Author Archive

The day started well ….. and got better! I awoke in the prestigious Harpenden House Hotel where BNI member Katherine Webster-Brown had organised a “deal of the century” for me. A spotless single room with bath and shower, free biscuits and coffee. Deep, deep joy! (What no bunk beds? No 16 drunken student mixed dormitories?)

If anybody is in the Harpenden, Hemel, Luton or St Albans area then this hotel is highly recommended. I say this not only because I got a great rate but more so because the level of service was second to none. When I arrived on the bike, there was no problem for the helpful receptionist. He checked the diary and locked it away in an unused conference room. I mused that he had not been to the same charm school as the “receptionist” in Waterloo who told me to put it on the roof terrace which was conveniently 4 floors up on a spiral staircase.

If the welcome exceeded any reasonable expectation then the room and its facilities were simply the icing on the cake.

Thanks Kathryn, today I feel human!

From the hotel, it was a short 45 minute cycle to the Chariots BNI breakfast in the elegant Verulam Golf Club (Home of the Ryder Cup!) The meeting was excellent and the welcome afforded to me by Kathryn, Katherine, Chris and others was equallly inspiring. It was also nice to see an old friend Garry Rogers who I had not met for at least 10 years! I’m not sure who was most surprised, Garry or Steve. Thanks all.

Professional photographer Chris Hawkes is the chapter education co-ordinator and he was ready and waiting to take some great photos. Thanks, Chris

After four crazy, crazy days Monday was a bit quieter. I left World Cup Willy and cycled down to the Regus Centre to get a signature on the Regus shirt but it was closed with the bank holiday cursing the journey! So, off down the road to Watford’s Vicarage Road which again was pretty well locked-up. I remember the ground well from when I lived just down the road and it was sad to have seen the decline. In truth, it did not appear to have been touched in the last 10 years. Sad.

From there it was down the road to Hemel Hempstead Rugby League Football Club. I was Chairman at the Stags in the late 90s and was delighted to find the founder Bob Brown in the newly revamped clubhouse. Bob has almost single-handedly steered the team (and the club) for 20 years and is a TRUE sporting hero.

It is always invidious to talk about good days and bad days, good meetings and bad meetings or good presentations and bad presentations but Sunday was definitely a GOOD day.

First I had lunch with a long-time friend and owner of Mr O’s Thai Restaurant in Crouch End. The steep hills were made easier in the knowledge that we would have a great meal in a convivial atmosphere. The killer climb up Muswell Hill (I pushed!) was also made easier or at least more pleasant by a number of glimpses of Arsenal’s new ground (The Emirates Stadium) in the distance. Sadly, time beat me but I will be back to add it to the other 91 clubs,

Then I was off to Barnet (Club 6). It is a small village team just outside London and a club which only escaped relegation out of the football league on the last day of the season. It’s probably 15 years since I was last there and sadly few other fans have passed through the turnstiles either as The Bees have one of the lowest average attendances in England. Anyway, they are club 6 and equally welcome as their bigger brothers to the project. (Update: some 115 days later I was delighted to be presented a Barnet shirt by the Vision BNI chapter who had made contact with the club and whose chairman, Tony Kleanthous, obliged. Thanks Mr Kleanthous and thanks Vision.)

Vision BNI (Southgate) present a signed Barnet shirt.

The day was finished with a superb meal and hospitality chez Wil and Paula in Watford. Wil Corker is a man with a mission and I was delighted to hear all about it, He has committed to attend the Homeless World Cup in Brazil this autumn. You can (and should!) read more about his challenge here. It was a great evening and a shower and bed were much appreciated. Thanks and good luck.

I guess this was “The Big One” After an appalling night’s sleep in the worst doss house in London I was pleased to wipe my feet on the way out of the B&B (!) and set sail, as it were. An hour later and I was soaked to the skin as I pedalled into Stamford Bridge. The security guy at Chelsea was a lot of fun and wished me well but said that it was impossible to see the pitch, meet anybody or generally breathe! He was very apologetic and amazed by Björn’s project but anything more than a trip round the outside of the ground was a no-no. Anyway, I had a good look around the outside and I have to say that it looks very impressive.

Had a chat with a group of Swindon fans who were in London for the League One play-offs but sadly they had no spare tickets so it was on with the journey. Next stop was Fulham’s Craven Cottage. It has always been a favourite ground and although it is so olde worlde, the fans are really proud of this season’s achievements. The guy in the shop thought I was mad and came out to be photographed with the scarf you see. Sad memories of what might have been against Atletí a few weeks before.

Friends own an electrical shop nearby and although not soccer fans themselves the Brothers Khwaja were keen to help and rustled up a WBA shirt from a friend of theirs who supports the Baggies. So, Fulham’s Electrotex are now also on board.

