News / Brighton & Hove Hockey Club

BHHC are introducing a new playing shirt this year (as sported by the First teams last seasons), so to keep the umpires happy, we are introducing a one player, one shirt number rule as the new shirts are introduced.

You don't need to buy a new shirt straight away, but if you have a favourite shirt number you want to keep in the future, please register it in one of 2 ways: Either text your name and shirt number to 07876 791 586 or e-mail it to myles.ford@unilever.com.

Registration closes on the 30th September and reservations of individual numbers will take place on a first come, first served basis.

We are running another Level 1 umpires course on the 11th and 18th September (7.30 start) in the clubhouse.

The club already needs 3 qualified umpires every week. This is only going to increase, so the club needs more umpires to take the course to ensure everyone can continue playing in the future.

So if you fancy taking up the whistle, whether you're a player or parent, experienced or novice, please contact Myles Ford on 07876 791 586 or myles.ford@unilever.com with your name, phone number and e-mail by the 8th of September.

Trials day for this season will be held on Saturday 2nd September between 1:30pm and 4pm at Stanley Deason Leisure Centre.

Look on the Visiting Teams page to see a map of how to get there.

The clubhouse will be open as usual after trials so members both old and new can have a well deserved beer !

Myles Ford (Kobe) is on BBC Southern Counties Radio between 7:25am and 8:15am on Friday 11th August. He will be publicising the planned new pitches and pavilion development.

Also he will be taking part in a hockey quiz against a chap from EG. Hope it's not skills based !

England Ladies are playing Japan at East Grinstead on Friday 11th August. Push back at 7.00pm.

Standing tickets are priced at £6 each (plus £2 booking fee) by ringing 01908 544 664. Any spare tickets will be available on the day for £8.

Brighton and Hove Council have granted planning permission for 2 Astro pitches and a Pavilion for BHHC and Cardinal Newman School.

A massive thank you goes to everyone who wrote letters of support to the council, supported the club at last weeks planning meeting at Hove Town Hall (and behaved impeccably throughout) but most of all to Cameron, Nicky and Linda who have worked so hard to prepare the submission.

This is a major step forward for the club, but its only the start. The hard task of fundraising only just begun. Anybody reading this will therefore be charged £1 with all proceeds going to the astro fund.

Its coming together!!!!!

Brighton and Hove Council have granted planning permission for 2 Astro pitches and a Pavilion for BHHC and Cardinal Newman School.

A massive thank you goes to everyone who wrote letters of support to the council, supported the club at last weeks planning meeting at Hove Town Hall (and behaved impeccably throughout) but most of all to Cameron, Nicky and Linda who have worked so hard to prepare the submission.

This is a major step forward for the club, but its only the start. The hard task of fundraising only just begun. Anybody reading this will therefore be charged £1 with all proceeds going to the astro fund.

Its coming together!!!!!

Women's Hockey Coach

Starts October 2006 to March 2007
Required Monday 8 to 10, Thursday 4.30 to 6pm for training session x 20 weeks, term time only. Wednesday afternoon 2 hours x 5 weeks for home games.

Rate of pay varies between £16.63 and £22.19.

For an informal chat, please contact Luke Terrill, Sports Development Officer on 01273 877687 or e-mail Luke at l.o.terrill@sussex.ac.uk.

CV's to be sent direct to Luke by e-mail or mail to arrive by Monday 24th July 2006 with interviews held during August.

Luke Terrill
Sports Development Officer
Sports Centre
University of Sussex
Sportcentre Road
Falmer
East Sussex
BN1 9RB

Many thanks to everyone who sent in letters and e-mails of support for our planning application. In the end we received over 100!
Our application is due to go before the Council's Planning Committee very soon - so keep everything crossed - and we will let you know their decision...

Cameron

The Club's annual general meeting with be held at the clubhouse on Thursday 20th of July at 8.00pm.

Please make every effort to attend the meeting as their will be important news on the new clubhouse and other developments in the club.

The club is looking for a new Mens Fixtures Secretary, after our very own Mr. Leigh Bond has decided to step down after several years good service.

