willridgard - Tumblr blog

willridgard · 5 years ago

Text

Bloat’s Boat...The Canal King!

It’s been two years since Bloat’s Boat Stag Do shenanigans: a four-day bender on a canal boat in Birmingham. We set sail with 12 enthusiastic, vibrant sailors, but only 6 exhausted, brave, jaded voyage conquerors returned to tell the tale.

Alongside his older brother’s jaunt to Newquay, it was probably one of the worst experiences of my life. I’m not even exaggerating. I was still a broken, muted, pathetic human being more than a week after the expedition finally finished. I generally thought I was never going to recover.

This is probably why this post has taken me so long to publish. I’ve been trying to forget this nightmare, but, as I’ve said previously, I’ll always write a little something from every Stag Do (others are available to read here: https://willridgard91.wordpress.com/) I venture on. So here goes...

The timeline of things I remember / highlights / low-lights

- Buying lots of survival essentials: endless amount of booze, pot noodles and ham in ASDA. Save Money. Live Better.

- Visiting a sparsely populated public house pre-boat. Dingy. Smelly. Dark. A sign of things to come.

- Wrighty insistent on buying a MEGABALL.

- Buying a MEGABALL. Red for Liverpool.

- Wrighty kicking the Megaball off the boat (many more to come) within seconds of stepping aboard.

- Bloat endearingly enduring a riveting 4-hour healthy and safety lecture from the boat police, while the rest of us patiently sank beers and played with the Megaball.

- Setting sail. Hooking up. Going into a pub. Getting kicked out of a pub.

- Birmingham dropping pints for fun in a family carvery: making our names on the river tarnished.

- Macey smashing down a litre of gin with no ill-effects like the superhero that he is.

- Picking up semi-pro footballer D Morph, fresh from an opening day win for his new club that his dedicated agent assisted with...

- Waking up because D Morph and Wrighty managed to get us stuck in the longest tunnel Birmingham has to offer at 3am - vowing to give up and go to bed.

- Continuously shouting ‘MORNING’ to runners / dog-walkers / all passers by.

- Suffering from sunburn while taking on the Hair of the Dog challenge. Wrighty hugging onto the MEGABALL for dear life.

ESCALATION

- Stag do goers inexplicably getting off the boat and going home. Au revoir.

- More people climbing off the boat and going home. See ya ‘en.

- Tappedy Tap Tap. My number is. 20+1. I went on a train from. Erm.

- Stu’s majestic projectile effort. Quite the spectacle.

- Progressively feeling it more and more. Tane and I really regretting going for it on the top deck in the morning.

- Some kind of spontaneous curry with more than £100 worth of shots?

- Wrighty walking us ‘home’, if only we could find the boat!

- Driving the boat terribly. Bashing the sides. Rosie & Jim would not approve.

- Bloat heroically rescuing the MEGABALL after yet another plod into the river. Rewarded with a bloody knee and some medical assistance in the form of a plaster smothered in Denmark’s finest.

- Raising eyebrows as the only form of communication 🤨.

- Sitting side on naturally after consumption.

- Dropping D Morph back off in preparation for his home debut at this new club. (How on earth did you manage that!?).

- Revisiting the infamous pub. Greeted with: ‘We don’t serve shots’.

- Wrighty accidentally (for once) rolling the Megaball into the river - and pilot Stu refusing to rescue it despite desperate pleas. Whole group devastated and in tears. RIP Megaball: Your innings lasted a lot longer than most.

- Final night compromised of 5 still-standing, swaying warriors. Four of which Fristonites + half-Friston blood Palmer. Those Fristonites are made of hard stuff.

- Bloat smashing down a cider insider in memory of those that couldn’t solider on with him. Wrighty chucking pork pie crumbs everywhere. Stu eating them.

- Birmingham’s coat mysteriously joining the Megaball in the river. He never came back on to get it...

- Dreading returning back to the boating HQ. Thinking of ways to drop the boat off undetected.

- Sat with our heads hung in shame on the bench eating ice cream as the boat brigade carried out inspections.

- Nodding nonchalantly as appalled bloke finishes off his debrief, issuing a hefty fine as we sat in silence like school children.

- Happily accepting the fine, moving on as quickly as possible and vowing never to return again.

So there you have it. I was genuinely still wobbling in the shower a week after getting off Bloat’s Boat. And I have no plans to return. The wedding? Well that’s another story...

#bloatsboat #canalboat #birmingham #stag #stagdo #neveragain #canal #thecanalking

0 notes

willridgard · 5 years ago

Text

Run, Forrest, Run!

July 3, 2017: 21 mins 29 seconds.

April 6, 2020: 25 mins 53 seconds.

The above times are my ‘personal best’ and ‘personal worst’ for running 5k. The latter achieved a little over a week ago. Quite a staggering difference, hey?

But, why? Why and how has this happened? The coronavirus pandemic has given me a) some motivation to start running again and b) some useful, much-needed reflection time. So here goes...

Dilemma

It’s fair to say that as I’ve got older, the body has got slower - as my 5k times justify! And, in my opinion, it’s true that there is a massive difference in how your body feels from your mid 20s to nearly 30. Sometimes, I think about ordering a zimmer frame for the days that follow after playing football matches!

But it is frustrating. Frustrating to finish a run more than four minutes behind your ‘personal best’. Frustrating to hit your ‘pb time’ and still have another km to go. Frustrating to know that you are trying your hardest and feel like you’re going backwards. And frustrating to start a run knowing you’re never likely to hit previous heights.

Hang on, I haven’t finished yet. It’s especially frustrating to see your friends (fit, lean bastards) still smashing sub 21 5ks - and people you think you’re fitter / quicker than comfortably beating your recent best efforts that you’ve bled, sweated, and cried for!

Natural processes

Age and ale (you can never stop working...) are probably the two biggest factors that have affected my body with regards to the completely natural process of putting on weight. I like to call it ‘filling out’. That sounds much better.

And when I think about it, it all adds up (if you’ll pardon the pun). In 2017, I was a slender, slight figure, which made it a lot easier to glide over the grass. Fast forward to 2020, and I’m now roughly 10 kilograms heavier. Quite a big difference. But one which I’m happy with as a) I was always too skinny growing up and b) I believe being bigger and stronger has helped me nail down my position on the football pitch.

I have always enjoyed running. From a young age, I was always ‘up there’ in terms of cross country, bleep tests, etc. My friends and I have also regularly and competitively participated at parkrun in summers gone by (mostly Kesgrave and Sizewell). One of which saw Dave King buy me a special, custom-made t-shirt after ‘finding a second wind’ and overtaking me on the Kesgrave straight to claim a famous victory! Rumour has it that a rematch is in order at some point...

My interest in running goes through phases though. Similar to reading I guess - which is something I’ve been doing a lot of in the current pandemic and something that is also really good for you, and really enjoyable once you get into it.

Motive

My main motive for running is to get fit for the football season. Pre-season / pre pre season: every footballers favourite time of year!

Of course, nobody quite knows when the 2020/21 non-league season will commence, but with everything that’s going on, we have no excuse not to be fully prepared for kick off!

When I think about the most successful seasons I’ve had - whether it be youth or adult football - they all have one thing in common: fitness. Being able to work hard and give 100% when fully fit makes a massive difference to your game!

The 4 Cs

In 2007/08, aged 17 / 18, I was extremely proud to win two Manager of the Year awards (Leiston U18s / Sky FC U18s). I think I played 65 games in total that year. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday matches. Consistent. Confident. Committed. Competitive. I absolutely loved it and felt brilliant.

