The Italians were collected from their hotel and driven to the Town Hall in Darlington, for a reception by the Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Gerald Lee and his wife Ruth.

It was a huge help to have the Head Chef from Uno Momento; an Italian from Sorrento, near the Cercola badminton club, who was able to translate both ways. The Italians were given a talk about Darlington and the current coat of arms.  Of particular significance is the history of the first passenger railway in the world.  When we were in Cercola last summer we presented their Mayor with a framed picture of Stephenson’s Rocket.

Domenico then presented the Mayor with a letter from the Cercola Mayor and this was read out in both languages (See above photo). Domenico then gave Philip a plaque in recognition of the developing friendship between our two clubs and presented James Boyd (HBC Team Captain) with a pennant from the Italian club. The Mayor was also given a similar pennant.

We were glad to have a few Darlington Club members present too. Not many were actually available, but it was especially good to see Jack Atkinson and Maddie Atkinson. They are two year 7’s who had been to Sheffield and who were presented as ‘the future of HBC’.  Mark Reeves who also has a long connection with the Club managed an extended coffee break too from his local Law Firm and Club Chairman, Brian Dobinson came and took charge of photographs. Judith Edwards (who is also booked on the Summer Tour 2015) attended together with Tom Gray and Richard Smith.  Richard has been doing an excellent job with the blog site and Tom oversaw the Italian-Oxfordshire combined team in Sheffield, with his usual totally reliable efficiency.

After refreshments and many photographs, the Italians were taken to Durham for the afternoon. It was helpful to find some printed guides in Italian for them. Some time in the shopping area and Market followed before they then had an hour or so to relax in the Darlington Hotel. Picked up again, they were driven to the centre of Darlington to walk past the Market Square and for a quick look in the Dolphin Centre – the scene of much badminton activity by Hummersknott players in the 30+ years that the Dolphin Centre has been opened, players even attended one evening in the first week it was open! It was then into Uno Momento where they were booked in for a ‘Happy Hour’ meal which ended up the ‘Happy 100 minutes” – maybe the Italians have a decimalised hour…  An Italian Manager was able to spend some time among us again helping hugely with translation regarding plans for the following days. The Cercola people do very well in English but it is clearly so much easier when they can converse in their native tongue.

Another full day was completed by attending the Mayor’s Concert at Carmel College. This consisted of a presentation by Mulheim Mandolin Orchestra and it was fitting that one of Darlington’s Twin Towns had a music group here to entertain a group from another country; where we have developed such good friendship links in the past year. We were also delighted to have Jean Thurkettle (formerly Deputy Head at Hummersknott School) and long-time supporter of HBC at the concert.  A wheelchair taxi had been commissioned for her travel. Jean has so many links with Twin Towns, is a veteran of previous badminton tours and has had a close association with the badminton club since its formation in September 1974.

Finally back to bed at Premier Inn, to rest before hitting London in the morning.

It has been most satisfying and encouraging finally having a foreign team come back to Darlington, and also to find a very warm and genuine welcome from Dignitaries and players alike.

In Cercola last Summer, their Mayor attended our match in badminton kit. The challenge has been thrown down to Councillor Lee to do likewise in Darlington at one of the HBC evenings before his Mayoral Year is completed in May.

At the end of the day the friendly Football International ended Italy 1 England 1.

For once, this was a most appropriate result in the context of what we have shared these past days.

RS

Plenty of sleep time was available overnight and everyone managed to attend breakfast by the set 9 am plan, this was followed by a swift checkout and another drive to Ponds Forge; this time to meet players from Chesterfield and Sheffield. Slightly shorter than yesterday - four one hour sessions were fitted in and the ten courts kept occupied virtually the whole time with players still wanting more at the end.

Between sessions 2 and 3 there was a short break for Presentations and announcements. Each club represented was given a pennant (see photo) commemorating the event. Each player was also given a certificate and on this we were glad to highlight the support of The_Key organisation. On the back was printed a letter from HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York (again; see photo) written personally to the players involved this weekend following an invitation given to him, to come and present some awards should he happen to be in the area. The warm and specific greeting was much appreciated and he will be informed of the outcome.

He has asked for results.  As so often stated, the real result was a growth in International Friendship. It was observed at the end how good the atmosphere had been throughout and Philip had not heard one out of place comment or murmur throughout the 9+ hours spent in the sports centre, which is a massive tribute to all of the players (around 100) and adult helpers. Groups began to drift away after 2.30 pm and several stayed to use the Leisure Pool for an hour.

Finally everyone headed home. The 10 Italians; all taken exclusively in the minibus as other adults had provided seats in their own cars for the Darlington people.

Three days of this particular adventure are left…

RS  

After posting the Saturday article, we had a message from Domenico that the Coach was an hour late.   Bev and Tom Gray  valiantly took the minibus to the Interchange.  No Coach arrived after an hour, an hour and a half and then more.  Calls to and from Philip in the hotel initially proved fruitless as contact was lost with the Coach.  By that time we had contacted Hotel  Reception and they had not had not had anyone check into their rooms.   It turned out, to be running two full hours late and finally arrived.