If you are interested in making an important contribution to the club, please contact Myles Ford on 07876 791 586 or on myles.ford@unilever.com.

We are looking for someone who is well organised and usually contactable on e-mail. Most of the work is required pre-season but once the season starts the job isn't so time consuming. Full training will be provided.

We would like to thank you all for our new greenhouse which we brought with your kind donations. We were both very touched by your generosity.

Best Wishes,
Graham & Jen

There are currently two mens and two ladies spaces availabe on the club's annual tour to Valkenswaard in Holland. The tournament has mens and ladies teams, with matches played on astro and grass. Travel by coach/ferry leaves the clubhouse Thurs eve (8th June,)returning to brighton mon 13th approx 4am, accomdation is pitch side camping. Playing kit and evening shirt, food (sat/sun) and some beer provided. We will be watching the england game!
Price £200 - but well worth it
Please contact zoe 01273 775835 if interested.

Dear Club Members,

We have so far only received 40 letters of support for our planning application, which is not nearly enough! There are well over 200 club members living within Brighton & Hove, so there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't get over 200 letters of support.

It takes just two minutes to use the link in Club Development (Letters of Support section) within the Members area, click through to the council's website and write 'I support this application'. If you have more time use one of the template letters. We have been given some extra time (until the end on May) to get these letters and e-mails in to the Planning Department. So let's use it.

This is our chance to take our club forward and we are the only ones who can make that happen. So please take two minutes and do it.

Many thanks
Cameron
PS Please remind any members you speak to.

The Ladies 2's play against Horsham this Sunday 7th May in the Plate Final at Lewes. Push back 1pm. Please come along and support !

Details of the planned new pavilion and pitches are now available in the members area. Please take the time to read through what's there and consider what you might be able to contribute.

Go to Club Development Page Now >

Remember this Saturday is Club Day. All the usual post-dinner dance merriment, starting at 1 o'clock at the Falmer pitch. (Please note the earlier start time than previously advertised.)

Drinks (& Food) are available from the bar at the Sports Centre.

Details of the planned new pavilion and pitches will appear here very soon...

Yet again the Blue 'n' Red Army will be invading Lewes to support the Mens 1st and 4th XI's on the weekend of the 22nd/23rd of April.

The weekend warms up with the 4th XI playing EG at 11 on the Saturday, followed by the 1st XI playing Chichester at 3 on the Sunday.

In a departure to the usual arrangements, the Boogie Bus has been replaced with a Boogie Train for Sunday's trip, (Yes, the first ever 'Hockey Special').

The train departs Brighton Station at 13.09, picking up at London Road at 13.12. If you're coming from Hove Actually the 12.56 departure will connect with the Boogie Train. BHHC has kindly allowed members of the public to travel as well, so please congregate in the front carriage.

Remember to wear your club shirt and makes LOTS of noise.

Don’t miss out. Get your tickets now for the Annual Dinner on Friday the 28th April at the Renaissance Suite at the Thistle Hotel, Brighton.
Tickets are £35 and include the meal and wine on tables.

They can be bought from Amy Wayne, Sam Rose, Quita Harkess and Matt Sale.

For a ticket or more information please contact one of the above people ASAP.

Please let us know if you are interested in playing summer league this year. The games are at East Grinstead and take place on weekday evenings.

We have now entered two teams and there will be in the region of 10 games per team during the summer. The games are projected to start in early May. Watch this space for more information on costs and team make ups.
Please email Thompo/Sean if you are interested.

Thompo & Sean

alistair.thomson@unilever.com Sean.Mullen@red-m.com

St PETERS LADIES CRICKET

Open to all ages (14+) and experience, from novices to old hands.

We are starting up a new ladies' cricket side, with backing from Sussex CC development office, and will provide all training required to let you develop and enjoy your game in a friendly team atmosphere.
There are several games scheduled for later in the season, by which time you will be confident and raring to go!

The first four sessions are on Sundays starting March 19th from 3pm till 4pm in the Sussex University Sports Hall, Falmer (just off the A27, and to the left).

All you need bring is trainers, suitable general sports wear; we shall provide the cricketing equipment and the training. There will be a small charge for hire of the hall and to pay the coach (a few pounds only).