Unfortunately for me, and in my opinion, it wasn’t until the 2017 / 2018 season when I next had a decent, full season. Some 10 years on! Where the bloody hell did that time go?

Adult life. That’s where! The paths that prevented me from really ‘giving it a go’ include: University (three years), suffering a broken ankle - that took a long time to get over physically and mentally - after uni, reporting on non-league football (four seasons) and living & working in America (18 months). I wasn’t in a position to be / have the 4 aforementioned ‘Cs’ every footballer strives for!

I’ve got to say that working at and playing in an ‘indoor’ sports facility in the US really got my fitness and confidence levels up. And after returning home in December 2016, I came back with the aim of using both on home turf!

After helping the mighty Leiston Orient win the Sunday Shield (what a day!) in May 2017, and having reported on hundreds and hundreds of non-league games (which was effing brilliant), I vowed to hop on the other side of the fence and reignite the playing career! I felt ready to play properly again and I felt like I was missing out by not playing. After all, one of my old work colleagues always said to ‘play as long as you can’...

The comeback

Having watched various non-league teams over the years, I always had a soft spot for Woodbridge Town, who were then playing in the Thurlow Nunn First Division. I spoke to the Woodbridge management team and went along to pre-season. God it was tough! But really enjoyable too. Circuits. Hill sprints. Stair climbs. The works! Unsurprisingly, this was during the time I got my 5k PB - and I was running that distance about three times a week on top of two gruelling training sessions and a friendly match.

I played quite a bit for Woodbridge (who would later go on to win a league/cup double) that pre-season and really enjoyed it - particularly under the guidance of Glenn Snell, one of the best coaches in Suffolk non-league football. If I’d have stayed, I might have occasionally got in the matchday squad, but I wanted to play week-in, week-out - something I did when Richardo Battletelli came in at Leiston St Margarets in the SIL Senior Division.

All teams considered, I think I made around 40 appearances in my first ‘proper season’ back, helping Saints perform the ‘Great Escape’. Looking back at it, I think I tried too hard to impress at times, leading to some erratic decision-making. It was a great learning curve though and I felt that I had a positive impact overall... One thing was for sure though, the fitness framework started at Woodbridge definitely reignited my hunger and passion to play.

I felt like I took this into 2018/19 with my current team Benhall. I played virtually every minute for a very competitive Benhall side in 2018/19. We should have finished higher than we did (eighth) having been in the top 5 most of the season, but I really felt like this was a season where I was on top of my game. A mixed, regular routine of an Airborne Fit workout (effing hard), squash, and regular training certainly helped... I thoroughly enjoyed it and all of the 4 Cs were back...

Lessons learnt

*Sighs*. 2019/20 was frustrating. I picked up a troublesome groin injury in April that hampered pretty much all of pre-season. I couldn’t jump, turn, sprint, use my left foot or shake it off. But I still played. Unfit and injured. I shouldn’t have been playing, but the team were struggling. Slowly, when I finally decided to not play and focused on getting right, we started picking results up again. It wasn’t until Xmas that I started hitting some form of fitness and form before the season was lost to us all from coronavirus in March.

Reflection time

Having this time off has allowed me to think. Do I still want it? How badly do I want it? Where do we go from here?

The answers are yes, desperately - and onwards! Now is a great time to reflect, put a plan into action, and to move forward. I miss football. I miss watching it. I miss talking about it. I miss reading about it. I miss the social side. But I miss playing the most.

Time doesn’t stand still. I’m bloody 30 next year! I need to make these next few years of football as memorable as possible. This coronavirus pandemic has given us motive and opportunity to do lots of things. For me, I’m going to try and use it to get my fitness levels as high as my body will allow me to. I know I’m unlikely to hit the dizzy heights of 2017 when it comes to running 5k, but I can try...

This reflection time has also made me appreciate those still playing in their 30s who are doing what’s necessary to keep in shape. You only get one body; Look after it!

The records

OK, my current ‘best run’ for 2020 is actually 24 mins 32 seconds - set today! I’m still adapting to the tough terrain of the bumpy Saxmundham / Kelsale / Carlton course set by Morpho - one of those still going round like a train!

I look forward to seeing plenty of people recording their runs on Strava, which must have record-breaking downloads at the minute! Look out for the heavy-footed runner with the strange running technique, not too dissimilar to Shefki Kuqi, bashing his way around with big elbows and big knees...

For the record, here are my ‘season’s best’ 5k times:

2017: 21 mins 29 secs

2018: 23 mins 10 secs

2019: 23 mins 55 secs

2020: 24 mins 32 secs

P.s. You should try the Joe Wicks workouts too! They’re brilliant. Hats off to Joe, and others running similar programmes, for keeping thousands of adults and children fit, healthy, busy and inspired! Stay home. Stay safe. Use your time wisely. And enjoy your permitted daily exercise!

#run #running #runningclub #coronavirus #pandemic #stayhome #staysafe #football #nonleague #forrestgump #runforrestrun #pb #review #reflection

0 notes

willridgard · 5 years ago

Text

Norwich pubs, beers and breweries: What’s not to love?

They often say that ‘you do anything for the people and things you love’.

For me. If I had to pick, I’d highlight football, my favourite Chinese takeaway, my girlfriend Poppy, former Ipswich Town striker Shefki Kuqi, and my Mediterranean tortoise named Coco as some of the most valuable things in my life. Not in that order I might add!

Oh. I almost forgot. Cask ale, often known as ‘real ale’ or ‘ale from the hand-pump’, is mostly certainly now in the upper reaches of that adorable list. You see, my taste buds have strayed from the mainstream lagers in the last few years, and cask ale is now known as my ‘new love’ that I seemingly can’t go anywhere without!

Especially on celebratory events like Valentine’s Day. Days full of laughter and fun and days to cherish and remember. Valentine’s Day 2020 was therefore spent trying to please, and spend valuable time with, the people and things that matter the most! OK, I’m not Superman, and didn’t manage to fit everyone / everything in, but I’d say that attending a Beer Festival with more than 60 ales to choose from was the perfect setting for Valentine’s Eve💖!

Of course, I didn’t go on this quest alone. If I had to guess some of Poppy’s ‘priority list’, I’d go for: exploration, visiting new places, sightseeing, culture, food, wine, socialising, travelling, shopping, talking, and Pickled Onion Monster Munch 👾. Hopefully I’d be somewhere in there too!

Norwich was the chosen location for our Valentine’s getaway. Norwich. Home of Colman’s Mustard. Home of The Cathedral. Home of The Canaries: Norwich City FC 🟡🟢. The Canaries. Oh how Ipswich used to beat them regularly and proudly perch as the ‘pride of East Anglia’. But such dreams are now a distant memory for many increasingly-poignant Ipswich fans like myself, and come to think of it, I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to cheer on the Tractor Boys 🚜 in another ‘Old Farm Derby’ again! Such is the current demise and perilous position of the boys in blue and white 🔵⚪.

But, “forget the football for once,” I told Poppy. It was time to explore a beautiful, cultural, vibrant and historic city blessed with an array of fantastic shops, market stalls, and of course pubs and breweries. Our getaway was planned at the very last minute – and Norwich was perfect for our plans and interests. I think the conversation in the car on the way to work on the Monday went something like ‘Shall we do something for Valentine’s Day this year?’ Four days later and we’re living our best life. After all, they often say: ‘Live in the moment’, ‘life is for laughing’, ‘treat yourself’ etc.

Talking of treats. Naturally, a treat = beer. The airport beer. The shower beer. The hotel balcony beer. The kitchen beer while she’s getting ready. The straight to the pub from work beer. The Sunday afternoon beer garden beer. The Friday before Christmas beer. There are so many great beers everywhere. Especially, in Norwich where a plethora of tasty, excellent beers are produced by Norfolk breweries and then sold in great numbers at various watering holes across the city.

