Steve Hills completed PADI courses in his native Essex, before studying in Thailand to become a PADI instructor.
Starting 2DiVE4 jointly with partner Nikki Boost 5 years ago, Steve is a PADI Staff Instructor and TDI Technical Diving Instructor.
Steve has gained experience in many dive destinations around the world such as The Great Barrier Reef, The Red Sea, Cyprus, Turkey, Greece and Iceland to name but a few, but his main passion is diving the many wrecks around the UK coastline. To date he has clocked over a thousand dives around the UK.
Steve (40) is known for his friendliness and being a good communicator at all levels. He is also known as a practical joker and still manages to pull a laugh out of the oldest of jokes.
Of his move from the print industry after many years to running his own diving business, Steve said: “I was looking for a change and I caught the diving bug, now I encourage others to catch it too. Starting this business 4 years ago has given me the privilege to meet many new friends”
One thing Steve is not known for is his organisational skills. Best leave anything like that to Nikki!

Laura Greene started diving back in 1995 when she completed her PADI Open Water Course in Malta. She is now a ‘veteran’ of over a thousand dives.
She turned professional when she completed her Divemaster course back here in the UK and then travelled to Dahab in the Red Sea to gain Instructor status. Laura is now a PADI Staff Instructor and teaches most weekends for 2DiVE4. She has become an invaluable member of the 2DiVE4 team and enjoys all aspects of teaching from Try Dive students to training up our Divemasters.
Laura is well travelled, having dived in Borneo, Jordon, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, Malta, Cyprus, Egypt and the Seychelles. When asked of her favourite location she struggled to single one place out and opted for a multiple answer of the Blue Hole in Belize, Cave diving in Mexico and diving with whale sharks in the Seychelles……. It’s a hard life isn’t it!
We asked Laura what her diving ambition was. She replies “On a serious note - To encourage all divers to think about the environmental consequences of their dives. On a personal level – more technical diving and cave diving, and if I can find a way to keep warm enough - ice diving. I still have a lot of countries and oceans that I haven’t dived in”.
Laura is known for her high standards and organisational skills. She also has everything you need tucked away in her dive bag. A real old Mary Poppins!
Believe it or not, there is one thing Laura is seriously allergic to….FISH!!!!!

Conor Straker (24) has been diving for 10 years. He passed his PADI Open Water Course in St Lucia back in 1996 and has progressed through the PADI ranks to Instructor level. He is also a rebreather diver.
He joined 2DiVE4 as an OWSI Instructor 3 years ago and has since been assisting on and running most of our courses to date.
In August Conor became the latest full time member of the 2DiVE4 staff so you now see him working away in the dive centre as well as on course days.
In September Conor started his journey down the technical diving route when he qualified as a TDI Decompression Procedures diver. He is also a qualified TDI mixed gas blender too.
Conor, from Saffron Walden, Essex has dived in many fantastic dive locations over the years taking in the delights of The Red Sea, Thailand and The Caribbean to name but a few.
If you ever follow Conor up to one of the dive training venues then be prepared to leave extra early to accommodate his multiple McDonalds stops en route!

John English as a lot of you know is a full time member of the 2DiVE4 staff. He took over from Alsion May when she left in the Spring and has helped run the day to day events at 2DiVE4 ever since.
John has been diving for around twenty years and is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer who has a vast range of diving experience both in the UK and abroad. His favourite dive destination is Malta where he has worked for Maltaqua in the past and regularly re-visits to dive the many caverns and wrecks along the rugged coast line.
John is also an experienced semi-closed rebreather diver and is looking to advance his diving further when he purchases his Inspiration rebreather in the near future.
John also manages our servicing centre and can regularly be found beavering away, working on a set of regs or BCD.
If you’re ever in the shop and are offered a cup of tea by John make sure to ask him to leave the tea bag in for more than 2 seconds as he loves his milky tea.

David Armstrong (Dinky) has been diving with 2DiVE4 for the last 3 years and in that time has become one of the family. He came to 2DiVE4 at the tender age of 15 as an Advanced Open Water Diver having already gained diving experience in the Maldives and the Channel Islands. Since he’s been involved with 2DiVE4 he has built on that experience by gaining his Rescue Diver and Divemaster certification and recently his PADI Instructor certification.
Dinky has long been interested in the technical diving side of the sport and just completed his TDI Decompression Procedures Course with 2DiVE4. He is planning on taking the TDI Trimix Course over the Winter to add to his growing dive knowledge and dive skills.
Away from diving Dinky is a real action man being a keen skier and also holds instructor certifications for kayaking and climbing.
On dive trips he regularly buddies with Steve, but this also means he has to put up with rooming with Steve too which normally involves having his shoes filled up with moisturiser and Frosties or having corned beef shoved up his nose at 6am! Mind you, Dinky gets his own back by hurling his not so fragrant socks into Steve’s face while he’s asleep!

