BEES JOIN ROYAL CELEBRATIONS
ENGLAND HOCKEY CLUB OF THE YEAR INVITED TO ROYAL CELEBRATION
It was a great honour for Beeston Hockey Club to be asked to join in with the Queen’s Jubilee Visit to Nottingham on 13th June.
The visit is captured through the eyes of Beeston Colts, Cellan and Gareth Griffiths.
Saturday 9th June: Only four days before the event, we thought it might be a good idea to see what kind of events and activities were going to be at Vernon Park on 13th June. The locals looked eager to see what we were actually up to!
Tuesday 12th June:
At 4.00pm we arrived at Vernon Park, in Basford, to finally do our eagerly anticipated interviews with ITV. Our bags were almost torn apart because of the security checks before the event. We only thought we were coming for last minute preparations!
After finally making it through security we made it to our section of Vernon Park. Flattened and deflated was our hockey pitch. We needed to pump up the pitch and the switch was finally found at the end of spaghetti of electrical cables.
We then meet Laura and Blyth who were filming an ITV documentary about the Diamond Jubilee. After apologizing for a stray hockey ball to the Scouts’ stall by a misjudged aerial, we did the interview which lasted about half an hour.
Wednesday 13th June.
6.00am Phoenix Park. We were the first passengers on the Tram to Basford. Nottingham still seemed to be asleep. Around the Park all cars had been taken away from outside people’s own houses.
The Queen arrived by Royal Train. William and Kate joined her and they travelled into the City Centre. We heard the Market Square was packed. The estimate of 8000 spectators was rising. We got the message that 30,000 were now assembling. Vernon Park was filling fast and everyone in the City was expected to follow the Royal Party down shortly. The Park now resembled a football ground. The Beeston manager mumbled something about gate money (typical). We were then busy coaching the gangs of school children who clambered to join the Bees. Martin Keeling, Andy Smith and Matt Taylor were phenomenal coaches. Judith took charge of the entry point and the children queued patiently to try a new sport. The Royal Party arrived. It was really surreal to see the Royal party only feet away from us when we usually just see them on the TV. William and Kate went on a walkabout around Vernon Park. This was the best hockey attendance in the City for a long while!
2.00pm The Royals left for another East Midlands venue. As the Royal cars majestically rolled past us we noticed two Beeston shirts (Cambridge 1 and Cambridge 2) in the second Mercedes. It looked like we have two potential new club members. Well done to everyone involved and thanks for a brilliant day.
