- Community
Beeston Flyerz & Outreach Programmes
Flyerz Hockey is the name given to disability hockey in England. This season Beeston HC has set up an established Flyerz Hockey section. Flyerz is hockey tailored specifically for children with disabilities and special educational needs. Beeston HC now has over 20 new members who are part of the Flyerz section of the club. Flyerz training takes place every Monday between 5pm-6pm. The sessions have been extremely successful and would not be possible without the hardwork of Gareth Griffiths and Helen Coppins who have organised the sessions.
During the third lockdown, Gareth Griffiths led the session on zoom while we’re unable to play on the pitch.
Beeston HC is especially proud that the Flyerz section is a fully integrated section of the club, not just a token gesture. Beeston HC has been nominated through men’s 6 XI manager, Mike Dickinson, to apply for funding from Allianz to fund a full set of club kit and equipment for each of the Flyerz members. Beeston HC would like to thank Mike for his efforts to help the club with the nomination.
Community Hockey, Outreach Programme and Satellite Clubs
2021 is an opportunity for us to collectively think about how we evolve the sport in terms of access. Hockey has led the way in being open to those of any protected characteristic. The evolution ahead of us now is to make access to the sport equally as open to those from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Beeston HC will also supplement this with a radical, comprehensive programme of satellite clubs and coaching in state primary and secondary schools.
Over the past year, the club has delivered regular hockey sessions in the following state primary and secondary schools; The Long Eaton School, Sawley Junior School, Dovedale Primary School and Friesland School.
Beeston HC has established a partnership with The Archway Learning Trust, of which The Long Eaton School is a member. Throughout the next academic year, Beeston HC will hope to deliver regular hockey sessions in all eight of the Archway Schools across Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire.
The Club has also formed a satellite club at The Long Eaton School, ‘the Long Eaton Swarm’. After four sessions Beeston HC has 16 regular members and hope to recruit dozens more over the next academic year.
With the construction of the two new Nottingham High School hockey pitches at Nottingham Hockey Centre, the club will be working closely with the school to expand its hockey outreach programme in the local community. The school have made a number of hockey appointments including Jake Read as Head of Hockey and former Great Britain Olympian, Richard Alexander (Ratman) as Head of Co-Curricular. Both Jake and Richard have joined the club and will be leading the school’s outreach programme.
While unfortunately, Beeston HC was unable to maximise the existing satellite sessions at Trent College on Monday evenings due to the lockdowns, the club will be restarting these sessions for the 2021/22 season and building on the previous season’s success and links with the school and their coaching team of Iain Randall, Robbie Gleeson and Stephen Wood who are also all members at Beeston.
Photograph courtesy of David Kissman