Ali Bull started diving with BSAC before moving across to PADI. She's really caught the diving bug and has now completed over 400 dives taking in the sights of Australia’s Barrier Reef, North & South Red Sea, Sudan and Malta & Gozo. Ali is also an experienced UK diver and regularly visits the South and East coasts for a spot of wreck diving.
Ali, who is now a qualified PADI Instructor has been putting her experience and dive skills to good use by assisting regularly on 2DiVE4’s courses helping novice divers climb the PADI ladder. She says “Diving is a passion.  It has given me so much that to put back even a drop of what I’ve learnt is both a pleasure and a privilege”.
Ali is currently working with 2DiVE4 on the promotional side of things as well as assisting on courses and is turning out to be a great asset to the business. Her other passions include snow skiing and sailing and she's soon to gain her ‘Day Skipper’ licence.
If you ever need anything at a dive site then you can always turn to Ali for help. She comes fully prepared with boxes of dive kit spares, chocolates, sweets etc……. The ideal Divemaster!

Darren Buckland (36) is a Master Scuba Diver Trainer, having five specialties at Instructor level. He is also an Emergency First Response Instructor and can teach CPR and first aid.
Darren did his Open Water qualification in Rhodes, and then his Advanced in Gran Canaria. He then completed his Rescue Diver, Divemaster and Instructor courses in the UK.
Darren describes his character as “outrageous and outgoing”, adding that he is also friendly, patient and diligent.
Darren loves to ‘work and play hard’ and certainly likes to enjoy every moment in life whether it be in or out of water!
Darren says, “ I got bitten by the diving bug several years ago and since I was a tadpole, I always knew I wanted to be a diver. I love to pass on my love and enthusiasm for the sport to everyone I meet, it’s so gratifying!”
Darren is well-known for having the hairiest chest in the diving world, which certainly keeps him warm in English waters!

Nikki Rocker is one of the newer members of the 2DiVE4 team. She started her diving in 1996 when she passed her PADI Open Water Course in Sydney, Australia. She has since built up over 250 logged dives and made her way up to instructor level. She will be advancing up the PADI ‘ladder’ further later in the year where she will be taking her PADI Staff Instructor Course.
Nikki is well traveled having dived in many places around the world such as New Zealand, Florida, Hawaii, Maldives and Fiji. She has even experienced cage diving with great white sharks in South Africa.
Be careful if you’re ever in the shop when Nikki brings her daughter Jessica in. You run the risk of walking out either covered in price labels or felt tip pen!

Richard Allen has been a member of the 2DiVE4 teaching staff for over a year now. He started diving in 2002 when he passed his PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water Courses down in Plymouth. He then went to Australia to take up the challenge of the Divemaster Course before returning back to the UK with his PADI Instructor ticket as well.
Richard, from Brentwood, Essex has dived in many places around the world including Thailand, Red Sea, Indonesia, Brazil and Columbia and has taken in many wreck dives around Devon and Cornwall.

Alison May (39) has been a core member of the 2DiVE4 staff over the last couple of years where she has been the Dive Centre Manager for the Stansted branch.
Alison started diving 3 years ago when she completed her PADI Open Water Course with 2DiVE4. She has since clocked up nearly 200 dives and has completed her Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver courses. She started her Divemaster course with 2DiVE4 in 2005 but has been too busy diving and running the shop to really get stuck into it.
Most of Alison’s diving experience has been gained from diving in the UK. She regularly dives on the South Coast and has also dived in The Farnes, Pembrokeshire and off the Norfolk Coast. She recently took her first diving holiday overseas in the shape of a Maldives liveaboard with 2DiVE4 where she experience diving with mantas, turtles, dolphins and sharks. However her real passion lies back home in the chilly waters of the UK!
With great organisational and sales skills Alison has really made an impression on Steve and Nikki.
“Being a Mother of two teenagers has given me plenty of experience with keeping things tidy and in order” she quips. Sounds like double trouble for Steve!!!!
Alison has now left her full time position at 2DiVE4 but you will still see her in the shop from time to time covering on busy days.

Chris Wood Chris Wood (35) started diving as a BSAC diver many years ago and after a break from diving came back to do a crossover to PADI in July where he successfully completed his Rescue Diver course.
He has dived all around the world and admits his favourite destinations have been Thailand and the Maldives!
Being a keen lover of all water sports, Chris has just completed his Divemaster training with 2DiVE4 and has plans of going onto instructor level at some point.
Chris, an IT consultant from Cheshunt, Herts is a bit of a speed freak and is often seen speeding around on his Honda Fireblade but all this has changed now as he has just become a Father for the first time.

Ted Lester (46) was originally BSAC trained back in the eighties and has now come back into the diving fold through the PADI system with 2DiVE4. He has completed his EFR and Rescue courses with 2DiVE4 and is now nearing the end of his Divemaster internship.
Ted, from Harlow, Essex is presently training for his stuntman qualification in which Divemaster qualification is just one of the prerequisites. At present he is also mastering the skills of trampolining, mountaineering, high board diving and horse riding amongst others.
Ted has logged over 100 dives and has dived all around the UK taking in the sites of Scapa Flow and Plymouth amongst others. He has also got vast experience of diving in the Med.
There’s always a bit of a buzz when Ted's around as he is constantly cracking jokes as is known to do a pretty mean impression of Tommy Cooper!

