British scuba rehabilitation charity Deptherapy has been recognized once again with a prestigious military award.
Deptherapy Chairman and Lifetime Vice President Dr. Richard Cullen was recently presented with the Veterans’ Foundation Award at the Heropreneurs Awards in association with The Telegraph, celebrated in London. Cullen had been shortlisted with two other candidates for the prize earlier this year.
As part of this recognition, the charity receives a much-needed donation of £10,000 (~US$12,789/~11,245 Euros) from Heropreneurs Awards sponsor The Veterans’ Foundation.
Peter Mountford, the chairman of Heropreneurs and founder of the Heropreneurs Awards, said:
“The Heropreneurs Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of anyone who has served in the Armed Forces, and their dependants, in the world of business. Richard has created a charity that is very special. Helping injured veterans through scuba diving is a proven and effective method and I am delighted that Richard has won this award.”
Additionally, Deptherapy recently announced that Team Member Josh Boggi has been nominated in the Royal Foundation’s 2019 Endeavour Fund Awards, which follows Ben Lee’s award earlier this year.
Boggi, a former Royal Engineer, first dived with Deptherapy in 2017 and has subsequently followed a continuing education program with the charity that last month saw him achieve his Rescue Diver qualification whilst on expedition in Egypt.
Boggi is now the world’s first triple amputee PADI qualified Rescue Diver.
Josh explains:
“I first tried scuba diving in the Maldives in 2016 and fell in love with it instantly. After joining Deptherapy, I qualified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver in Egypt and continued my diving education with the charity in Truk Lagoon. This October, I returned to Egypt to attempt to complete my PADI Rescue Diver course.
“I was under no illusion that this would be easy and I was told I would have to hit standards, and then some, to pass the course. It was physically and mentally hard, and at times frustrating, but I managed to adapt and overcome all the challenges that were thrown at me and I passed! Becoming the world’s first triple amputee PADI Rescue Diver is great but not why I did it, I wanted to further my diving education and become a better diver.
“The ocean terrifies me; every time I go underwater I think I am going to be attacked by something bigger than me, but this is exactly why I do it. It takes me out of my comfort zone and puts me in a position where I am constantly being challenged. Doing these endeavours helps me to overcome that fear and to prove people wrong when they question how a triple amputee can be a Rescue Diver.”
The 2019 Endeavour Fund Award Winners will be announced at a special ceremony on 7th February, 2019 in London.