One of which, the Georgian Townhouse, was where we were lucky enough to stay. With an excellent choice of boutique bedrooms and luxury apartments, the Georgian Townhouse offers a truly unique retreat in a glorious setting in the heart of the city – and I’d highly recommend it. Boasting a Roberts Revival digital radio 📻, a Smeg fridge and a Nespresso machine ☕ , we were in some kind of hotel heaven when we unpacked our bags. Blimey! Heaven turned into paradise when we saw the size of the humongous bath in the en-suite🛀. I thought about going swimming at one stage 🏊 !

But that’s not it. The fantastic Georgian Townhouse staff even presented us with two local beers from St Andrews Brewhouse – Wensum Ale, a best bitter, and Grocers Ghost Pale Ale (more on those later) – to sample on arrival. And with a small bottle of champagne, and a bunch of freshly picked, roaring red roses that definitely were not bought from Tesco (how did they even get there!?), the scene was set for a cracking couple of days!

And a cracking couple of days were had. Starting with dinner in the restaurant: Delicious roast chicken served with coleslaw, chips and salad. Just what the doctor ordered.

The service was also very good – and after scanning my QR code to record my visit on the CaskFinder App – significant interest in the App generated as some members of staff wanted to become ‘beer experts’ by vowing to learn all of the tasting-notes for the 10,000 beers on show! I opted to wash dinner down with two lovely pints of Woodforde’s Wherry. A beer that has grown on me in recent times, with its delicious citrus aftertaste going down very well indeed.

From here, we took the mutual decision to move onto The Trafford Arms for the Valentine Beer Festival! With Storm Ciara beginning her windy, wet warm up, and the choice of 60+ beers to look forward to, it’s fair to say that Poppy was not the most enthused on the chilly walk through the housing estates en route to The Trafford. In fact, I’d say she was uncharacteristically quiet. Which really is a rarity! But that soon changed as we entered the pub’s welcoming doors. Bingo! Their Cask Marque certificate greeted us at the door. After registering the visit on the CaskFinder App, it soon became apparent that we were to make this public house our home for the next few hours.

Of course, I’d done my research, and found that the Valentine Beer Festival was a popular annual, week-long event. With a huge variety of beers ranging in appearance and ABV%, as well as live music, what’s not to love about it really? So as Poppy sipped on her fruit-filled gin n’ tonic, I tested my taste buds. All while listening to the dulcet tones of The Rum Dogs, who, in their own words, perform ‘funky, folk music with humour and passion’.

If I had to pick a ‘beer of the night’, I’d go for Ampersand’s ‘On the wing’, a hop forward pale session ale brewed with oats and heaps of late Amarillo, Citra, Ekuanot & El Dorado hops. But I wasn’t alone in trying new beers. The pub had a very friendly, absorbing vibe about it, and it was great to see it packed full of drinkers – young, old, male and female – all testing their taste buds and indulging in some beautiful cask ales.

We were sad to leave The Trafford, armed with our packets of Salt & Vinegar crisps to detract our attention away from a strengthening Ciara, but will certainly aim to visit again. I believe the Beer Festival continued to be a hit – and, whisper it quietly, I think beers were being served at £2 a pint towards the end! We’ll definitely be back if that’s the case!

After a well-deserved sleep (this drinking business can be tiring), we went down to breakfast – the most important meal of the day. Apparently! We were not left disappointed. There was plenty of choice: from cereal and fruits to pastries and yoghurts to cooked meals, the menu was expansive – and partnered with excellent customer service. Personally, I opted for a few slices of cantaloupe melon – after demolishing a freshly-cooked Full English that smelt as good as it looked!

This set us up perfectly for the day’s activities, and, as avid believers of living life on the edge, we just immersed ourselves in the beautiful, windy Norwich lanes, streets, and marketplace. We bought a few birthday gifts (happy 23rd to my sister Ellie), and enjoyed our time stumbling across many a hidden gem – including Chef Ron’s Kitchen and Roman’s Juice Bar, who really sold us their appetising pizza slices🍕 and tasty smoothies🥤.

After eyeing up quirky rugs, lampshades, and other home essentials, we then fell upon FREE ping pong and table football inside Castle Quarter. Which was an absolute game-changer! Unfortunately, the table tennis was so popular that we didn’t have the patience to wait, so Poppy’s interest and undenied passion for ‘the beautiful game’ intensified even further when she challenged me to an encounter of table football. And, after a comically entertaining match, which saw the Ipswich Town Blues defeat a Norwich team, playing in their red away kit, 10-5, I fully expect our game to be shown first on Match of the Day this weekend. Shefki Kuqi top scored (there’s only one f in Shefki) with eight of Ipswich’s 10 goals. If only these dreams became a reality…

In all seriousness, both facilities are well-maintained and are cracking ideas. In a world being domineered by iPhones and other such technological advances, they offer a great opportunity for family members and friends to enjoy one another’s company – and with a competitive element thrown in too. Hey, I won lunch! Wake me up, I’m dreaming again… Talking of lunch, once our match, which included full-match commentary, much to the amusement of several passers-by, reached its conclusion, the quest for good food and drink was on. In my book, the clock striking 1pm means only one thing: beer time! As we all know, shopping can be tiring and can work up an appetite so it was imperative we found a place that could satisfy our bodies and minds.

Step forward, St Andrews Brewhouse! It’s easy to see why this brewery-turned-pub is regarded as one of the best food and drink establishments in Norwich. Home to their very own microbrewery, which produce some amazing beers, St Andrews Brewhouse is a real favourite among Norwich folk with their popular restaurant, bar area, and functions room nearly always fully populated.

See it for yourself here:

youtube

In my opinion, one of the best things about pubs is the range of people they attract. People-watching is also a proven, favourite past-time of the human race! The guy sitting by the window at St Andrews Brewhouse with just a book and a beer for company looked like he was having a great time. As did the three suitcase-carrying friends hungry for a good meal after landing from their holidays. Of course, Poppy and I were probably seen by others as ‘the Valentines’ – enjoying one another’s company, alongside the superb Macaroni Cheese and two pints of lovely Wensum Ale – a best bitter with a sweet, malty and fruity finish. Spot on.

And, as we made our way out, hand-in-hand, looking for the next stop in our exciting jaunt, Poppy declared that ‘the St Andrews Brewhouse is one of the best pubs I’ve been in; I loved it’. And I’d have to agree. Good food. Good beer. Good times. It’s simply a must-visit! Add it to your Norwich bucket list!

It was then by complete accident, that after crossing the bridge on St Georges Street, that we found the Playhouse Bar! Again, Miss Brown wasn’t overly keen when I suggested that we gave it a look as ‘it’s different’. But, again, her opinion quickly changed when we set foot inside! The adjectives quirky, funky, and mesmerising are ones I’d used to describe a unique bar setting and atmosphere! Playhouse Bar’s ceiling is a colourful collection of artworks portraying a city scape.

The project was started in 2011 by members of bar staff, many of whom are former art students. Art was probably my worst subject at school, but I had a serious case of ‘ceilingopolis’! We couldn’t help but stare at the ceiling – and managed to find The Olympic Stadium, an IKEA and Jurassic Park – to name but a few places of interest on top of us. It’s certainly very interesting and worth a visit. The sucker fish was entertaining too. I wonder what he’s seen – and forgotten – in his lifetime. In all honesty, we could’ve stayed people and ceiling-watching for hours…

It was at the Ribs of Beef where our journey ended – obviously after taking some selfies and photo-bombing one another first.

