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Back in London

So more than 100 days, 15 weeks, 3 months or however you want to phrase it, I’m back where it all began. London, the capital, “town”, the smoke, the metropolis, where the Empire was ruled. Whatever your view of London, at about 4pm I cycled out of Hertfordshire and back into London. Nice feeling!

I checked into a cheap hostel for a couple of nights with the absolute intention of catching up on sleep and giving my legs a few days off. Exeter to Norwich and back to London in just 13 days needed to be done BUT……

My first live rugby league game in 10 years!

After ticking Stevenage off my list of 92 it was a mad dash to Hemel Hempstead to catch the cup game against Underbank from Holmfirth. Sadly, my little legs did not want to go as fast as my bigger heart wanted them to so I did not arrive at Hemel Way until half-time when the Stags were winning, Sadly, I must have been a jinx as the away side overturned the deficit and came away with a disappointingly easy victory. Still it was good to go back to the club and see a (part of) game.

5 Card Trick

Yes, despite problems with the bike and acute tiredness this week has to go down as a successful one with Southend United, Ipswich Town, Colchester United, Norwich City and Peterborough United all welcomed to the project. As the song goes, “Five out of five ain’t bad”.

The day started well with an excellent BNI meeting in Kings Lynn and continued well when Richardson’s Cycles immediately got my bike up on a bench and set about repairing it. As the hub spikes were being replaced one by one, my fears for a huge bill grew but I should not have worried as the work was finished in record time and at an unbeatable price. Thanks – highly recommended.

Today it was the turn of Peterborough United to be added to my list of clubs visited and I set off for London Road a ground I have known well over many years. It was good to see that there is still some terracing (see below) and that the club has sensitively upgraded the stadium without forgetting its roots. Chris Brewer pictured below and Head of Media & Ticketing quickly got involved when he heard of the project and the official club photgrapher, Joe Dent, was also present as I cycled in to London Road. Thanks – club 82 and the end is most definitely in sight!

The Best of Norwich, Norwich City and Norwich BNI Morning Glory all deliver.

Today was always going to be a busy and special day and who better to detail it than those nice people at The Best of Norwich

It’s the week for cycling in Norwich – not only do we have the Tour Of Britain visiting, we also had a visit from Steve Hall.

“Who is Steve Hall?” you may ask.

Well, Steve is cycling to all 92 football grounds in the UK to raise awareness of the plight of the 45 million refugees in the world.

Steve has been reliant in many cases on local people offering him accomodation on his tour around the UK.

Imagine going to a different place each day after a gruelling cycle ride, not knowing the people you’re due to meet or where you’re staying that night.

Steve has tapped into national business networks such as the BNI and thebestof, who have arranged contacts and accomodation along the way.

After some crossed wires between the two organisations, Steve stayed at the Maids Head Hotel, commenting:

“It was quite clearly one of the very best hotels I have stayed at this year. Out of 50+ that is quite a feat! The reception I received made me feel like a prodigal son returning home (rather than a first time visitor!), the room was superb and, all in all my stay was simply 10 out of 10.”

After a very early start to attend the BNI, Steve came to Carrow Road football ground with us for a photoshoot by our bestofnorwich board with Norwich photographers Ignis Photography.
From the football ground we strolled to Costa Coffee at the Nelson Premier Inn, where we were met by for a photoshoot by, guess what……

A plastic yellow duck – you’ve seen the adverts?

Steve enjoyed his time relaxing in Costa Coffee and having a chat with the manager.

Steve said of Costa:

“What sets it out are the staff. They seem to love what they are doing and realise that the customer is king. I spent a very pleasant hour or so here and would happily have spent longer. An obvious “Best Of”…”

At thebestof, we aim to feature independent businesses, so it is unusual to feature a national business, but this Norwich venue is different. The managers come to networking events, so you get to know them as people, and the Nelson is different in that it has fantastic cubby holes where we can meet clients. With free meeting rooms, free parking, and being just across the road from the station, we spend more time in meetings here than we do in our office – much more relaxed and comfortable.

You can read the whole article here. Many thanks indeed to Chris and Sara the owners of TheBestOfNorwich and to all their team. They run a very professional operation and it is easy to see why they are so highly thought of by Nigel Botterill and his management.

