2020 Kent – Aardvarkland

07/03/20 – Morning all, Attached is the kit list for this year. Please can you let me have your order no later than 21 March and a reminder that payment for the kit needs to go to Nick (please put your name as a reference when making the payment to make it easier for Nick to chase outstanding amounts)! TVM. Aptar
2020 Kit List (Word Document)

01/03/20 – Who will protect my water supply and keep a track of what colour water is ! – Kato
01/03/20 – Hi. I retire from United Utilities in April after thirty glorious years to spend more time with my money, so you may wish to amend your Filo Faxes with the address niallclarke01@gmail.com. Regarding Kent, I assume the merch will include the normal Corona Virus protective apparatus? Niall

28/02/20 – I have now deposited 8000 pesos to confirm our appearance. Harry
23/02/20 – Morning, Thanks to everyone who took time to send their vote in, the purple playing shirt was the winner by 2 votes with burgundy coming second. It seems that Nick has received less than five deposits so far. So I have a message from Col to ask you all confirm whether you are joining the 2020 tour, if so, please send your deposit to Nick by next week end. If you are not going, you need let Col know ASAP but definitely before next weekend to make sure that we have a team before I sent the kit list out. Thank you! – Aptar

17/02/20 – Purple (not violet) and the cost is ok – Richard
17/02/20 – And you will look just like the guy in the photo … – Aptar
17/02/20 – You are so extravagant but, on this occasion, will spend the extra £2.50 and forego a cappuccino! – Kato
17/02/20 – Hi, Fine by me too. – Cuey
17/02/20 – £15.50 is fine – Foz
17/02/20 – Something I forgot to mention about the playing shirts … the price. Single colour like we normally have will be the same as last year £13 but to have this stylish two-colour playing shirt is an additional £2.50. So, let me have your thoughts on whether you want a single colour or if everyone is ok to pay £15.50 for a playing shirt. Sorry about that. – Aptar
17/02/20 – A no.2 is more appropriate for you Fozzie…. xxx – Richard Allott
17/02/20 – Hi Aptar, Can I stand on the side in my No 1 playing shirt? – Foz
17/02/20 – Hi Aptar. Thanks for sorting the kit. My vote (as love the idea of a ladies fit playing shirt) is for … #1 the Burgundy with charcoal contrast. Thanks – Cuey
17/02/20 – Hi Dick. It’s purple (sorry). Aptar
17/02/20 – Hi Aptar, and thanks for sorting this. A quick question please, being are we talking purple or lilac here? Hopefully lilac???? Cheers – Dick
17/02/20 – My thoughts exactly Mel! Our vote is for the purple with pink. H x – Hilary
17/02/20 – Grey with navy contrast looks good to me as does the guy wearing it, is he coming on tour too? – Mel x
16/02/20 – Number 1 please We are struggling to recall the last few tour colours however – Kato
16/02/20 – Just proud to wear the badge. I will abide by whatever is decreed. – Wilks
16/02/20 – No. 3. Thanks – Owen
16/02/20 – Hi all, we need to start to think about the kit for this year’s tour. I’m looking at a ‘contrast polo shirt’ as a playing shirt, modelled below – wearing grey with navy contrast. The colours I can get for men’s and women’s playing shirt are:
1. Burgundy shirt with charcoal contrast on collar and buttonhole
2. Purple shirt with pale pink contrast
3. Navy shirt with red contrast
Time to vote- please let me have your thoughts by next Sat 22nd to what you colour you would like to play in/or would like your partner to play in. – Aptar

