Kristina Pedder interviews Advanced Snorkel Instructor Thomas Hawksworth.
Thomas Hawksworth, 20, Tom to his friends, volunteers at his BSAC club and recently helped review and redesign the national snorkelling training programme. Tom got into snorkelling aged nine, because his grandma, Lesley Flitcroft was an instructor and his mum was a member when she was younger. It was a family activity. Tom tells me that he used to stay over at his grandma’s house on Friday night so that they could both to go to the pool for snorkel training early on Saturday mornings.
“Seeing a few of my family progress onto becoming instructors, and seeing them enjoy it, made me push for it too,” he says.
Tom with his mum (left) and sister (centre)
He gained his first snorkel qualification aged nine, learned to scuba dive at 14, and earlier this year attended an Instructor Foundation Course.
Now a Sports Diver, Advanced Snorkel Instructor and Assistant Diving Instructor, Tom belongs to two BSAC clubs: Woking Snorkel and Scuba, and Aldershot Dolphins. He has done around 50 snorkel dives and 50 scuba dives, but says he’s not been very good at logging them. “I need to get better at that,” he admits.
I ask about the volunteering side of life. Tom has been the Chair of Woking Snorkel and Scuba since he was 18, and he was sub-chair for a year before that. “My job is to ensure that the branch committee is running effectively. I enjoy making a positive impact that benefits the members and can already see the developments that we have made over my two years.
[L] Young Tom at his first open water snorkel; [R] Suited and booted at Vobster
“I did find it challenging to be in such an important branch role at first as I had no experience of running meetings, let alone being on a committee; managing a whole branch. But the feeling you get when the club is progressing and doing well is fantastic.”
FACT FILE
Name: Thomas Hawksworth
Job titles: Advanced Snorkel Instructor, Assistant Diving Instructor, Chairman of Woking Snorkel and Scuba
Base: Farnborough, Hampshire
First snorkel dive: 26 July 2013
First scuba dive: 18 September 2018
Tom also organises and leads snorkel and dive trips. “Seeing everyone’s happy faces after diving is great,” he says. Based in Hampshire, most trips are to the South Coast. Plymouth is a favourite for diving and Porthkerris for snorkelling. He also supports Aldershot Dolphins by instructing when needed.
“Having some time away from my studies, work and club tasks is amazing,” says Tom, who is on a degree apprenticeship in Systems Engineering. “Being under the waves is so peaceful and quiet that you forget about all the things you have to do and just focus on the great scenery and life that is there to see.
“You also gain lifelong friends; we definitely have some laughs. I organised a week-long trip to Cornwall for the snorkellers and the other instructors thought it was funny to sew my tee-shirt sleeves together so I couldn’t put it on. (You can see me in the photo, left, trying to work it out.)”
Having discussed the current Snorkel Training Programme with local instructors and Diving Officers who all felt the same way, Tom felt the snorkel programme was not the best fit for a club setting. On his Advanced Snorkel Instructor course, he gave some feedback to National Diving Officer Sophie Rennie, and a couple of months later he got an email from HQ asking if he wanted to be part of a project scoping out what could be different. So, of course, he got involved.
FAVOURITE KIT
“ My underwater camera, as I can take pictures to remember all my dives. Being able to go back and show your friends and family all the amazing things you have seen is fantastic. The camera I currently have is a Lime Green Fujifilm FinePix XP 120, which was brought for me in 2017, and it is still going strong. This camera is waterproof without a housing and the only upgrade I’ve made is a yellow floating wrist strap for when I am snorkelling.”
“Being part of a breakout team that created the proposal for the new Snorkel Training Programme (identifying qualifications, theory and practical skills) has been a great opportunity to work alongside not only other keen clubs, instructors and snorkellers, but also with HQ staff,” he says. The proposal, aligned to the new Snorkel Guide qualification, has been initially approved by HQ and the NDO and the hope is that clubs will benefit, increasing the engagement for all, from young children to adults.
Enjoying a kayak on a club outing
“I love to teach Snorkel Diver and Ocean Diver courses,” Tom says. “When trainees have never been diving it’s just a great feeling getting them into the underwater world to see what you love.” I ask Tom what he would say to someone just qualifying as an Ocean Diver. “As much as it is sometimes great fun and rewarding to progress and build up your qualifications quickly,” he says. “I would advise taking the time to enjoy your diving; build up your experience more slowly. Enjoy your diving.”
Tom's skills tip:
I started out as a snorkeller, and this has helped my finning technique and my breathing rate. So, if you get the chance, have a go at snorkelling, even if it’s in a pool. I think it is very rewarding, and you’ll get more out of your scuba diving too.
Article ‘’Enjoy your diving!’ by Kristina Pedder first published in SCUBA magazine, Issue 153 March 2025.