Of course, no day would be complete without a BNI meeting and it was a great pleaseure to visit Morning Glory. A great name and a great venue! Straight from the meeting a whole group of us went to Carrow Road where we met TheBestOf and we were all welcomed with a photoshoot and presentation. Thanks to all at Morning Glory and keep up the great work.

So, Norwich did me proud, Norwich City did me proud, The Best of Norwich did me proud and Morning Glory did me proud ….. thanks to all of you.

FANTASTIC WELCOME AT IPSWICH TOWN

I have to say that if some clubs “get it” and others don’t then Ipswich Town most definitely DID! I got a super welcome from all at Ipswich including the legendarily grumpy security guys! Camilla got me pitchside within minutes of arrival even though a reserve game was just about to start, asked about my tour, took photos and advised the local press. A true professional. Thanks, Camilla and thank your charming receptionists ….other clubs take note! So, Ipswich take their rightful place among others like Oxford City, Chesterfield, the two Nottingham clubs and others too numerous to mention who have made my journey that little bit easier.

When you arrive at a place like xxxx xxxx after days in the saddle to be met with somebody who fobs you off with, “We don’t really have anybody who deals with people who cycle 100 days to see us” then as a tired and weary traveller one does wonder whether they should have a front-of-house role. Compare that with the welcome I got at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich when the ladies seemed to think it was their pleasure that I had checked in to their superb hotel! Thanks to all at this beautiful hotel and thanks especially to The Best of Norwich for arranging this.

BNI National Director Charlie Lawson signs The Shirt

It was a great pleasure to meet up with Charlie at a superb Excelsior visitors day in Chelmsford where he was keen to add his signature to the BNI shirt. A huge boost to the project! Thanks, Charlie.

The meeting was a huge testimonial for the power of BNI. There were more than 40 visitors in a packed room and a number of guests including the Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Alan Arnot who became the third mayor I had the opportunity to tell about the project. He listened intently and was delighted to receive the project’s pin and sign a shirt. Thanks.

Then, it was a huge dash to Colchester for a stadium visit prior to the England U21 game. It was good to get pitchside and although I saw the teams I am afraid the refugee budget did not stretch to a match ticket. I had hoped to get to Ipswich Town but my little legs were not up to it so that will be on tomorrow’s agenda.

MAGNIFICENT DAY

I had a terrific meet with the South East Essex Football Company.

I also got invitations to Colchester Utd and Ipswich Town and TheBestOfNorwch. Thanks alll.

GREAT DAY

What a great day!

1) I got a sponsor for today and tomorrow from Dining Club 500 AND a Ukraine national shirt and

2) The day of the Ecademy cricket match has finally arrived. It was a pleasure to meet Thomas and Penny Power again together with Milton and Baju who had worked so hard to organise the day. It was also a great pleasure to meet the Powers’ two sons as well as a good number of Ecademists and their friends. A great day was had by all. I had not played cricket in 35 years …..and it showed. My bowling was appalling and my batting worse but that did not stop me having a great day. Yes, in between a miserable spell of bowling and some woeful batting where I managed a paltry one run, I got the important wicket of Milton Rodrigues who was superby caught by Thomas Power just as it looked as if he had played himself in.

So, a real fun day which I am sure everybody enjoyed and an early finish meant I could get some quality to time on the net to update everything.

Huge thanks to Milton and Baju for organising the day and I hear that next year’s match is already being planned. Guys, you are welcome to invite me to make up the numbers! Thanks also to Penny for acting as score-keeper and Kevin Wright for umpiring. Two thankless tasks …. so thanks again!

 

Gillingham ….35 years on

Outstanding BNI meeting in Copthorne, near Gatwick

Stayed with Colin & Jean Heath – he’s possibly the most interesting person I have met on whole journey. He’s cycled extensively both solo and tandem and gave me masses of tips. A classic which I would love to known before I started is, “Eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty”. They don’t teach you that at university ….sadly. They are the parents of proactive BNI AD Tracie Shippey who most definitely went the extra mile to see I was well looked after so HUGE thanks to the whole family! Your support is most appreciated. Tracie is also an active cyclist and recently completed London to Paris in 4 days so knows exactly the challenges of life on the road.

Cycled on to Gillingham, Kent. Arrived late at a YHA and fell asleep during first five minutes of England versus Bulgaria. Woke up 1-0 up and I stayed awake for the rest. Good performance and bodes well for the sterner test of Switzerland next week.