Meet the team

We have over 35 Divemasters & Instructors, so there is never a shortage of helping hands to ensure you get the attention you deserve.

As PADI Divemasters & Instructors we all have the training and experience to be good at what we do, and to be frank we are excellent at it, and that is because we HAVE LOTS OF FUN doing it !!!

DiveStyle is always evolving and growing to meet the demands placed on us. The DiveStyle team may change from time to time, some old and seasoned faces moving on, and many new ones joining the team, but one constant remains : The passion that the DiveStyle team has for diving, and having fun when diving!!

Our team

  • John Campbell

    I took over DiveStyle in 2008. Being next to water, or in the water, has always been part of my life. Born and bred in South Shields, where my childhood home was within spitting distance of the North Sea, I spent most of my time in the sea or around the coast. I found diving through military service and have been hooked on it ever since. So much so I bought a dive centre!

    I love the diversity of marine life that all of our seas hold, but still have a big soft spot for the UK waters and the amazing marine life we have on our doorstep. To think that in UK waters alone you can swim with sharks, dive with seals, and explore some of the best wrecks in the world, still blows my mind.

  • Garin Phipps 

    Born before time began. Thought to be a direct descendant of Neptune himself, Garin is our Course Director, the highest professional qualification you can achieve in PADI. Among his many qualifications, Garin is also a DSAT instructor up to full Trimix, cave diver, and generally has done most things in diving.

    Garin's mass of enthusiasm, energy, and knowledge, always make for a great course. Although he is considered theYoda of DiveStyle, he has no issues at all in joining in the fun, and in fact can often be seen leading the parade, (after a few mulled wines).

    Garin has been fortunate enough to dive in some of the most incredible destinations all over the world, but like John, Garin has a real passion for UK diving, with Scapa Flow being one of his favourites.  

  • Sam Buck

    Sam is our dive centre instructor responsible for everything to do with courses. Having spent a few years teaching in the warm climates of Thailand, it was a little bit of a a shock, to say the least, when Sam came back to the UK.

    Once we had explained the concept of diving in water below 30C, and that a drysuit exists, the rest was plain sailing. Sam can now be seen training in all conditions, and enjoying the UK dive scene.

    Sam is not only a PADI instructor, but also an SSI instructor with many student certifications to his credit.

  • Andrew Breeze

    Andy is another one of our permanent staff. He has been with DiveStyle for many years, and there are not many things that Andy cannot help with. A fantastic artist, some of his marine themed paintings and etchings are simply stunning.

    Andy grew up in Nigeria, before helping his parents run a marina in Canada. He then moved back to the UK to live on a partially sunken canal boat, and run his own busking business from the back of the canal boat. Once he had convinced the police he was not in fact bonkers, he came to join DiveStyle where he fitted right in.

    Unfortunately, Andy is as mad as a box of frogs! He is obsessed with trying to fit into cardboard boxes, and making hats out of anything that can be found in the dive centre. It is very rare to catch Andy without a smile on his face, and you never quite know what he is scheming up next.

  • Fiona Taylor

    Fiona is the newest member to the permanent dive team. Having been part of the Saturday staff for a good few years, Fiona decided that diving was going to be her career, and took the leap into becoming one of the permanent staff.

    Fiona works alongside Sam on keeping the busy dive calendar up to scratch, and brings a real breath of fresh air to the centre. Knowledgeable beyond her years, do not be frightened to ask her any questions about DiveStyle.

    Over the years we have been watching Fiona carefully to see if she will ever grow past 3ft 5 inches, but alas she has not. All of her dive gear is custom made by Mothercare, but on the bright side she never has to pay tax on any dive gear or clothing she buys. 

    • DiveStyle Instructional Staff

    Without our loyal band of instructional staff we would never be able to achieve what we do here at DiveStyle

    Instructors

    Michael Wade
    Nathan O'Hare
    Nora Holford
    Dave Cock
    Steve Leaver
    Andy Neatham
    Morag Ward
    Mauricio Girlado
    Nigel Stout
    Neil Layton-Smith
    Jessica Dow 
    Daley Young

    Dive Masters

    Lesley Avann
    Tim Burge
    Peter De Zeeuw
    Adrian Elsey
    Anne-Marie Neatham
    Simon Muir
    Kevin  Tanner
    Irina Wade
    Grant West
    David Cameron
    Jayne Hollingsworth
    Katherine Easey
    Bryan Johnston
    James O' Neill
    James Hepworth
    Damon Legg
    Peter Winn
    Steve Cushion
    Fiona Taylor
    Joe Roberts
    Midia Hadjixenefontos
    Steve Mays
    Vernon Collins
    Nick Pinnock
    Jason Taylor

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