With the clocks moving forward in the midst of the saga and some devices like iPhones updating and others not it was hard to know exactly what time it was.

A further complication arose when the final room in a Premier Inn of all places was not made up and a mess.  At 4 am. Everyone was finally in an acceptable room.  The 100% satisfaction guarantee will kick in but it was certainly not the time and circumstance to have to activate it.

The planned itinerary was resumed after what was a short night for Domenico and team plus Bev and Tom.

Breakfast ran well and the players resident overnight set of for Ponds Forge for the badminton. Further complications were that the A1 was closed at Scotch Corner meaning that those travelling south today had a significant diversion.  That should be clear before returning home tomorrow.

Over 250 games were put on the ten courts by the 5.30 pm finish.  More details will follow when time and energy permit.

An hour back in the hotel was followed by 50 bowling at Hollywood Bowl.  Tom Gray collated the main menus for the restaurant and delivered them to the Chef so that cooking was well underway when the group emerged to cross the road to Frankie & Benny’s Restaurant.

In the interest of gaining some rest the blog will be briefer than ideal tonight but we have had no accidents or injuries and many will be ready for a good sleep tonight.

It has emerged that this site is not allowing comments to be posted by readers.  We will attend to that when time permits and certainly before the summer tour.

RS

Players  from Hummersknott Badminton Club have played in 19 countries now, with more planned later this year.

In all the years of playing, the event at Ponds Forge Sports Centre in Sheffield these next days; and in London to follow in midweek, is unique.

Four of the current HBC Team have progressed through the Stages 1-3 of “The_Key – your potential unlocked” organisation and in December went to Panel with some of the Managers from the organisation and were awarded £2000 to spend on hosting the Sheffield Tournament.

Over the months the idea has grown and now teams from HBC, Polam Hall School (Darlington), Phoenix Badminton Club (Wolsingham), Cercola, (Naples, Italy), Mansfield JBC, Worksop Falcons, Oxfordshire BA, Sheffield Juniors and Chesterfield Juniors plan to attend on Sunday and/or Monday.

The_Key Panel consists of Richard Smith, James Henderson, Tom Freary, Daniel Smart who have a major role to play during the coming days.

Philip is personally very grateful for all the support we have received over the years from The_Key, now totaling over £13 000.  That has also led to a lot of work for players on different Panels but they have developed many skills and enjoyed some significant activities through their adventures.

It is of particular pleasure that we welcome the group from Italy.  On the 2015 Tour to Italy we were hosted magnificently in Cercola, near Naples.  Their group, led by Team Manager Domenico Romano and his wife Rita, are the first ever foreign team to come back to meet us in the UK.  Setting up foreign tours, as we well know, is a massive undertaking.

In addition to Jess & Lillie, Charlie Shan and Sean Gao are with us from Oxfordshire.  The boys travelled with us to Iceland, USA and Canada in 2013 and we are glad to have them back amongst us.  They travelled up by train and David Freary collected them at Sheffield main line station mid afternoon.  As a Mechanical Engineering student at Sheffield University David knows the city well.

Nigel Smart drove down with Daniel and Ollie about the same time as the minibus set off from Hummersknott Academy at 13.00.

First call was the Premier Inn at Meadowhall to check into rooms.  Philip had visited Sheffield a couple of weeks ago to meet the Assistant Manager and go to the other significant places for the weekend.  The staff at the hotel have been extremely accommodating allocating rooms together.

Then, the group who were in the hotel went to see Ponds Forge and unload some items for the match tomorrow (food stuff for packed lunches, shuttlecocks, rackets) and familiarise the players with the venue.

A return to Meadowhall and time for looking around shops before eating at the Oasis Food Area within the complex.

Saturday evenings 8-10 pm at Ice Sheffield are open to public leisure Ice skating so the group then traveled there and virtually all of the players used the rink whilst Philip had time for coffee and completing this blog post in the refreshment area.

We have tracked the flight from Rome to Stansted airport for the Italians and glad to note it landed safely.  The ten Italians are now en route via London Victoria Coach station for Meadowhall, where they should arrive at 00.15 hrs.  A very long day for them as it will be 01.15 hrs Naples time and soon the clocks go forward another hour. Bev will drive the minibus to collect them at the Coach Interchange and Tom Gray goes with her as he knows the visitors well from last year.

To accommodate them, and allow the UK players travelling tomorrow a later start with the hour moving forward, a leisurely timetable is planned for the start of Sunday with breakfast at 10.00 hrs and report to the sports centre by 12.00 hrs.  The journey is a little over only four miles from the hotel.  The Ice Skating and tomorrow evening’s venues all lie within that 4 mile ride so it is efficient for us.

It is timely to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to Nigel Smart today.  Could there be a better way to spend a birthday?  Maybe he will answer for himself at some stage!

For many who have toured so far and so often with us we are happily back in trip mode.  The older ones are ‘Trip Trained’.  We will see what tomorrow brings for the year 7’s who will join us on their first such venture.

RS