From there it was off to Brentford where I was regaled by a very drunk Brentford fan who had been to many of the 92 grounds supporting his beloved Brentford FC. Their ground Griffin Park is unique in that it has a pub on every corner. Sadly, the landlady wanted 30 pounds for the night and my budget does not stretch to that. So, off I went to the hostel via QPR’s Loftus Road. By now, I was absolutely drenched and hardly stopped for longer than to muse that this is a club that has had some great players over the years but never “quite” made it. Perhaps next season as football fans the world over hope!

So 4 clubs and I felt the journey had really begun.

During w/c 24th May, I had the pleasure of visiting 6 BNI chapters and saw REAL quality networking. The UK National Directors of BNI and Dr Ivan Misner, BNI Chairman & Founder should be proud!

John Coupland, Regional Director, BNI London South East was the perfect host and a great BNI ambassador. He organised accommodation and welcomed me into his family in Bromley. We raced around the area together and I visited Crofton, Innovations, Endeavour (Visitors Day) and Magnum Opus chapters in 3 days!

One of his teenage children leant me her mountain bike, (thankfully not pink!), as my touring bike won’t be ready until 2nd June at the soonest. John enabled me to share my extensive sales & marketing skills and offer work to fellow members to help me earn my £20 a day all inclusive ‘refugee budget’. This included handing out leaflets and speaking to various local businesses for Paul Castle, MD, The Crest Partnership, Biggin Hill.

I was pleased to be able to provide a number of referrals during my visits to the chapters and have connected a number of high profile business people to some members. John also introduced me to some TOP contacts within and outside of BNI and, most importantly, is continuing to support me as I enter the other BNI regions, by using social media effectively and making calls on my behalf. One example is his introduction to Trevor Smith, ‘Assistant Director of the Year’, BNI Surrey, where I visited 2 of their chapters.

Wallington had a great Curry and Beer evening which was a great success for all concerned. They also kindly funded the accommodation at their venue. A few hours later and just a few miles down the road I was at the Kingswood chapter which really was BNI at its very best. Busy, professional and with referalls flying everywhere. Congratulations to Alan Norris and his team.

Please read John’s blog to understand what this means to him, so many others and I. Thank you everyone! Steve.

Sadly, along with the good times, come the bad times. I cycled off to Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Palace but everything was chained up and the offices were empty. Tragically, it seems that today is the day when the club went into administration – or at least through another stage of the process. So, Ground One of the 92 and not good news. Hope I am not going to be a jinx! Maybe I will be able to revisit it on my way back in three months’ time. Good luck to everybody at the club. Football can’t afford to lose you!

Great News! After a number of false dawns, broken promises and vague offers, I now have a bike. Please say “hi” to Sidcup Cycle Centre. Finally, I have a bike organised. Thanks, guys!

I saw the Centre advertised in Esporta, Chislehurst and walked the few miles to the store. It is a very impressive, impeccably clean and professional showroom and workshops near Sidcup railway station. I explained my situation to Nigel and he quickly took me through the options. I confirmed that the project had no funding nor corporate sponsorship and was not in a position to lay out 2000 GBP for a new bike. I continued that I tried to earn 20 pounds per day and that this was the entire funding for the project. I offered a deposit and to pay weekly out of my “earnings” for a quality pre-owned bike. I am delighted to confirm that we quickly came to an agreement.

I am absolutely delighted to welcome Nigel and his team to the project. I feel very “safe” being supported by such a professional organisation.

If you are in London or north west Kent, I would recommend the Sidcup Cycle Centre.

.

Tuesday started with a great BNI meeting and then after a few phonecalls, blogs, tweets etc it was off to another lunch-time BNI presentation. It was also “the big day” as I realised that the promised bike was now as likely as Gillingham winning the premiership and I took up John’s kind offer of a loan bike. It’s not entirely suitable for the entire journey but it will get me around London. Thanks John.

I also got some photos through from Rob at Enfield futsal to replacement the ones that I screwed up and as you can see below my great friend Simon Ellinas completed a great caricature of Ecademy founder Penny Power.

Penny has been a true supporter of the project since day one (and before!) and manifestly “walks the walk” as far as supporting Ecademy members is concerned. Penny, your support is massively appreciated.

Ricky Valance

The REAL news today was NOT about the UK leg but rather about Bjorn in South Africa.

The first “draft” of sewing the shirts together was hugely successful but even more important was the endorsement from the President of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma, who signed the shirts at the South Africa World Cup. A hugely important addition as a “friend”. From a PR point of view this will open many doors.

In London, I was delighted to meet up with my friend Enfield Rob who eats, breathes and sleeps football at all levels and who has himself been to the vast majority of the 92 grounds …… and 100s of amateur and semi-pro grounds too. I was proud to receive a shirt from Futsal Enfield who play in the top level of futsal in the UK. Rob is also a FC Torrevieja fan AND has been out to the refugees in Rwanda coaching futsal. He found me a limited edition Futsal Enfield shirt which will fly proudly in the breeze in South Africa. THANKS!