Spring News 2009

As Spring starts to take hold, it's usually a sign that the curling season is drawing to an end, and Thurs 9th April sees the last day of curling for the 08/09 season.

This season has seen us busier than ever, with more and more people discovering curling and then coming back with their friends - word of mouth has really kicked in!

We've had rink members win national titles and play for England, notably we sent the first ever Junior Girls England team to play in Denmark this year.

People come to the rink from all walks of life, from family groups and birthday parties, up to stag and hen dos. We get a large amount of corporate business, with groups taking advantage of the catering option we have to go with the licensed bar.

People have booked sessions from 1 hour for 2 people all the way to a 4 hour tournament for 50 people at once!

In March the rink put on the English Schools Curling Championships. This was held in association with Sport England and Kent and Tunbridge Wells councils, and saw 22 teams from 9 schools come to train and compete. That's the best part of 100 new young curlers brought to the game, cementing the rink's position as *the* centre of growth for the sport in England.

Remaining the only curling rink in England, we fully expect next season to be busier still, and in fact we are already taking bookings, with October 5 th being our first day.

December in particular gets very booked very early so do not hesitate to get your slot booked!

Thanks to all our customers for this season, and here's to some more great curling come the Autumn!

The World's First Santa Bonspiel - watch the video!

 
(please note: this is a large file and may take a few minutes to load...)

News from Fenton's Rink - December 08/January 09

The pre-Christmas period has been even busier than last season - despite the credit crunch!

The mini-bonspiel, "The Great Gordino Classic" was held on November 22nd. This was established by Gordon Bryan, not only SECC president but now ice technician and general factotum at the rink as well!. It was a great success and Gordon is to be congratulated on his initiative. Congratulations to Sam Fowler and his team for their narrow victory over last year's winners skipped by Neil Maycock.

Regular club league games are progressing well with some very close matches being fought and the outcome of the leagues not yet certain. The club always tries to have some space each week to enable newcomers join in with the more experienced players. Contact Lizzie Howard, games secretary on games.secc2008@googlemail.com for more information on the Tuesday and Wednesday evening programmes.

Our next event is The World's First Santa Bonspiel on 13th December at 10am when 24 Santas will take to the ice for a fun "Curl-around". This event is being organised and funded by the Rink in support of Hospice in the Weald. TV production company HUTC is filming the event for distribution to TV companies world-wide. The Santas will be piped on to the ice by Pipe Major John Poore, formerly personal piper to the late Queen Mother. It should be fun!

In the New Year another "Come and Try" session is scheduled for January 18th starting at 10am. These are very popular events and several of our new club members "discovered" curling at a Come and Try session. Just turn up on the day - but if you are coming as a group, please let us know in advance - call 01892 826004.

From all at the Rink - have a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2009.

"Good stones" - and keep the true Spirit of Curling alive and well in Kent !

NEWS UPDATE October/November 2008

The season started on Oct 1st, and both regular league players and novices have been on the ice and getting into some new season curling!

BOOK EARLY! A steady stream of bookings has flowed for the new season. If you are thinking of a curling event for your friends, family, colleagues or customers - please call us soon to secure the date and time you want. The popular times go fast! It's always advisable to make a provisional booking to stop a preferred time slot going to someone else.

BEGINNERS - "Come and Try" your hand at curling! There's another "Open Day" on Sunday November 23rd. You can just come along and have a look - or you can have a one hour session on the ice with an instructor for only £5! It starts at 10am and finishes at 4pm.

We have already have a lot of interest in the November date, so although pre-booking is not required, as numbers build it may be advisable.

See the Events page on the website for more details of the season's diary.

For regular curlers, the 2008/9 Rink subscription remains as before at £10. This provides a significant discount on ice fees and is worthwhile if you come to the rink several times in a season. You can join the Rink direct for £10, or through the resident club, the SECC, which incorporates the Rink subscription in its charges. Click here for an application form.

CLUB NEWS Details of SECC events can be seen at www.southofenglandcurlingclub.com. Club curling started on Tuesday October 1st at 8pm. A full programme of competitions and events has been drawn up for the season and can be seen there. Newcomers are most welcome to join this friendly group, for both the weekday and weekend events.

JUNIORS/SCHOOLS CURLING The regular Schools 5-week course will run throughout the season leading to the Schools Championships in March 2009. Junior training will again be held each Tuesday at 6pm for players aged 18 and under. The Junior Curling Academy will be run monthly on Sunday afternoons; dates to be announced.