I opted to try a trio of tasty local beers to round up – and was not left disappointed with some fruitful tasting beers from Lacons, Wolf and Moon Gazer Ales cleansing the palette perfectly. Norfolk is the home of these fine breweries – and it was fantastic to see each of the pubs I visited support local breweries.

That’s the thing. Norwich really is a community of beers, breweries, and pubs. Partnerships between all will certainly heighten in May, when the 10th Norwich City of Ale Festival officially opens. An 11-day celebration of some of Norwich’s finest pubs, and the region’s excellent brewers, City of Ale 2020 promises to be packed with Ale Trails and fun events to keep consumers entertained. I really can’t wait for it to begin! Thursday, May 21 to Sunday, May 31. Save the dates! Plan the action! Come and see what Norwich has to offer.

With a handful of the 45 pubs involved in City of Ale also being Cask Marque accredited, they appear on the CaskFinder App’s ‘World’s Biggest Ale Trail’. May 2020 seems the perfect time to tick off a few pubs yet to visit and a few beers yet to try! The never-ending, full-of-fun, beer adventure just keeps continuing…

0 notes

willridgard · 5 years ago

Text

Adnams - What a story!

Give the gift of the perfect present

Buying gifts for loved ones often comes with its challenges.

Christmas presents. Birthday presents. Valentine’s Day treats. Mother and Father’s Day gifts. It can be hard to decide what to buy. And stressful, laborious, and expensive.

I mean, we’ve all been there haven’t we? Wrong style. Wrong colour. Wrong size. No warranty. No refunds. And while vouchers can be seen as boring and too safe, we can easily insult and upset the ones we care about by not putting enough thought or effort in.

Good presents in my opinion are ones that are appreciated, ones that excite, and ones that offer things to look forward to.

People like adventure, challenge, and experience… Step forward, the Adnams Brewery Tour!

If you have an interest in beer (who doesn’t?), I highly recommend booking up this gem of a gift. Which is exactly what I did for my old chap.

Maturing taste buds and award-winning beers

The change in my taste buds, from lager to ‘real ale’, has been duly noted by my dad – and in recent years, we have spent many an evening together sipping on Adnams’ award-winning beers. And while Broadside tops the tasting palette for him, it’s Ghost Ship for me – but there are plenty of other tasty beers that also tickle our fancy. Mosaic. Ease Up. Bitter. Lighthouse. Explorer. Blackshore Stout. Dry Hop. And even the more exotic choices in Earl Grey and Cucumelon Sour. We’ve sampled a fair few…

At the end of the day, I suppose we are just a couple of ol’ Suffolk boys that love drinking quality beer now and again! And so, the Brewery Tour was the perfect, ultimate Christmas gift. ‘Sunday Funday in Southwold’ we called it. Caw’d a Hell buh, the missus came along as well: the more the merrier!

Our excellent tour guide, Rob Denny, was absolutely superb throughout. He made us feel very welcome from the start, answered all questions thrown at him, and also held a popular taster session that everyone enjoyed at the end!

Brewing liquor, tasty samples, and growing beer in coat pockets!

One of the first things Rob asked us was ‘Which four main ingredients make up beer?’ ‘Water,’ answered one enthusiastic tour goer. ‘Correct,’ Rob replied. ‘More commonly known as brewing liquor in the industry.’ I liked that reply. Can’t beat a good bit of brewing liquor! Yeast, malted barley, and hops are the other three answers as he talked us through the interesting brewing process (more on that later).

Good Tours include interaction – and samples. And we were lucky enough to experience both at Adnams. Adnams work closely with a number of local maltsters and we got the chance to taste some of the malt used to make some of our favourite beers. Handfuls of rye and pale ale malt were very tasty indeed – but just a word of warning, if you’re not a coffee drinker / fan, do not get overexcited (like I did) when you hear the word ‘chocolate’ being briefed! I slightly overpoured my take, much to the amusement of Poppy, and had to sneak several grains into my coat pocket! Sorry, Rob!

Ghost Ship: a spooky tale or two!

As we moved through the Tour, taking in the sights and smells of the Mash Tun, the Whirlpool and the Fermentation Vessels, we learned that Ghost Ship, Adnams’ best selling beer and biggest commercial winner, was originally only meant to be a three-month trial! Thankfully, this decision was reviewed after the ‘hauntingly good pale ale’ proved hugely popular after its release in Halloween 2010 – and it now proudly leads the line in a number of Adnams pubs up and down the country. Life without Ghost Ship would be simply unthinkable! Now just to get Spindrift and Early Grey back on keg…

Rob also gave us the chance to smell some of the hops, which add delicious, unique flavours and aromas to the beer during the brewing process. Intense citrus aromas wafted through the air as we put our noses to ‘Citra’ – one of the most sought after hops in the brewing industry. Rumour has it that Citra made its way over to the UK, from the US, via Adnams’ Ghost Ship – such is the extreme power of citrus given off!

Citra is also used in Ghost Ship 0.5%. Zero to low percentage beers are proving mightily popular in an ever-growing market. In fact, Adnams recently had to double its production of the low alcohol Ghost Ship. And I must say I’m impressed – the same great taste is produced, but there’s the added bonus of waking up without the hangover the next day too...They offer the perfect solution to driving as well!

The contrast and challenge of ABV

At the other end of the ABV scale is Broadside – Adnams’ dark ruby red beer which takes its name from the famous ‘Battle of Sole Bay’ sea battle in 1672. Boasting rich and malty fruitcake flavours, Broadside is brewed differently in cask (4.7%) from bottles (6.3%) because of two main reasons: price and ABV. Generally speaking, the higher the ABV, the more expensive the beer will be in the pub. Adnams have therefore adapted the recipe to make it more ‘sellable’ in pubs. It’s also very rare to see high percentage beers in pubs – as they must be consumed very carefully! Makes sense, right?

Adnams all over the world!

One thing I was surprised at was the size of the brewery. I thought it would have been bigger seeing as how rapidly the Adnams name and brand is growing locally, nationally and worldwide! Not only do they own 44 pubs, inns and hotels, they also work closely with 1,000 free trades pubs and bars in East Anglia and 4,000 pubs nationally. They also export to more than 22 countries around the world, with their beers available to try in Abu Dhabi, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, Sweden, and USA. Look out for them the next time you’re on your travels!

Being Southwold and proud: a sign of success

All things considered, Adnams are doing a sterling job. It’s been reported that their turnover is in excess of £80m a year and they produce more than 34 million pints of beer and 250,000 bottles of spirits per annum – an extraordinary number seeing as they only brew and distill during the week.

They are also extremely proud of their Southwold roots – and this video perfectly highlights what they are all about and what they are looking to achieve moving forward:

youtube

Southwold is a beautiful seaside town in the heart of Suffolk, blessed with a beautiful sandy beach and a promenade of colourful beach-huts. It’s a very attractive and desirable place to live - and brew beer! The first beer produced on site was apparently in 1345 – nearly 700 years ago! It was in 1872 that Adnams was founded. Brothers George and Ernest Adnams bought the brewery from Sole Bay and to this day, alongside the Loftus family, who joined the business in 1802, it remains an independent family business. Current chairman, Jonathan Adnams OBE, has had a massive impact in driving the company forward in terms of innovation and sustainability: two elements Adnams look set to focus on in the future.