07/02/20 – I will let Kent County Council know. They may insist on additional road closures and other loss of public amenity!! – Col
07/02/20 – Hi Colin, we are all coming. – Owen
17/01/20 – Col. Count us out please, not able to make that date. Thanks – Sally & Geoff
16/01/20 – Right then … further to that WhatsApp message and we’ve now sorted out the date problem. Everything else is as previously advised. – Col
11/01/20 – Count us in – Harry and Chris
08/01/20 – Sorry you will have to count me out. I have already bought tickets to a concert on the Sunday of the revised weekend – Foz
08/01/20 – Count me in, I’ll send Nick my deposit. – Mel x
08/01/20 – If you received an email similar to this, a couple of hours ago, you can ignore that. THIS EMAIL contains full details and the circulation list updated to reflect a couple of additions/deletions. So, we start here … Col
08/01/20 – Neil … I think you’ll find that there’s a bit more to umpiring it than just ‘fancying’ it!! – Nick B
08/01/20 – I fancied umpiring this year. – Colton
08/01/20 – Oh dear Col … now the cat’s out of the bag ….it looks like you’ll have to invite Neil now after all…even though he didn’t quite make the initial squad! – Nick B
08/01/20 – Col is not used to this level of efficiency! – Colton
08/01/20 – Blinkin’ ‘eck Will, I only spoke to you a couple of hours ago and since then I’ve been in ‘high level discussions of a top secret nature’ and so haven’t had a chance to update this circulation list by adding a couple of others who are now on the radar. SO, let’s not use this list as we’ll be forever chasing our tails with people who aren’t on it / or who shouldn’t be. I’ll do this now and re-send … – Col

08/01/20 – Greetings one and all. Firstly, many thanks to Mel, Stu and Fozzy for informing me of the results of the hotly contested ballot – in that with Tunbridge Wells being the winner by a nose (see I do listen to Dunc, Stu & Tolley) and despite Kato channelling his inner Scotsman – that I would then be ultimately responsible for organising said trip to deepest, darkest Kent.

Being the stout fellow that I am (though not as stout as one or two others), and having observed Colin’s organisation skills over the past few years (wait until the last minute, then blame Aptar if it all goes wrong) I thought that I’d get on with things. To that extent, I have made enquiries with a couple of hockey teams, and also with a couple of hotels in the vicinity. First problem encountered was a clash of dates with a local music festival, meaning all local hotels were pretty much fully booked during the weekend of 19-22 June (why they can’t stay in tents I have no idea), so we needed to look at alternative options – and with me being the quick thinking chap that I am, the weekend before or the weekend after seemed the obvious places to start.

I contacted a couple of hotels in central Tunbridge Wells and got some numbers back. The clear and obvious winner was the Tunbridge Wells Retreat https://www.tunbridgewellsretreat.com/ who on the previous weekend of 12-14 June, and at a more than reasonable cost for 3 nights (Friday 12th until Sunday 14th) including breakfast

Whilst whiling away the minutes, while awaiting hotel receptionists to respond to my entreaties, I made contact with a couple of Kentish locals (one of whom lives in Sussex!) who play (or perhaps pretend to play) hockey, enquiring about the possibilities of hosting the Aardvarks – from both I was met with a resounding cry of delight at the prospect.

Saturday – The Madhatters, a social / touring team, who sadly now only play once every 3 or 4 years, would host us in Tunbridge Wells, and after the game, we are hoping to be able to go to TWHC for showers / teas (note that during the summer that pesky game of cricket seems to take precedence – so we might need to work on some persuasion techniques with a cricketer or two). Once we have sampled some fine Kentish Ale, we will probably look to attend an establishment in the town centre (I already have an idea about where that will be) accompanied by one, or two, or ten or more Madhatters.

Sunday – the day of rest, the morning after the night before, and more hockey of course. Off to Marden, a village some 8 or 10 miles away in the Kent countryside to play Marden Russets. For those involved in Timperley Over 50’s, some two years ago, we met and bested them in Birmingham in the “old farts” T3 Final – they were gracious in defeat, and joined us afterwards for beer and food, so we know that they are a social bunch.

Some points of order
Parking at the hotel is non-existent, so the options are
Find a street nearby and dump the vehicle
Find a car park nearby, and line the coffers of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Don’t take a car at all and travel by train, as the station is no more than a 10 minute walk to the hotel – which to me make makes the most sense – then take a taxi hither and thither
The Hotel will need details of who is staying so please can you confirm as soon as you are able – full names please
Dinner at the hotel is a non-starter – so I will look to organise something in a local restaurant for Saturday night
I have reserved rooms as follows at the Retreat for Friday 12th June for 3 nights, checking out on Monday 15th June
15 x Standard rooms at £243 per room for all 3 nights
5 x Superior rooms at £258 per room for all 3 nights
I will be in one of these rooms with the newest member of the Aardvarks fraternity
Check the email list if you are unsure who I’m talking about
1 x Family room (includes a bunk bed, so caters for 2 children) at £363 for the room for all 3 nights
This room is for Owen should he and the family decide to come
Note that there is no Single Supplement as the payment is for the room not per person – sorry Niall / Mel / Fozzy / etc… although you could of course all bunk up together
Regarding kit – Madhatters play in Blue and Marden play in Gold, so I’ll let others decide what our playing colour will be