Subsequent summer trainings to be arranged.

All welcome! Hope to see you there.

Tim Chiari (St Peter's CC member)
timchiari@doctors.org.uk

Please let us know if you are interested in playing summer league this year. The games are at East Grinstead and take place on weekday
evenings.

Last year we only ran one team but the year previous to that we ran two teams and certainly think that this year there will be a enough players interested to make up two teams on a regular basis. Also the intention is to pick at least 2 youngsters per team wherever possible to help them develop at a higher level of hockey so that the transistion from the lower teams and juniors to the 2s/3s/4s is easier for them.

Sean and myself have decided that none of us want to run the team for the whole time so we propose that 2 people would run each team. Dave
Brookes (3rd XI keeper) has volunteered to help as well so we are looking for one another person so that we can enter 2 teams. Ideally this would be someone who hasn't done this before at the club so it would be a potential stepping stone to becoming a winter captain. Also there would be a strong expectation that you would volunteer to umpire at least one game per season, unless you have a valid reason for not doing this.

Moneywise, the intention is to follow the same format as the previous years where if you are interested in playing, you pay a lump sum up
front at a slightly discounted rate. Otherwise you would pay a slightly higher match fee for ad-hoc games. Preference in selection would go to
those players who have paid the lump sum in advance.

Please email Thompo/Sean if you are interested.

Thompo & Sean

alistair.thomson@unilever.com Sean.Mullen@red-m.com

The Annual Dinner on Friday the 28th April is to be held in the Renaissance Suite at the Thistle Hotel, Brighton.

Tickets will cost £35 and can be bought from Amy Wayne, Sam Rose, Quita Harkess, Matt Sale and from Graham behind the Bar.

Get yours now!

Next week sees the Mens 1's take a giant step intheir league campaign when they play two home games in a weekend.

Saturday 11th March sees the Top of the Table clash against Bromley & Beckenham, Push back at Falmer 1.30pm. Purley visit us on Sunday 12th March, this time the game will be played at Lewes' pitch at Southdown. 1pm Push Back.

So if you fancy watching the Greg Nichol goal machine in action and maybe dishing out some quality banter, come down and support the lads.

This Saturday sees both Mens & Ladies 1st Teams at Falmer. The Ladies entertain Trojans at 1.30pm and then the Men take on local rivals Lewes at 3pm. Come and cheer on both teams !

BHHC is pleased to announce that the club has agreed a partnership with the University of Sussex.

In the initial stages of the project the club will support the University team's coaching and player development and in return Sussex students will be encouraged to play for Brighton at all levels on Saturdays. However it is hoped that in the long term that this will lead to even closer ties with thje University in the future.

Please speak to Myles if you'd like to know more.

A big thank you to Deliotte and Touche for their donation of a reconditioned laptop to the club.

The gift came as a result of an application to Deliotte's Comunity Fund from our very own 5th team Captain Ramzy Omran. Thanks for your hard work.

If you'd like to know more, College will of course be on hand to demonstrate all the features and functions of our new information technology.

We are looking to hold the Annual Dinner Dance on Friday 28th April. Venue and ticket price to be confirmed.

Please put this date in your diaries and watch this space for more information.

Bondy's run in for the race to be this seasons top scorer looks like it will suffer a Devon Lock moment, as BHHC announce that former South African international forward Greg Nichol has joined the club.

Greg has an international record of 244 goals in 191 tests and after opening his Brighton account with 4 goals against Spencer, sources close the clubhouse described him as 'a bit handy' and suggested 'he makes Craig Carolan look like Ramzy'.

So if you want to come and watch Greg chase down Leigh 15 goal lead, the next Mens 1st team home game is on the 11th February at Falmer against Wimbledon. Push Back 1.30.

Unfortunately all home games today have been called off. The Clubhouse will not be open either.

It's quiz night time this Saturday (21/1/06) at the Clubhouse. Start 7.30-8pm. Support your club & attend !

The Mens 1's home League game against Ashford this Saturday (14/1/06) has been postponed due to their involvement in the Indoor EHL Tournament.