And while there’s no doubting that the Adnams story is a resounding success, things haven’t always been straightforward…

From cranky crocodiles to ‘the beast from the yeast’

Rumour has it that George was eaten by a crocodile in 1880 after moving to South Africa. 140 years on and we’re still waiting for a snappy beer to be released in his memory…

More recently, an overflow in the fermentation vessel meant that yeast escaped its home and started chasing employees down the stairs! How we giggled when Rob told us that story. But brewing is like a scientific experiment I suppose – and it was also fascinating to hear of brewers throwing in malted loafs of bread to the mix. Trying different things to produce more great beers.

It is also the second most easterly UK brewery. Lowestoft-based Green Jack hold that prestigious award – and I can confirm, from testing a few samples in The Engineers Arms, Leiston, that both Gone Fishing and Trawlerboys Best Bitter are two exceptional drops worth trying!

A rum owd dew!

The beer sampling after the Tour was a joy to behold. Rob was a fantastic host and there was a great variety of scrumptious beers to sample. Cask. Keg. Cans. Bottles.

Of course, there was still time to (literally) sprint to the shop before it closed. Which is also very impressive. Boasting an array of their beers, spirits, and wines – as well as other merchandise, Adnams now have 13 retail stores in the UK. These are mainly based in Suffolk coastal towns – and I couldn’t help but purchase an inviting six-pack of award-winning beers for a very reasonable £10. Heck! We even received a free bottle of our choice as part of the Tour as well. After trying it for the first time with Rob’s guidance, I opted for a Blackshore Stout to go alongside my six-pack!

There was even time to visit The Lord Nelson. Situated close to the seafront, ‘The Nelson’ is just one of several fantastic, bustling pubs serving Adnams’ award-winning beers, wines, and spirits. Happy days.

All in all, we had a wonderful time, and in my opinion, the Tour is well worth the £20. Thank you Rob and thank you Adnams. Book it up. Now! By visiting: https://www.adnams.co.uk/experiences/1

What’s next for Adnams? Well, rumour has it that collaborative brews are in the pipeline, alongside celebrations to mark the 10-year anniversary of the Copper House Distillery, which has now won more than 100 awards. We might have to take up the offer of visiting again soon. Adnams. What a story.

0 notes

willridgard · 5 years ago

Text

Beer tasting: One of the best jobs in the world

Tasting beer for a living has to be one of Britain’s best jobs.

Getting paid to sample and test beer really fits the ‘living the dream’ stereotype.

I was recently lucky enough to follow in the footsteps of a Cask Marque assessor – who does exactly that. All while making sure while licensees and publicans across the country are selling the best beer possible to thirsty customers.

OK. We didn’t just booze our way through a host of Suffolk pubs. In fact, I’d say we didn’t even consume three quarters of a pint over the course of the day. But it was equally fun, interesting and educational as I experienced first-hand what well-kept, conditioned, quality cask ale should smell, taste and look like.

Driving beer and ale quality is one of Cask Marque’s main aims. There are around 10,000 Cask Marque accredited outlets in the UK – which are all part of the World’s Biggest Ale Trail. Most of these are pubs, but there are also a plethora of hotels, bars, and holiday parks. A quick search on the CaskFinder App’s interactive map – and you’ll be overawed with options that serve a good quality pint, especially in bustling cities like London and Manchester.

But I live in Saxmundham – a small, historic town around 30 minutes’ drive away from Ipswich. And so, Ipswich, via a spontaneous trip to the beach of Felixstowe, was the chosen location on a day I labelled as ‘learning about beer’ in my diary.

Our plan was to audit four pubs – and hopefully award them enough marks to retain their Cask Marque status. Pubs undergo two independent quality checks per year: one in the summer, one in the winter.

Before I reveal our pathway for the day, the below information might give you some more context into the background of the challenge – and beauty - that is cask ale, alongside the assessment process.

What is cask ale?

Cask ale is a fresh and unpasteurised product which needs conditioning when it’s delivered into pub cellars. I.e. the flavours of the ale are developed when the cask is vented and tapped in the cellar. Cask ale is made from four ingredients - water, malted barley, hops and yeast: it has a very short shelf life and should be sold within three days of being putting ‘on’. It is otherwise known as ‘real ale’ or ‘hand-pump ale’.

Why is cask ale unique?

Cask ale cannot be bought in a shop (although you can buy bottle versions). It is stored – and conditioned while on sale - in a cask (think barrel), which is what makes it taste so good and fresh when it’s served in a pub!

What’s the difference between ale and lager?

Lagers, i.e. keg beers, are usually pasteurised and sterile filtered (so they don’t contain any live yeast). They are ready to be served when delivered to pubs – and usually have a longer shelf life. However, cask ale is fermented twice. Once at the brewery and once at the cellar of the pub, so it’s not ready to serve straightaway. It has to be vented, tapped and conditioned during its sale.

Cask ale does not have as much fizz as lager as it doesn’t include any added gas. A light sparkle of carbon dioxide is produced naturally during conditioning – but once the beer goes on sale, it is exposed to air, which is why looking after cask is really important.

What do pubs have to do to look after cask?

Lots. The pubs which sell the best / most cask ale often have members of staff who have knowledge of, a passion for, and a sense of responsibility for it.

The temperature of the cellar where the cask is stored in critical to how the beer behaves. If it’s too cold, it’ll be slow to condition and could appear too cloudy. If it’s too warm, it’ll go off quickly and pick up unwanted aromas and flavours. There’s nothing worse than warm beer! Cellars should be set to a cool 11 to 13 degrees and the doors should be kept closed to prevent any unwanted, warm air from entering.

Cask ale should always be put to bed. The tap should be turned off and a hard plug should be placed in the shive, so no air goes in overnight. The process works very similarly to when you open up a bottle of coke: to preserve the quality of the taste, you screw the lid back on as tightly as possible. Makes sense, right?

Beer lines should be cleaned every seven days – and the cask should be stored in a clean, organised environment.

Doing all of the above will help maintain the quality and life of cask ale – leading to happy customers, more sales and higher profits.

What temperature should good quality ale be stored and served at?

11 to 13 degrees is the target temperature which 95% of drinkers approve of. 10 and 14 degrees are also acceptable and deemed as a Cask Marque pass. Temperature is controlled and maintained using an ale python, which must be switched on and topped up with water regularly.

Lager is best served between 2 and 8 degrees, although it may be served extra cold at 0 degrees.

And what should it look, taste and smell like?

Well-conditioned ale should appear sparkling bright and completely clear. The aroma and taste should be appetising, fresh and non-tainted.

How do Cask Marque assessors test pubs for quality?

To pass and gain retain their Cask Marque status, pubs must score at least 16 marks from the Cask Marque assessors’ visit. Pubs are marked out of 20: 5 marks each for the appearance, aroma, taste, and temperature of their ales. They test the:

- Temperature by thermometer: Assessors will test a pint of all the cask ales on sale, using a calibrated thermometer

- Appearance by holding the beer up to the light: To check the clarity. Points are deducted the hazier the beer is. Cloudy beer is a fail, unless brewed specifically in this style.

- Aroma by smelling the beer: Any unwanted smells will raise concern. ‘Off’ beer will often have vinegar / acidic aromas.

- Taste by testing the beer: Saving the best until last! A good sip should entice the taster for another…and another…

And that’s how a Cask Marque audit works. In that order. The last thing assessors are rewarded with is a sip of one of the most satisfying drinks in the world…when well looked after! Valuable advice is given throughout – to improve standards and practice, making sure customers are getting the most for their money.

Can pubs fail?

If there’s a failure, guidance is often given on site to make sure the pub passes the next time around. Assessors will often give pubs a couple of weeks to get things right before going back and repeating the assessment.

The most common cause of failure is that too many beers have been on sale for too long. Remember that each cask needs looking after, so the more cask there is, the more care is needed to ensure it’s being served exactly right.