Summary
Disillusioned Aardvarks Tour to Tunbridge Wells on 12-15th June
Hotel is the Tunbridge Wells Retreat
Opposition are Madhatters on Saturday and Marden on Sunday
Please confirm soon as whether you’ll be attending or not – first come first served re 5 x Superior Rooms or 15 x Standard Rooms
As per normal – money into Nick please…
Questions – ask Colin

Cheers – Will

15/12/19 – Dear voters … Ignoring this weekend’s siren voices (Burnett & Foster), to prorogue democracy and declare a result … may I remind you that the ballot remains open until 23.59 tonight. Although the vast majority have cast their vote, there is still time for the silent minority to do likewise. Currently a three-way marginal, a couple of swingers’ votes could determine our future happiness … … C Taylor, Returning Officer
05/12/19 – Col not sure at present. Let us know once sorted and we’ll let you know for definite then. – Stu
05/12/19 – As ever if we are around, we just enjoy being along. We shall enjoy it wherever it is. Just about A C B for us but we are happy to just go with the flow. Did Toll find his stick? – Harry and Chris
30/11/19 – Due to the honourable mention in dispatches, I feel the need to indicate preferences: A – ‘tis a fine city and well worth a visit again, and for those who like a wee dram or two, then what’s not to like? B – the beer is indeed of the highest quality, perhaps not as hoppy as the beer brewed in and around Manchester, but in my most humble opinion, we’ll worth sampling. C – a colleague thoroughly recommends this fine location, and I can only assume that as he rides on a tractor all day, that the cider and or beer is to his liking. D, E & F – not for me… A note on choice B – contrary to popular opinion, I am still allowed visitation rights, so long as I am accompanied by ladies and gentlemen of the highest order… – Will
30/11/19 – That was the royal “me” and Heidi is fully supportive of our choices – Richard (not Dick)
30/11/19 – For me a simple A (never been and travel with the Aardvarks should surely be a chance to narrow the mind), B (as a Man of Kent I think we can trust the beer and the Garden of England should be able to provide eggs for those whose breakfast is incomplete without one), C (I think Woodbridge was probably more pre-eminent in Tudor times, it certainly was when they buried Kings at Sutton Hoo). – Richard (not Dick)
30/11/19 – Just proud to wear the badge. Wilks
29/11/19 – That’s because it is! – Kato
29/11/19 – Wagg’s are available now that Sally has Thursday &Friday off. Options C or B for us please. Waggy
29/11/19 – B, C or D is good for us two. Inverness just seems a long way. Cheers, Laura and Strop
29/11/19 – Regrettably can’t join you. Will be in Copenhagen for euro 2020 match with the new Mrs T who has remained Ms M. Cheers – Jonathan
29/11/2019 – Col – Dear fellow Quadroped,
I have noted that none of our company made the shortlist for a lifetime achievement awards at the forthcoming BBC SPOTY awards. I suppose then we should simply continue until someone does. Probably usual format 3 nights Fri-Sun 19-21st June … Unless someone have other bright ideas. Several possible options were put forward as venues for our patronage in 2020 and I list them here ready for your vote …
Option A. Inverness. We are still to exhaust all of the UK cities where Hilary has known relatives and this is the latest offering.
Option B. Kent. A well-placed second last year where Wil Reynolds knows loads of people, most of which deny knowing him.
Option C. Ipswich, A fine maritime city known for its pre-eminence during the Tudor period wool trade.
Option D. Port Talbot. Its geology dominated by pennant sandstone and home to the world famous ‘ Baked Bean Museum of Excellence’.
Option E. A one-night stay over and match in the Midlands somewhere. Half a tour. Almost a year off.
Option F. Lying fallow for a year – having a year off, but coming back fitter, stronger, faster in 2021.
Please indicate your preference by Sun 15th Dec at which point the majority view will carry the day …
Col