Training starts again this Thursday so if you want to get back on form for the second half of the season, get down to Deason at 8 o'clock.

Hamish is organising the Vets Beer and Curry Night on Saturday 14th January. Open to all Vets qualified players (and anyone else frankly) the plan is
to have a few beers at the club from 6pm onwards and then decamp somewhere at about 8pm.

If you intend to attend, please let Hamish know.
Email Hamish >

Jan 23 & Jan 30th 2006, 7-10PM BHHC Clubhouse

BHHC are holding a level one umpire course on the above dates. Its 5 hours theory + one hour exam. To qualify you will then need to umpire 3 games, then be assessed whilst umpiring a game of suitable level.

The level one umpire course can help you
a)if you are umpiring for the first time (which most players will need to at some point)
b) if you wish to improve your umpiring skills
c) if you wish to gain the level one qualification*

You need to be level one to umpire Sussex Ladies div 2 and above (ladies 4's upwards) and from next season mens 4's upwards.

Please email Leigh Bond lbond_uk@yahoo.co.uk to reserve your place on the course, stating if you are a BHHC member or not and if so what team you play for.

Price for non BHHC members TBC.

Most teams have now finished for the Christmas break and there is no offical training this week.

However Deason pitch is booked from 8 until 10 so if you fancy some small sided games (whatever team you play for) to earn that festive binge drink please come down.

Check out the Members area for details of the Christmas Party on the 10th December.

A messageboard has been added to the members area for all club members. You can now submit messages to the site whenever you please. Use it to let people know that you lost your hockey stick at the weekend, to check who's up for a few cheeky drinks of an evening or for various banter.

To see the new messageboard you'll have to log into the members area. Click on the "Members" link on the navigation bar. Then enter the username and password (both the same as the password for the old site - if you need a reminder then email Peter Hinds by clicking on the link below).

I hope you enjoy it and keep the banter up to BHHC high standards.

The Deadline for the Tesco Sport Voucher scheme is almost apon us. If you have been saving vouchers but haven't put them in the collecting box on the clubhouse bar yet, please get them in before the end of November.

All the vouchers collected by BHHC will go towards buying equipment for the Junior teams.

The arrangements for Mens Training will change from next week (Week Commencing 21st November).

The 2's will move to Stanley Deason on Tuesdays at 8 and this session will now be by invitation only. The 4's and 5's will now join the Club session on Thursdays at Deason (8 to 10).

So if you're not quite sure where you need to be;
1's - Wednesdays at Falmer (8 to 10) (Invite only)
2 & 3's - Tuesdays at Deason (8 to 10) (Invite only)
4's to 7's + Vets - Thursdays at Deason (8 to 10)
Juniors - Tuesdays at Deason (6 to 8)

You can now order your club t-shirt in ladies cut or mens cut. Have a look at the pictures to get an idea of what they will look like. Bradley is modelling the mens cut shirt, he ironed on the logo himself so it's a bit of mess, he should have waited until the real shirts were ready, but luckily Brad's vanity gives us the opportunity to see what the cut of the shirt will look like. The body will be in light blue, trim will be navy and logo in navy. The other photo gives you a better idea of what the shirts will look like.

Seriously though, the shirts are available to everyone for £10 each, with no limits on order numbers. Please place all pre-orders by emailing Craig (see link below). The shirts will be available in the next week or so, and all funds raised will go back into the club. Your support will be greatly appreciated.
Email Craig Now >

All of the club, probably excluding those photographed, will be delighted to hear that some of our members have added their own photos to the Photo Gallery, when going to press, these included the 2005 Dinner Dance & PJK Tour, plus some from the Sports People night (just like watching the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards).

You can access the photo gallery by going to the 'Members' area, entering the username and password (enter the password from the previous site for both) and then clicking on the link to the Kodak Site. All the details you need are included in the members area. If you can't remember the password from the old website then email Peter Hinds by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page.

If you have pictures of anything hockey related, possibly not your footage from the House of Pain hidden CCTV system Spears, then feel free to add it to the Kodak site.

While you're on the members page, don't forget to have a look at the details for the next social night - it's one of the gooduns!

