General Update
On Monday 19th July restrictions were lifted and table service was no longer a legal requirement for hospitality. From this date, the usual bar service resumed and indoor mask wearing was no longer compulsory.
Natasha’s law came into effect on Friday 1st October meaning all prepacked food for sale on the premises (ie sandwiches) would now need to display a full list of ingredients including allergens on the labelling. Labels have been printed and will be displayed on each sandwich produced at the hockey centre in accordance with Natasha’s Law
Instructional signage on the skills area between pitch 5 & 6 has now been installed on the fencing next to each skill zone.
Hockey in the Community
The 6 and 7 a side summer leagues concluded at the end of June and the 11 a side summer leagues ran from July until the end of August. The competition winners were as follows: –

  • Men’s Masters 6 a side division 1 – West Bridgford A
  • Men’s Masters 6 a side division 2 – Ashby
  • Men’s 6 a side division 1 – Beeston A
  • Men’s 6 a side division 2 – University of Nottingham E
  • Ladies 7 a side division 1 – Beeston A
  • Ladies 7 a side division 2 – Ashfield Aztecs
  • Mixed 7 a side – Misfits A
  • Badgers 7 a side – West Bridgford
  • Men’s 11 a side division 1 – Repton
  • Men’s 11 a side division 2 – Burton
  • Ladies 11 a side division 1 – Boots A
  • Ladies 11 a side division 2 – Matlock Baileans
  • Mixed 11 a side – Misfits White

As well as the summer league competitions, the following activity also took place over the summer: –
Former Beeston and Great Britain defender, Ollie Willars, ran a series of 1 to 1 coaching sessions throughout the summer under his new coaching company, Give and Go. Ollie has now moved to the Netherlands and is playing in the Hoofdklasse for HGC.
Boots HC, Sikh Union HC and the Midlands Performance Centre were all able to access the new hockey pitches for their training sessions.
Misfits HC organised a mixed 7 a side summer tournament at the hockey centre at the beginning of the summer holidays.
The hockey centre hosted the annual junior lawyers rounders and BBQ event on 2nd August and the HMRC rounders and BBQ event on the 27th August.
A World Class Players 2 day camp took place on the 10th and 11th August with over 60 children taking part.
The Sunday evening 11 a side mixed league started on the 3rd October and there will be ten rounds of fixtures throughout the season.
Beeston goalkeeper coach, Gareth Ikin, ran a number of 1 to 1 goalkeeper sessions in August.
Following a long break away from the hockey centre due to COVID, the Nottingham Speakers Club resumed their monthly Thursday evening booking in the seminar room from August.
The national Ultimate Frisbee Championships took place at the end of August on the university playing fields next to the hockey centre. The centre provided car parking for over 300 cars for the duration of the event.
The hockey centre hosted Belong, a charity supporting migrants in Nottingham, with hockey activities for young children as well as reading and colouring in the bar area on 31st August.
Ratcliffe College attended a preseason training camp at the hockey centre. They played fixtures against Royal Hospital School and stayed in accommodation at the University of Nottingham.
In September, the Regional Masters Over 55’s men tournament took place at the hockey centre with teams from the midlands, north, south, east and west of England being represented.
Beeston vice-president, Annie Earley, organised a Crimson Ramblers reunion on Saturday 18th September with over 35 former members attending.
Beeston featured on Notts TV’s ‘Ay Up Notts’ programme at the start of the season and the partnership with Notts TV has continued to flourish.
Finally, Beeston men played the Malaysian national team on Friday 1st October in a match that finished 3-1 to Malaysia. The match was attended by over 300 spectators and members from the Belong charity provided cuisine from around the world to those in attendance.
Events
The hockey centre hosted the UK Lions U13 Boys and Girls tournaments in June and July respectively, Beeston entered a boys and girls team into the competitions this year and the boys won the trophy event.
The England Hockey national junior championships took place on Saturday 3rd July as well as the adults’ national championships on the 10th July.
In a test series ahead of the Masters World Cups next summer, the hockey centre hosted a Women’s Masters home nations event on the 14th – 16th August and a Men’s Masters home nations event on the 20th – 22nd August. Around 700 people attend each day of the events. The hockey centre arranged social evenings for the participants on the two Saturday nights.
On Saturday the 4th September, the formal opening ceremony of the new Nottingham High School pitches took place. The headmaster, Kevin Fear, opened the pitches alongside Beeston first team players, Julie Read and Gareth Griffiths. The event was attended by a number of current and former pupils and staff. A six a side hockey tournament took place throughout the afternoon and catering was provided by My Nava – A local Indian catering company.
The Beeston Hockey Club preseason tournament took place on the 11th and 12th September. The event was attended by 26 men’s and ladies teams and was the largest national league tournament ever hosted in one venue. The event was supported with umpires from the NPUA who were appointed to every match of the tournament. Special thanks to Richard Kirk who arranged and managed the appointments over weekend.
Finally, the annual men’s and ladies’ Civil Service tournaments took place on the 16th & 17th September.
The summer events for 2022 are already stacking up with events including the Corporate Games, Men’s and Ladies Over 35 and 40 Masters World Cups, Women’s Masters Home Nations Series and other England Hockey events already confirmed.
Repairs and improvements
Further repairs to the carpet on pitch 1 have taken place prior to the season beginning.
The flat roof above changing rooms 9-12 has been fibre glassed to ensure it is watertight. The old decking was removed and has been replaced with AstroTurf. The rest of the old decking will also be removed and replaced with AstroTurf. New outdoor furniture will also be installed once the work is complete.
A new, large freezer has been purchased to replace the old chest freezer in cellar.
The Perspex panels in the Harrods dugouts on pitch 1 were replaced in July. The goal nets on pitch 1 were also replaced with new ones.
On the 11th August, whilst setting up for the Masters Home Nations series events, the irrigation pipe which services the water cannons for pitch 1 was damaged by a metal stake used to anchor the retail marquees to the ground. Paul Graham was able to repair the damage prior to the event starting.
A new scoreboard was purchased for pitch 2 prior to the Masters Home Nations series. This was used for the event and will be installed permanently above the dugout on pitch 2 shortly.
The access lift in the main entrance developed a faulty in August. This has now been repaired and is now fully operational.
Finally, 15 new LED bollard lights have been purchased to replace the old bollard lighting system along the driveway and in the car park. These will be installed shortly.