One more thing

The Water-break Test. Assessors test for glass cleanliness. The ultimate beer glass should be clean, cold, and dry. Glasses should be washed using washing detergent and washed separately from dishes and cups, while the tea-towels to dry should also be laundered separately.

Our Beer Journey

I must confess that I felt a bit like the beer police at times. Audits are not pre-organised – and assessors can just turn up out of the blue. But licensees and pubs know the rules. And so, armed with our thermometers, cameras, CaskFinder Apps, and notepads to hand, here is the route we took…

Stop 1: The Golf Hotel, Foxhall Road, Ipswich (IP4 5TR):

Stop 2: The Fludyers Arms, Undercliff Road East, Felixstowe (IP11 7LU):

Stop 3: The Cock & Pye, Upper Brook Street, Ipswich (IP4 1EG):

Stop 4: The Black Horse, Black Horse Lane, Ipswich (IP1 2EF):

Opening hour complications at stop 4 meant our beer journey took a slight diversion as we visited the Dove Street Inn, Ipswich (IP4 2LA), a Cask Marque pub who have their own brewery and regularly have around 17 cask ale pumps on at one time. Impressive!

The results

It was very pleasing that the three pubs we audited all passed – leading to happy publicans and customers! We were also spoilt for choice at The Dove Inn too: a very popular establishment among cask ale drinkers.

All in all, Cask Marque have around 50 qualified assessors testing and tasting pubs’ quality of ale up and down the country. They are often former brewers still interested in the beer industry. I might have to start taking my thermometer to the pub from now on…

Thanks to the pubs who allowed us to test their beer quality. Thanks to the pubs who serve good quality ale - and thanks to you for drinking cask and for reading!

For more information on all things cask ale, visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAXJmZYrvJ-sGO5HFFnJf7w

If you’d like further information on the ‘Cask Marque visit’, click here: https://cask-marque.co.uk/happens-cask-marque-visit-2/

If your pub is interested in – and looking to get Cask Marque accredited, visit: https://cask-marque.co.uk/join/

To download the CaskFinder App, visit: https://cask-marque.co.uk/cask-finder/

#beer #cask #caskale #beertasting #caskmarque #bestjobs #worldsbestjobs #caskfinder #beertaster #worldsbiggestaletrail #ipswich #suffolk #suffolkpubs #felixstowe #goodbeer #lovebeer #lovecask #caskforever

0 notes

willridgard · 6 years ago

Text

Ghost Ship Way 👻🚢

As I said in a recent blog post, Ale Trails are fashionable. I therefore thought it’d be best to try another one, albeit slightly different to the last! With injury ruling me out of weekend football for a while, I thought ‘why not treat the better half for a mini-break on the stunning North Norfolk coast’? Obviously, and this was a discussion we had beforehand, the best possible way to enjoy our time together was by trawling through seven different pubs and trying a different ale in each!

That’s the good thing about Ale Trails. They’re versatile. You can do them wherever and with whoever you like: friends, family, loved ones, and even pet tortoises who originate from the Mediterranean! (My tortoise Coco will be fully immersed in them when she gets a bit older. She’s only just turned 2 bless her). My better half loves exploration, adventure and going to new places so was naturally delighted at the idea; she actually planned the trip via and after downloading the CaskFinder App. I know. What a woman. I got lucky.

Overall, we enjoyed good food, good beer and good company throughout; three elements every good weekend should include!

Of course, I didn’t get it all my own way and there had to be some compromise. The ol’ bank account took a slight roasting and it wasn’t just pubs we visited...(There’s a very nice craft shop in Old Hunstanton I’d advise looking in).

Although, on the Saturday, we had very little alternative but to spend all day in the pub due to the continuous downpour that, try as it might, failed to dampen our spirits. A blazing fire, a pint of Britain’s favourite drink, and numerous packets of crisps and peanuts - what more could you want!?

As part of CaskFinder App’s World’s Biggest Ale Trail, we decided to explore a section of the Adnams sponsored ‘Ghost Ship Way’ Ale Trail.

And despite being disappointed by the lack of Suffolk’s finest ale on show, it was good to see so many local brewers (Woodforde’s, Brancaster, and Mauldons) supporting their local pubs (and vice-versa). Here’s the route we took armed with our CaskFinder App maps and scanners…

Stop 1: The Ancient Mariner Inn (Old Hunstanton, PE36 6JJ). Very impressive, warm and homely - just what you need after a rain-sodden two-hour trip! Plenty of beer selection. Opted for a pint of Fullers’ Seafarers: a refreshing, fruity bitter. Pub’s Halloween decorations inspired the generation of our Halloween Housewarming ideas (which we hosted the following weekend)! Mwahaha.

Stop 2: The Lodge Inn (Old Hunstanton, PE36 6HS). Different vibe. Very modern. Very hotel. Cool (in both sense of the word) own ale: The Lodge Inn Finest Ale. There seems to be plenty of competition up there in terms of hotel-cum-pubs and the production of their own ales.

* Sleepover at the King William IV Country Inn, Sedgeford: very good service, dinner, breakfast, beer, wine, price and accommodation. Highly recommend to all.

* Holme beach: a beautiful setting for a Sunday morning stroll. Tide out. Sun glistening. Squelchy sand. Blustery winds. Wrapped in hats, scarves and coats. Very Autumnal. Managed to avoid stray golf balls from the Old Hunstanton course, too...#fore

Stop 3 (via the above *s): The Lifeboat Inn (Thornham, PE36 6LT). Very old school and very dark, with the only source of light and warmth coming from the fiercely burning fire. Ideal opportunity to put the feet up with half a pint of Woodforde’s flavourful Once Bittern. Could have quite easily stayed longer, but the trail must go on...

Stop 4: The Orange Tree (Thornham, PE36 6LY). Pricey! Lots of oranges. Busy member of staff showed good knowledge on ale choices. Tried another one of those pub / hotel produced ales...Unsurprisingly orange.

Stop 5: The Briarfields Hotel (Titchwell, PE31 8BB). Limited Norfolk phone signal makes for a quite a fun mission! Big car park. Classic hotel. Another one of those ales. Quick pit stop. Stomachs starting to rumble. Sunday Roast calling, but elsewhere...

Stop 6: The Ship Hotel (Brancaster, PE31 8AP). Superb half of Brancaster Best. Certain staff not so superb. After rejecting three elderly customers the offer of food, rude, dismissive northern member of staff gave us the same service. Didn’t sit well when that offer was revamped. We’ll pay our £2.05 and be gone! Cheers.

Stop 7: The Sculthorpe Mill (Fakenham, NR21 9QG). Stomachs well and truly rumbling now! Opted to break the journey home up. Talk about stumbling across a hidden gem. Beautiful moss-filled lake. Good food. Cosy environment. Friendly staff. Even treated myself to a whole pint of Ruddles Best packed with soft, fruit aromas. Trail over (for now). Home time!

It was a fantastic weekend, but with my beer head on, it’s fair to say that this trail provided plenty of challenges...

If it wasn’t the impractical placement of Cask Marque certificates (to scan the QR code and register the pub visit), it was the limited phone signal which was near impossible to obtain! Fortunately, most pubs had accessible WiFi to save the day!

And if it wasn’t the wet weather, it was the distance between each pub which makes ‘Ghost Ship Way’ an extremely difficult - and perhaps unappealing - trail to complete. While exploring our short section of aforementioned pubs, we had to drive to virtually every destination. And with more than 30 pubs on the trail that spread across the best part of 70 miles from Heacham to Gorleston, I doubt there are many ale trailers who have completed the trail! P.s. When I say ‘we’, in regards to driving, that doesn’t include me...