Great performance for all the Mens teams after Brighton achieved a clean sweep of victories this week.

The 1's kicked off with an ultimately comfortable 2-0 home win over City of Portsmouth, the 2's enjoyed a good away win at Blackheath and the 3's dispatched Eastbourne with a 5-2 home win.

The good form of 4's and 6's continued with away wins at Chichester and Lewes respectively, and the 7's won their first game of the season after beating Penguins 4-3 at home.

However, pride of place goes to the Junior Development team after a late Eastern European signing helped the Flippers to a great 4-2 away win at Chichester.

The 5's and Vets both didn't have a game this week.

The match we have all been waiting for finally arrives when the Mens 1's play at Lewes this week.

Push back is 12.00 at Southdown. If you're not playing at that time, get down to Lewes, cheer on the lads and show our local rivals what we're all about.

Check out the Members area for details of the Ladies Meal About Town and Mens Curry & Karaoke Night on the 19th November. Its one of the most popular nights of the year so make sure you're there!!!

Help us identify the best route forward for Men's Veterans Hockey in Brighton by filling out a questionnaire.

The survey is open to any male player over 35. To get a copy e-mail Myles Ford at myles.ford@unilever.com or pick up a copy from behind the bar.

Elliott Bond.

Congratulations to Leigh and Suzi after our proud Fixtures Secretary become a Dad for the first time yesterday.

Elliott Thomas was 7lb 11oz and we are told both Mother and Baby are tired but well.

Surely its only a matter of time before the lad is hacking down hapless forwards like his old Dad!!

Your social secretaries have been busy planning the Hallowe'en Social for next weekend. Visit the Members Area for all the details. Username and password are the same as the password for the old site.

The Argus were on the sidelines on Saturday to report on the Men's 1's match against Spencer at Sussex University. Have a look at the story in today's Argus and see what they had to say:
Read Argus Report >

The club would to thank 2 local companies for their recent support for the Development/Gulls junior teams.

Riverford Organics have become our first website sponsor. Thank you to our local franchisee David Hogkin for his support that will help us fund junior coaching. To find out more about the Riverford fruit and vegetable box scheme click the link on the sponsors page.

Nimblemix Concrete have also very generously donated a Junior Goalie kit. A big thank you goes to David (SuperDad) Baker for organising this. Fiona Walker will be happy to model the kit that fits her like a glove!

The club would to thank 2 local companies for their recent support for the Development/Gulls junior teams.

Riverford Organics have become our first website sponsor. Thank you to our local franchisee David Hogkin for his support that will help us fund junior coaching. To find out more about the Riverford fruit and vegetable box scheme click the link on the sponsors page.

Nimblemix Concrete have also very generously donated a Junior Goalie kit. A big thank you goes to David (SuperDad) Baker for organising this. Fiona Walker will be happy to model the kit that fits her like a glove!

The club are delighted to announce a new Mens and Ladies 1st team shirt sponsorship deal with leading Sussex garden centre Old Barn Nurseries.

Old Barn Nurseries have strong links to Brighton and Hove though their Director (and BHHC Tresurer) Steve Spears and are very keen to support Hockey in Sussex. Their generous support means the club can invest more in coaching right through the club and help young players develop their potential.

Old Barn Nurseries is situated on the A24 between Storrington and Horsham, to find out more click on the link to their website on our sponsors page.

It has been a while coming but the club is about to launch it's new website. The new database-driven site will make it possible for a much broader range of people to add content without having to pass everything through a website administrator.

The look of the new site was devised by Paul Sheffield, a graphics and web designer by trade. Have a look at some of his other work by clicking on his link at the bottom of this page.

The intention with the new site is to have regular updates by those with access to the update area such as team captains and some committee members so that club members will regularly visit the site.

Have a look round and if you have any comments then mail them to me by clicking on the 'Peter Hinds' link at the bottom of the page.

I hope you enjoy the site and become a regular visitor. Remember, this site will play a role in the clubs current effort to increase our presence in Brighton and Hove, so why not email the link to the site on to any friends or associates who you think might want to keep track of what we're up to.

Thanks,

Peter