Steve Mitchell (37), from Stevenage has been diving for around 4 years after initially lured into a try dive by a scantily clad babe in Mexico, and hasn’t looked back Since.
Steve then went on to complete his Advanced and Rescue Diver course in Hurgarda, Egypt before getting into the UK diving scene. “2DiVE4 was the only local club who were interested in what I wanted to get out of diving which was a major factor in choosing where I wanted to continue my learning.” Having dived at locations in Mexico, Kenya, Egypt, the Caribbean and Stoney Cove, he says, “there is nothing like doing a drift drive just off Cozumel, Mexico to totally take you way from the daily grind. Although my passion is to see a whale shark and manta rays in their natural habitat.”
After being with 2DiVE4 for 2 years, Steve is nearing completion of his Dive Master course. He then has plans of going onto gain Instructor status later in the year.
Steve is known as "Neat & Tidy" due to his obsession with putting his dive gear away in a series of boxes. So, if you see a pile of tidy boxes lying around, Steve probably won’t be too far away!

Ian Sinclair (43) first started diving on holiday in Cyprus May 2005 with his wife Julia. It was in fact Julia who first persuaded him to try diving and he has been hooked ever since. Ian continued his education qualifying as Advanced Open Water Diver and gained his Rescue certification with 2DiVE4 as well as Wreck, Enriched Air, Navigation, Deep and Drysuit Specialties. Ian is now a Master Scuba Diver and has recently started his Divemaster internship with 2DiVE4.
Ian has gained his diving experience by diving around the UK and abroad. His favourite dive location being Bonaire.
Ian, from Alconbury in Cambs is an IT expert and is responsible for 2DiVE4’s state of the art computer network system.
Being such a whizz with computers, Ian always has to have the latest diving gadgets which is music to the ears of Steve as he rubs his hands when Ian strolls into the shop each week!

Alex Tonge has been a regular face in the 2DiVE4 shop over the last few years. He passed his Open Water Course at Stoney Cove and has built on his diving experience by completing many PADI Specialty Courses and his Rescue Diver Course with 2DiVE4.
Alex has now started his PADI Divemaster Course and is aiming to get this completed in time for when he and his wife Toni fly the nest and jet off for a new life in Western Australia, leaving his construction business behind and setting his sights on working in the diving industry in Perth.
Alex has dived in many places around the world including The Florida Keys, The Caribbean and Oban but it is his beloved Australia where he loves diving the most.

Richard Chapman, (34) who lives in Emneth, Norfolk, completed his Open Water, Advanced and Rescue Diver qualifications abroad and then completed an internship with 2DiVE4 for Divemaster course in 2005. He hopes eventually to become an Instructor.
Father-of-two Richard loves nothing more than going diving around the world, having been to such far-flung places as Thailand, Tenerife, Turkey, Barbados, North Africa and St Lucia.
Richard has a calming influence with students, being kind and patient.
He is also tenacious, dogmatic and adventurous!
A welder and fabricator by trade, Richard has a partner, Sam, and children Erin-Jade (15) and 11-year-old Rachenda.
“ I love the solitude of being under water,” says Richard, who has completed over 250 dives, his favourite site being Egypt’s Red Sea.
You may have trouble having a face-to-face conversation with Richard, however - he is always glued to his mobile ‘phone!

Jonjo Cleary (16) is a new member of the 2DiVE4 staff and has been covering in the shop over weekends since the Summer.
He started his diving with 2DiVE4 last year and has been going through the courses up to Rescue Diver level, along with his Dad, Len ever since.
Jonjo and Len are regular attendees on 2DiVE4 dive trips and are both looking forward to this October’s trip to El Gouna as well as the 2DiVE4 Bonaire trip next year where Jonjo’s Mum (Julie) will be joining them, much to the delight of the boys.

Andrea Harrison completed her PADI Open Water Course 18 months ago in Halkadiki, Greece and has since completed her Advanced Open Water and Rescue Courses.
She has now started her Divemaster internship with 2DiVE4 and has been a regular on 2DiVE4’s social nights.
Since she started diving Andrea has built up her experienced by diving in Malta, Tenerife, Red Sea and Gozo. Her dream destinations are Galapagos and Micronesia.
Andrea is a busy girl as she is a mother of two and also works as an account. Despite this she still manages to find time to attend the many Divemaster lectures and practical sessions, which will stand her in good stead as she is planning to go on to take the PADI Instructor course in the near future.

'Scuba' is our new black labrador pup and is the newest member of the 2DiVE4 team.
He has already become the centre of attention at our Stansted Dive Centre and has all our team members and customers alike drooling over him (he also returns the compliment by dribbling over them!).
Scuba will soon be part of the fixtures and fittings in the shop and will also accompany the dive team on training days at the lake and no doubt on a few dive trips.
If you're passing then pop in to say hi to him but be prepared to stay a while as he is so infectious.
Where did we get the name from???........ Beats me!