Meet the Team
Andy & Stephanie
Founders & Directors
A team of passionate, dedicated and professional people
We have a great team of expert instructors with lots of years and in all diving areas of experience, that differentiate us from any other diving school in the country.
They are highly dedicated and caring about giving the best experience for their students, guiding and showing how to dive safely and having fun, enjoying the most of the moment.
Our Training Manager and PADI Staff Instructor, coordinates the team and maintains a system of continuing quality control that guarantees the best possible service available.
At the shop we have a specialised team that are constantly looking for the latest products and their features to help you find the best equipment that fits you and your purpose, and at the office we have many people working to support all of that, putting all their efforts to make Andark the best diving, sailing and watersports retail store and diving school in the UK in the eyes of our clients, scheduling the courses, managing the store and online store, sharing what we do and all the administration matters.
Miriam Goddard
Developing Managing Director
Miriam’s background in web design and passion for everything digital has played a huge part in Andark’s transformation to a stronger online presence to modernise the way we interact with our customers; creating a more accessible and appealing experience for everyone.
She continuously looks at new avenues to evolve the family business, adapting quickly to current affairs and building a strong committed team of like minded, caring and compassionate individuals. Mim also makes a fantastic brew!
Best Dive: Guadeloupe
Favourite Dive Gear: Fourth Element Drysuit, Beuchat Maxlux pink diving mask, Apeks RK3 pink fins
Interests: Equestrian enthusiast & show jumper, paddleboarding, scuba diving, pub beer festivals, travelling, skiing, digital developments
Favourite meal: Sirloin steak with peppercorn sauce & mash
Matthew Rich
Director of Retail
Matt’s for scuba started on a holiday to Corfu in 1990. Where he did a lot of holiday diving without actually being qualified. However, on a holiday to Turkey he wondered as to why the others on the trip did two dives, when he had only completed one. After talking to other divers, it became apparent that he must get qualified to enjoy the benefits of multiple dives….so he did!
Having worked in the Retail and Customer Service sector since 1985, Matt enjoys mixing his interest in diving with his wealth of knowledge and experience in retail for the benefit of Andark.
Interests: Anything to do with the great outdoors and travelling.
Favourite meal: Roast dinner with all the trimmings
Mike Ambrosse
Lake Manager
Mike started diving around 10 years ago and up until a few years ago he had only ever dived in the UK. He joined Andark as a scholar in 2016, when he became a Divemaster and has been at Andark since, looking after the lake and making the most of the diving.
Best Dive: Shark and Yolanda reef in Egypt, lots of fish and the first time I saw a turtle!
Favourite Dive Gear: Fourth Element arctic thermals as being warm makes any dive more enjoyable.
Interests: Traveling to unique places, indoor skydiving, going to gigs and exploring new places
Favourite meal: Spicy curry, chicken Ceylon is my go-to
June Buckman
Diver Training Administrator
June has been at Andark for 3 ½ years and her main job is looking after the Diver Training administration which involves booking people onto diving courses, chasing paperwork, putting through the certifications, answering all email and telephone related queries.
Before starting at Andark June worked for an Insurance Company for 34 years .
Favourite Watersport: Any…..She’s a true water baby and loves being near, in and on the water
Favourite Andark Items: The clothes and shoes…..what lady would not!!!
Interests: Travelling…..I always have to have a trip booked to keep me going
Favourite meal: Anything Greek
Jennifer Priest
E-commerce Product Administrator
Jenny has been with Andark for over 10 years and has worked in the Marine Retail Industry for over 21 years!! Coming from Cowes on the Isle of Wight the sea has always been a big part of her life and she hopes to share her love of all things aquatic with her daughter as she gets older!
A highlight from Jenny’s time at Andark is when Commander @colchrishadfield came to film a tv series about training to be an Astronaut! He was so lovely and she was fortunate enough to get his books signed and spend a bit of time chatting to him.
Favourite Watersport: “Anything on the water! ⛵From Paddleboarding to Sailing I’m happy!”