However, we love a challenge and this weekend was absolutely superb. I’m up to 20 scans now: only another 3,500+ to go until I venture onto the World’s Biggest Ale Trail leader board! The better half also managed to get her first two scans: I’m sure she’s cherishing those and will actively attempt to catch me up.

Good weekends are all about exploration and adventure. New pubs. New beers. Same loved ones. Rumour has it another trip is in the pipeline soon. Maybe Coco will join us on the crawl this time…

Top three pubs of the weekend:

1. The Ancient Mariner Inn, Old Hunstanton, PE36 6JJ

2. The Lifeboat Inn, Thornham, PE36 6LT

3. The Sculthorpe Mill, Fakenham, NR21 9QG

Top three beers of the weekend:

1.Fullers’ Seafarers

2. Brancaster Brewery’s Brancaster Best

3. Briarfields Ale

Reminder: The seven step guide to a good Ale Trail

1. Download the CaskFinder App and register on the World’s Biggest Ale Trail

2. Tell your friends / family / pets to do the same

3. Find and explore different ales and pubs

4. Scan QR cods to build up your tally and win prizes

5. Read up on beers and give out star ratings

6. Make memories. Take photos. Have a blast!

7. Repeat!

#beer #ale #aletrail #caskale #pubs #northnorfolk #ghostship #norfolkpubs #caskfinder #weekends #weekendsaway #norfolk #best things to do

0 notes

willridgard · 6 years ago

Text

The A to Z life of a teacher 👨‍🏫

Who’d be a teacher? Me apparently! As many of you know, I’ve recently turned my hand to beer PR and I’m absolutely loving it. But did I really teach English at High School for more than two years? Apparently so! Let’s see what I can recall in my rather random, but carefully-selected A to Z list...

Authority - It’s hard to get, and it can be daunting (especially with students you do not know or teach) but it comes with experience, respect and confidence - which all grow in time 😀.

Behaviour - Cited as the biggest factor that puts people off teaching! It’s difficult. One minute you can control the class brilliantly and everyone’s on task. The next you want the floor to cave in from beneath you. Every teacher’s expectations are different. Every learning environment is different. Different students react and behave differently across lessons - for different reasons. I found dealing with behaviour a challenge, and there were some horrible moments, but because I was quite personable and likable (I think), I got on with the majority of my students and there weren’t too many major incidents... For me, the student-teacher relationship is the biggest and most important factor in the classroom. If kids like and respect you, you’re halfway there 👍...

Clubs - Everyone loves Chess! OK, so EN1 didn’t quite replicate the epic setting for Ron Weasley’s majestic moves in The Philosopher’s Stone, but Mr. Ridgard’s Tuesday lunchtime club was pretty popular. Having played a fair bit at school myself (usually during the winter months as I gave my magnificent mother a rest from washing my mud-stained trousers), I decided to set a weekly club up. Students loved it: we had 50 avid chess players at one stage (OK, it was a wet lunch...). Chess is therapeutic and teaches children the important skills of decision making, making sacrifices, strategic planning, and thinking ahead. One of my most proudest moments was seeing two pupils deciding to play chess on the field during Sports Day - in 30 degree heat! Chess is cool ♟.

Detentions - They’re hassle. Teachers often don’t want to host them and students certainly don’t want to go to them! But sometimes they’re a must and can help both teacher and student in the long run, as long as they’re consistent 😬...

Exhaustion - Teaching is a 24 hour job. I was pretty much shattered all of the time. There’s no respite. Here’s your typical day...Wake up early. Travel to work in good time while roads are quiet. Battle the buses trying to park. Try and eat something during morning meeting. 20-minute registration time with form. Teach Period 2 (1 hour 15 min lessons). Scoff down a biscuit during break-time duty (20 minutes). Teach back-to-back lessons during Periods 3 and 4 (2 hours 30 minutes). Lunch-time duty / host detention / club (35 minutes). Teach Period 5 (1 hour 15 minutes). Bus duty. Wave bye to students. Mark all their work. Endure after-school meeting. Travel home during rush hour. Unpack. Plan all lessons for the next day. Try and cook/eat something. Try and talk to the better half. Try and sleep. Repeat. TV? What’s that? Weekends? What are they? This typical day is without Parents’ Evenings and extra-curricular activities thrown into the mix too 😴...

Fun lessons - Purposeful, but fun. That’s my motto. I’ve sat in classes bored out of my mind before. Nobody likes that. Make it purposeful, but fun - the best way to learn for everybody. Kahoot - an interactive quiz is competitive and a lot of fun. Guess who, Charades, and Inspector Cool are just three examples of fun activities to have surfaced on a regular basis in EN1. Ridgard’s classes had a lot of fun, if the class deserved it 🥳...

Get-ups - ‘Get-ups’ i.e. the number of times you have got to get-up before half-term arrives. Small things certainly pull you through the days, weeks, months ⏰...

Homework - The age old debate. It can cause havoc, anxiety and confusion at home and more marking for teachers! Consistent homework set and marked with expectations explained and understood works. Otherwise, it struggles. Once children reach a certain age, maybe it should be optional with incentives given to those who do it well? The ‘challenge’ option is certainly still there that way. There’s no doubt it can benefit / consolidate learning though 📚...

Illness - Germs spread like anything in schools! It’s a revolving, revolting circle. Summer colds. Autumn colds. Winter colds. Spring colds! Cough. Splutter. Drip. Sneeze. Blow. The immune system is certainly under constant surveillance 🤧.

July - Every teacher’s favourite month! It goes quickly though ☀️ ...

Kids - There are some characters! Some make you proud. Some make you laugh. Some make you cry. Some infuriate you. There’s a real mix and that’s what makes teaching a job like no other 👨‍🏫 .

Lesson planning - One of the most long-winded things ever. You’d think that you could plan a good lesson in about 15, 20 minutes? WRONG! A good lesson can take more than an hour to plan. There are so many things to consider. It’s not just a case of telling the students to ‘sit down and get on with it’ or just to ‘give them another worksheet’. It doesn’t work like that. Every last detail has to be considered. What are the lesson’s objectives? What did the class cover last lesson? How can we build on that learning? What questions am I going to ask? Who am I going to ask? What questions do I want them to ask? How am I going to stimulate their learning? How am I going to keep them on task? How am I going to keep them busy? Will they understand the work? What extension tasks do I have? Are there varying layers of challenge? What if somebody finishes early? What do I want to them to have achieved at the end of the lesson? Have I set them homework? All of these questions - and things to consider - don’t even mention that big word, which is behaviour...! I found that variety worked for me: reading, writing, and something visual - oh, and of course, fun but purposeful activities 🤗.

Marking - Another long-winded part of the job! It can take months. And that’s just a set of books! There’s no doubt that marking is at its worst for English teachers. I spent weekend after weekend fighting my way through hundreds of fictional stories and Macbeth essays - to name a few! It’s difficult content to mark too (especially if you have some hard-working, intelligent students who decide to write page and page). In English, there’s no box ticking - or, to a certain extent, right or wrong answer - you have to concentrate and constantly compare and contrast answers to decide on the most accurate mark possible. Sometimes you don’t mind picking up the odd paper where the student has decided not to try and has instead elected to draw a massive penis 🍆...

Newspaper day - Some lucky (and talented) Year 8 students got to experience two newspaper days under my command! Following my five-year spell as a sports reporter, I decided to challenge the group by asking them to make a school newspaper in a day! The students got their teeth stuck in by thinking of and writing news stories, working together as a team of journalists, and interviewing teachers! This was followed up by an outing to The Guardian Newspaper in London - a day full of inspiration and creativity. #ProudTeacherMoment. 📰.

