Becks Gillmore

I’ve been lucky enough to grow up near the coast and had the opportunity to visit the beach regularly. My family were never really fond of the sea, but for some reason that’s where I felt most alive. When I’m in the sea I feel magical and there is a sense of awe and wonder  that I can’t find anywhere else.

I started surfing and this helped me feel even more connected to the sea. I remember catching my first wave, it was like the perfect gift that the ocean had given to me. I then started stand up paddle boarding which is a perfect sport for me to explore more of Wirral’s coastline.

Lucky enough to grow up on the Wirral which is a Peninsula, we have three big bodies of water surrounding us. Adventure was never far away, So off I’d go sea swimming looking for ways to find starfish, seals and porpoises. I then became intrigued by this new underwater world. From the smallest of little starfish to our seal colony I was mesmerised. I went on to do my PADI dive certifications in Central America and Indonesia were I’ve been lucky enough to dive at some beautiful spots seeing plenty of untouched coral reefs and plenty of marine life.

With this love for being around the coast and in the sea I couldn’t help but see the enormous pressures our waters were under, from plastic pollution, sewage and climate change. For all the joy the water has brought me, I want to give back. I joined SAS to help inspire others to want to protect our oceans.