Favourite Watersport product: “The clothing and shoes”
Interests: “Getting out on the water when we can but I really enjoy taking my 7 year old camping! We are lucky enough to live right by the South Downs so you’ll usually find us on lovely long walks to a good pub! I also enjoy baking and the rest of the team benefit from this quite regularly! On a rainy day you will find us at home building Lego, It’s probably best not to say how many sets we have.”
Favourite meal: “Pizza! Love a Hawaiian (controversial I know!) but it also needs to have Jalapeños on it – I’m a sweet and spicy kind of girl!”
Bridget Pettifer
Web & Marketing Manager
Bridge took my first breath under water 5 years ago in the Gili Islands, where she completed the PADI Open Water Diver course and was instantly hooked to the meditative sensation of flying through the water and feeling apart of the underwater world.
Bridge always wanted to combine her trade skills in web design with something she is passionate about and that’s where she landed at Andark in Oct 2019.
Since, she has continued her diving journey with Andark, completing the Advanced Open Water course & Drysuit course, so she can explore closer to home in the UK!
BEST DIVE: Lundy Island Seal dive!
FAVOURITE DIVE GEAR: Fourth Element drysuit, Beauchat Maxlux Mask
HOBBIES: Swimming, going to gigs, park dates with my toddler, diving, paddleboarding
FAVOURITE MEAL: Veggie Dansak
Jordan Ponsford
Retail Assistant / DiveMaster
Jordan’s love for scuba diving began a couple of years ago out in Gran Canaria, after that she knew she wanted to become a diver. Jordan then completed her Open Water course with Andark and applied for the Divemaster scholarship. She has a photography degree and has always had a passion for taking photos so now it is her dream to combine photography and diving.
Jordan is now a qualified Divemaster, as well as a HSE Commercial Diver. You will find her in our retail department, assisting on courses as a DM and being the safety diver for the HUET sessions.
Best Dive Location: “Lundy Island! It was my first experience with bigger marine life and the seals did not disappoint. They were so playful and it was such an incredible trip”
Favourite Andark Items: “GoPro as taking photos is my favourite thing to do!”
Interests: ” I love going out with my camera, whether under the water or on land. I’m really into snorkelling, paddle boarding and open water swimming (basically anything to do with the ocean)”
Favourite meal: “Chilli Nachos is always my go to”
Tom Griffiths
Diver Training Manager
Tom Started diving a few years back now and admits he enjoys UK diving just as much as he does diving in much (warmer) exotic waters.
Qualifications
PADI Master Instructor
Dived in: UK, Thailand, Maldives, Cape Verde
Best Dive Location: The Farne Islands with the seals!
Favourite Kit: Mares EOS 20RZ torch, Apeks RK3 Fins and his Suunto EON Steel Black
Interests: SCUBA, SCUBA, SCUBA
Carl Yates
Dive Instructor - PADI Course Director
With Andark 1995 – 1997, 2013 – 2018, 2021 – Present
Qualifications
PADI Course Director
BSAC Advanced Instructor – First Class Diver
TDI & PSAI Trimix Instructor
HSE Scuba commercial Diver
RYA Level 2 Powerboat Instructor and Day Skipper
Underwater Escape Trainer
First dived on holiday in Spain summer of 1970 (difficult teenager, parents glad to get rid of me. Loved it)
Joined BSAC Club and qualified as 3rd Class Diver 1971/2
Re-trained with BSAC 1985 (lost original diving qualifications)
BSAC Club Instructor in 1989
BSAC Advanced Instructor in 1991
PADI Instructor 1994
PADI Course Director 2005
Been working as professional Instructor since 1991
WORKED IN: UK, Malta, Egypt, Cyprus, Spain, Sardinia, Kenya
FAVOURITE DIVE: Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman, Southern Atolls, Maldives
FAVOURITE KIT: Anything that keeps me safe and dry, probably my Mares Avanti Quatro’s (now about 26 years old)
FAVOURITE MEAL: Beef Tagine