Meet the dive team
Many of our staff started with us as Open Water Divers and stayed! Which is a great compliment to the way we operate. All our programs are overseen by a senior instructor with our own full time Course Director ensuring courses at all levels are consistently safe as well as being FUN!! The enthusiasm and ability of our staff means students enjoy a positive experience despite the challenges of learning to dive in the UK. The people helping you to do this are…..
 Martin Ainsworth, Director of Instructor Development, (PADI Course Director / EFR Instructor Trainer)
Martin has been diving for over 20 years starting in the UK and then eventually doing his instructor exam in 1992. Since then Martin has been actively teaching in the UK and diving around the world in the Maldives, Australia, Bali, Borneo, Egypt, USA, Canada and the Philippines before reaching his goal of Course Director in 2003. Martin has set up dive centres in both the UK and Europe prior to developing and opening an inland dive site, the Blue Lagoon, which enabled him to map his experience in all aspects of diving into our Instructor Development Courses. Martin is currently focused on running an active instructor development calendar across our two dive centres in addition to developing our own distinctive specialty courses and teaching instructor courses for other centres in the UK, Malta, Turkey and Cape Verde. Martin has consistently achieved gold status within the Course Director frequent trainer program for the last three years teaching between 50 and 100 instructor courses a year, so if you are interested in any aspect of instructor development from Divemaster onwards, feel free to give him a call.
 Sharon Ainsworth, Director of Training, (PADI Course Director / EFR Instructor Trainer)
As the training manager at Above & Below, Sharon strives to keep a professional and organised atmosphere whilst mentoring our new and enthusiastic instructors to provide a fun and exciting one. Having a Masters Degree in Aquatic Ecology Sharon is always focused on promoting the environmental awareness elements of our dive programs in addition to promoting and developing our academic programs for schools and universities. Sharon is always around so anything you want to know just ask....
Jason Eddom, Hull Centre Manager, (Assistant Instructor)
Jay became an AI way back in 1998 and decided he preferred to concentrate on developing his dive retail skills gaining a wealth of product knowledge across all our suppliers. In addition Jay is a qualified gas blender and service technician who coupled with his understanding of the PADI system of training makes him the ideal choice to discuss your training or equipment requirements. When he is off work you will generally find he is jetting off on a dive trip to dive to Thailand, Egypt or his favourite, Barbados!
Gen Ferguson, (IDC Staff Instructor / EFR Instructor)
After becoming an instructor with Above & Below Gen has run her own dive operations in both Turkey and the Philippines prior to returning to the UK and rejoining us a full time instructor. It’s easy to spot Gen, she will be the one wearing a fleece in the middle of summer!!
Paul Tomlinson, Pontefract Centre Manager, (Master Scuba Diver Trainer / EFR Instructor)
Tommo is lucky enough to have dived many of the warmer reefs around the world including Belize and the Caribbean with many months spent working at active dive centres in both Greece and Mexico. Now we have converted him back to cold water diving he runs the training centre at our Pontefract site based at blue lagoon where he makes use of his skills as a boat handler. Although his passions are cavern, wreck and deep diving he is known for making a wicked sausage & egg sandwich!
Alex King, Service Centre Manager, (Master Scuba Diver Trainer / EFR Instructor)
Since learning to dive in 2004 Alex has packed in well over 100 dives a year gaining a wealth of experience along the way. Passing his instructor exam in 2007 spurred Alex to leave his role as Facilities Manager at The Deep and follow his passion teaching diving full time at our centres. Alex also manages our service centre and as a key member in our team of service engineers he is the one to call if you need any advice on dive equipment….
Part-Time Teaching Staff
The large team of Instructors and Divemasters we have at Above & Below are volunteers, teaching in their spare time, but all demonstrate high standards of professionalism with an enthusiasm for diving that is hard to beat. Each level of diving we provide has a course leader focussing on guiding the instructor teams and making your experience as rewarding as possible.
Paul Morrell (Mr B), Senior Training Manager (IDC-STAFF Instructor)
The rescue Guru!! Renowned for doing that little bit extra when it come to conducting a realistic Rescue Diver or Emergency First Response course Mr B gives it 200% commitment and 200% enjoyment. If he’s not teaching people how to look after themselves and others you will find him in the pool where he appears to be creating a whole army of Seals and Master Seals. The kids just love his bizarre underwater inventions!!
Ken Bentley (Big Ken), Advanced & Speciality Course Manager (IDC-STAFF Instructor)
Tasked with putting that special touch to a speciality course Ken is the lead instructor for our Master Scuba Diver challenge. So if you want to try something different or just to step up to the mark and become a Master Scuba Diver, Give him a call…
Jon Rudderforth (Rudders), Rebreather & Open Water Diver Course Manager (IDC-STAFF Instructor)
Jon is responsible for the smooth running of your PADI Open Water Course which allies with his best attribute, his never ending patience. Jon is always approachable and aims to provide a safe and supportive introduction to your fist experience of SCUBA Diving here at Above & Below.
Additional Professionals
Of course we wouldn’t have our reputation as a leader in diver training if it wasn’t for the support and dedication of our team of professionals running the courses and ensuring our students are safe in the water. The people taking you diving are…
• Darren Hedges (MSDT)
• Jon Potter (OWSI)
• Paul Elliott (OWSI)
• Pam Heaton (OWSI)
• Chris Wilson (OWSI)
• Kerry Snow (OWSI)
• Dave Brown (OWSI)
• Jackie Ploughman (OWSI)
• Phil Ploughman (OWSI)
• James Wright (MSDT)
• Fiona Wright (OWSI)
• Gill Beckwith (AI)
• Adrian Keene (AI)
• Ray Allenby (AI)
• Peter Gibbins (DM)
• Rob Green (DM)
• Peter Bloom (DM)
• Alan Mills (DM)
• Sam Collins (DM)
• Mike Collins (DM)
• Alan Woodrow (DM)
• Lenny Archer (OWSI)
• Alan Cunliffe (OWSI)
• Mark Bostock (OWSI)
• Mark Pridmore (DM)
• Gemma Harrison (DM)
• Nikki Thurston (DM)
• Rhia Spall (DM)
• Jon Butterfield (DM)
• Rachel Linarts (DM)
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