SPECIAL EVENT Saturday and Sunday, October 25th and 26th sees the return of the English Masters Curling Championships. This is sponsored by Glenfarclas Malt Whisky and is open to any four curlers. The competition will be limited to the first 12 entries and all teams will be guaranteed 4 games. The cost will be only £40 per player. With the ECA playdowns (other than the Mixed) reverting to Scotland, this will be the only opportunity in England for players to participate in open competition. Book early! - click here for an application form.

We will again be running our "Sunday Social ", which started on 12th October. This is primarily for local players who have taken up, or returned to, the game in recent years. We already have a number of teams on the list, so if you want to join them please contact us soon! The next Sunday social is on Sunday Nov 16th.

Two other events are worth mentioning. On Saturday 18th October the Rink is running a "Coach the Coaches" morning. This is for rink staff and others who want to help in coaching the hundreds of beginners who come for their first curling experience. Coaches need to have this induction at the rink, together with the appropriate CRB check if they are to help with our children's programmes.

The Rink has organised a special Umpire's Course on Saturday 15th November. This will last most of the day and is designed to make participants fully aware of the rules of the game. It will cover levels 1 and 2 of the RCCC's Umpire Development Programme. The course will be conducted by Leslie Ingram-Brown, a senior umpire at the WCF World Curling Championships.

You can see that there will be lots going on at the rink this year. We hope you can join us!

Good Curling.

News Update August/September 2008

Only a few weeks to go before the beginning of Season. Are you ready??

Work has started at the rink with preparations for the new season. The club room has been re-decorated and we are working on the ice hall, ready for installing the ice at the end of September.

BOOK EARLY! A steady stream of bookings is being taken for the new season. If you are thinking of a curling event for your friends, family, colleagues or customers - please call us soon to secure the date and time you want. The popular times go fast!

BEGINNERS - "Come and Try" your hand at curling! There's an "Open Day" on Sunday October 5th. You can just come along and have a look - or you can have a one hour session on the ice with an instructor for only £5! It starts at 10am and finishes at 4pm.

A second "Come and Try" session is booked for Sunday November 23rd . See the Events page on the website for more details of the season's diary.

For regular curlers , the 2008/9 Rink subscription remains as before at £10. This provides a significant discount on ice fees and is worthwhile if you come to the rink several times in a season. You can join the Rink direct for £10, or through the resident club, the SECC, which incorporates the Rink subscription in its charges. Click here for an application form.

CLUB NEWS Details of SECC events can be seen at www.southofenglandcurlingclub.com. Club curling starts on Tuesday October 1st at 8pm. A full programme of competitions and events has been drawn up for the season and can be seen there.

JUNIORS/SCHOOLS CURLING The regular Schools 5-week course will run throughout the season leading to the Schools Championships in March 2009. Junior training will again be held each Tuesday at 6pm for players aged 18 and under. The Junior Curling Academy will be run monthly on Sunday afternoons; dates to be announced.

SPECIAL EVENT Saturday and Sunday, October 25th and 26th sees the return of the English Masters Curling Championships . This is sponsored by Glenfarclas Malt Whisky and is open to any four curlers. The competition will be limited to the first 12 entries and all teams will be guaranteed 4 games. The cost will be only £40 per player. With the ECA playdowns (other than the Mixed) reverting to Scotland, this will be the only opportunity in England for players to participate in open competition. Book early! - click here for an application form.

We will again be running our Sunday "Local league", starting on 12th October. This is primarily for local players who have taken up, or returned to, the game in recent years. We already have a number of teams on the list, so if you want to join them please contact us soon!

Two other events are worth mentioning. On Saturday 18th October the Rink is running a "Coach the Coaches" morning. This is for rink staff and others who want to help in coaching the hundreds of beginners who come for their first curling experience. Coaches need to have this induction at the rink, together with the appropriate CRB check if they are to help with our children's programmes.

The Rink has organised a special Umpire's Course on Saturday 15th November. This will last most of the day and is designed to make participants fully aware of the rules of the game. It will cover levels 1 and 2 of the RCCC's Umpire Development Programme. The course will be conducted by Leslie Ingram-Brown, a senior umpire at the WCF World Curling Championships.

You can see that there will be lots going on at the rink this year. We hope you can join us!

Good Curling.

News Update May 2008

The season ended on April 11th and we re-start on October 1st . Bookings are now being taken for the new season. Several dates have already been fixed for the major events taking place at the rink throughout next season. See the "Events" page.

News: Current ¦ 2010/11 ¦ 2009/10 ¦ 2008/09 ¦ 2007/08 ¦ 2006/07 ¦ 2005/06