HDS Working Equipment Group

What we do

The Working Equipment Group, sponsored by DIVER magazine, is a loosely constituted, very keen group of people, who conduct displays nationally, mainly during spring and summer.

The Group will demonstrate diving using Standard Diving equipment. Have a look at some of our photographs in our photo gallery or recent events for more information.

At most sites the Society's exhibition stand is present with an impressive static display of historical diving memorabilia and photographs of previous events conducted by the Society in the United Kingdom and around the world.

Where we do it... a summary of some of our activities

• Barrow in Furness - at the biannual maritime event
• Birmingham - a regular appearance at the Dive Show at the NEC
• Holyhead - diving off the quay in Anglesea
• Liverpool - the HDS can often be seen at Albert Dock, during the Liverpool's annual maritime festival
• London International Dive Show, Olympia - diving in the 7ft deep tank by invitation of DIVER or at St Katharine's Dock - diving in the picturesque dock area right in front of the Dickens Inn
• Stoney Cove - the Society's major annual rally at the National Diving Centre
• Plymouth - a historic maritime city giving West Country members a local rally
• Portsmouth Festival of the Sea - diving in Portsmouth Dockyard as one of the attractions at a major maritime festival
• Whitstable Harbour Day - the diving history in Whitstable makes this an almost obligatory event for the Society to support every year

In recent years the HDS has been asked to perform a demonstration of diving in the beautiful crystal clear Aquarium tanks in Edinburgh, London and Ellesmere Port.

The Group has also figured in several television programmes including a magnificent 11 minute item for BBC's prestigious 'Blue Peter' (participants wear their badges with pride!), Channel 4's 'Scrapheap' and 'Collectors Lot' and a 5 minute segment for the Eco Nova Corporation of Canada as part of a series to be shown on the Discovery Channel. Other television appearances are in the pipeline - watch this space. For more detail on the television programmes we have assisted click here.

The Group is organised by the Society's Working Equipment Officers, who are responsible for ensuring that the Society's safety standards are maintained, for prospecting for and evaluating potential new locations, for negotiations with the management of the diving sites and for the general conduct of events as well as for canvassing support for them.

Come along and see us in action (you may be able to help!)

The Group and indeed the Society as a whole is very conscious of the need for operations to be as safe as possible and to this end we always have cover divers available to assist should the need arise. This important cover is usually provided by volunteers from local diving clubs and an effort is always made to give as many of them as wish a dip in the Standard gear.

Members of the Society and the public are welcome at all events and at most of them members can pitch in and help the teams dressing and undressing divers as well as manning the vital air pump or the divers telephone.