Diving for charity

Divers, whether complete beginners or experienced, joined in a taster dive for Inspire yesterday, raising over €2,000 for the Foundation For Inclusion. About 200 divers participated in the charity event at Exiles in Sliema, each donating €10, which will go entirely to Inspire as all the qualified instructors and equipment were provided for free by the Calypso Sub-Aqua Club and Dive Systems. Most participants were beginners, who could try a taster dive, spending 15 minutes at a depth of five metres for a cost that was cheaper than offered at commercial diving schools, said fund-raising manager Joshua Farrugia. Try A Dive For Charity, as the event was called, was considered a success, with over 200 divers streaming down to Exiles from 10 a.m. “We had to stop taking bookings because there was a backlog until 6 p.m. as well as a limited amount of equipment,” he said. The money would go towards improving the educational and therapeutic services that Inspire offers to 1,000 children and adults with intellectual and physical difficulties. More funds are being raised from a raffle for a PADI open water dive course, worth €330, offered by Dive Systems. Tickets were still being sold, said Mr Farrugia, for anyone who missed the opportunity to contribute through the dive. They can call on 2189 0000.