separate open circuit bail out. The rebreather diver must also brief the Open Circuit Diver on the differences in diving with a rebreather, so that they will dive as an effective buddy pair.
Other Members’ Zone pages and links:
Ocean Diver Information – course outline, picking up pool kit, what is expected, How To tutorial videos