Observations - My god these are nerve-racking. Alongside an extensive lesson plan (see earlier bullet point), there’s so much paperwork to prepare. More paperwork than sense! Student data. Current grades. Projected grades. KS2 scores. Student progress. Student attitude to learning. Seating plans. All related, of course, to the good old Teaching Standards. As a Trainee teacher, observations are weekly! As an NQT, these are six times a year. Being judged is hard! It can be hard, awkward and uncomfortable 😨.

Politics - There are some game players! And teaching can be one big game that you sometimes need to move pieces in. It’s fun to watch. Chess is cool 😎 .

Questioning - The most important thing is to never stop questioning. Did you read the lesson planning bullet point ⁉️

Respect - Everything in the classroom is built on respect. It works both ways ✊.

Sir - Sounds very formal, but less so when 30 screaming Year 7s all want your attention at the same time...🤯

Time - There’s never enough. Bring back Bernard’s Watch. ⏱.

Uniform - Another old age debate. Why bother with ties when students are going to purposefully draw on them, wear them scruffily, or use them inappropriately? Why bother with smart shirts when students aren’t going to tuck them in? No ties. Polo shirts all the way. School shoes is another story...👔.

Variety - I think the term ‘variety’ goes hand in hand with all elements of teaching and the purpose of this blog post 😇.

Winging it - An essential teaching practice especially if the whole lesson planning and preparation thing hasn’t had much input after a long night / tiring term... Also comes in handy when students ask questions the teacher doesn’t know the answer too! 🙃.

Xerox - Aka the photocopying machine. The teacher’s favourite - and least favourite - gadget. It messes up. It runs out of paper. And everyone fights for it! But it can save the day. 🦸‍♂️ .

Yes - ‘Yes Sir’. ‘No Sir’. As I said, variety is key🔑...

Zoos - Can easily be compared to classrooms! 🐒 🐯 🦁 🐧🦒 🐘 🦏 🦉🦇🦅🐺🐌🦋🕷🦂🐢🐍🦎🐟🐋🦓🦍🐊

So that’s it. Did I enjoy teaching? Sometimes. Do I miss it? No. There’s too much to do, in my opinion. I miss some of the students though.

To summarise, teaching is a 24-hour job that never stops. Fair play to the ones who do it well! To be a good teacher, you’ve got to be brave, committed, always on the go, energetic, thoughtful, in control, calm, organised, firm, fair, knowledgeable, understanding, confident, flexible, respectful, purposeful, challenging, and a bloody miracle worker every single second of every single day. Have a go if you think you’re hard enough!

Of course, all of the above is my opinion - as always! Everyone is entitled to one ☝️

#teaching #teacher #englishteacher #high school #secondaryschool #teacherlife

0 notes

willridgard · 6 years ago

Text

The ‘Proper Job’ Ale Trail

8 beautiful Suffolk pubs. 10 superb ales. Last Sunday was a helluva day for 8 keen Ale Trailers 🍻.

Interest stemmed in the ‘Proper Job’ Ale Trail during National Cask Ale Week: a yearly 1️⃣1️⃣-day celebration of cask ale - often known as ‘real ale’ or ‘hand-pump ale’.

See the excellent below video from JW Lees Brewery if you are unsure on what Cask Ale is 🍻.

vimeo

With my hereby new job in full flow (if you’ll pardon the pun), I thought, cudtahell, we’ve got to celebrate Britain’s national drink in the best way possible 🎉 !

Now, as us lads have grown into our late 2️⃣0️⃣s, our taste buds seem to have changed somewhat.

Gone are the days of sipping bottles of Smirnoff Ice and WKD on park benches 🤦🏽‍♂️.

Gone are the days of necking Snakebites and VKs like there’s no tomorrow 🤪.

And gone, to a certain degree, are the days of drinking pint after pint of classic household lagers.

It’s all about cool 😎 (in both sense of the word), interesting and exciting ales, produced by local brewers using local ingredients.

The 2019 Cask Report found that there are now more than 2,300 British breweries supplying around 48,000 pubs with over 10,000 choices of beer 🍺.

And choice is important! Every single ale can differ in its appearance, pump clip, ABV (%), aroma and flavour - and trust me, there are some ruddy good ones out there 👌!

Something every single ale should have the same (roughly) though is the temperature! Nobody likes warm beer 🙅🏽‍♂️.

According to Cask Marque, the perfect pint of ale should be served between 1️⃣1️⃣ and 1️⃣3️⃣ degrees. It should also be well looked after and cared for and passionate, knowledgeable landlords, licensees & publicans will sell the best pints of ale and make the most out of its potential.

‘Ale Trails’ come under the trending categories of exploration, innovation and trying new things. And the excellent, free and easy-to-use CaskFinder App - where Trailers can rate beers, find pubs, and scan certificate QR codes to win prizes - fits into these categories too 🤳.

Therefore, the ‘Proper Job’ Ale Trail, between Melton and Woodbridge, had only one rule: a different pint of ale must be consumed by the whole group in every Cask Marque accredited pub visited! Excellent. Armed with our bicycles, to speed up our visits, what could possibly go wrong!? 🚴

The train 🚂. That’s what went wrong. ‘Two bikes only’, was the rather abrupt instruction barked at the startled three of us trying to clamber on the 12.53 from the very personable & understanding conductor (Oh I do love Greater Anglia). Cheers pal.

After some manic on-the-spot planning (at one point the Trail looked to be off), many thanks must go to my better half 👸 and the fantastic Highway Assurance service (Battletelli 👴 & Szylicykzydus 🇺🇦 ) for saving the day as we took over Sax train station, loaded the bikes and headed to pub stop #1: The Wilford Bridge.

And that’s where the fun and games really began. Please read below commentary / summary.

#1 The Wilford Bridge 🌉: Super service accommodating 8 hungry lads at the last minute. Great food too 🍔. Easily accessible and well-presented framed Cask Marque certificate.

Beer 🍺: 16 x Woodforde’s Wherry. Fresh and zesty with crisp floral flavours. Gorgeous. Three ales on line.

Bike ride: 0.6 miles. Ale Trailer #8, D.King, with some brave / stupid riding as he made his way into leading pack topped by road cyclist, D. Morphew (Ale Trailer #4).

#2 The Unruly Pig 🐷 : Proud to be Cask Marque accredited with excellently-placed plaque outside. Unmissable certificate on the way into the pub. Very good.

Beer 🍺: 8 x Adnams Mosaic Pale Ale. Bubbly with peach 🍑 , mango 🥭 , lemon 🍋 , and pine 🌲 flavours and aromas. Thumbs up. Limited choice, though.

Bike ride: 1.2 miles. The longest stint. Ale Trailer #1, W.Ridgard, held up on departure, finishing well behind the rest of the pack alongside Ale Trailer #6, C.Palmer. More inefficient riding from Ale Trailer #8 almost sees him fall off and cause further damage to an already broken foot 🦶! Ale Trailer #3, T. Backhouse, an amused spectator 🤣.

#3 Melton Coach and Horses: Busy. Certificate placed behind the bar (not ideal, but visible so not horrendous). Setting marred / made by ‘go and get yourself a Proper Job’ comment following group picture taken by innocent bystander. Extraordinary from yours truly. Still feel guilty 😬.

Beer 🍺: 8 x St Austell Proper Job. Powerfully hopped Cornish IPA with powerful play-on words 👊🏾. Lots of other choice, too.

Bike ride: Ale Trailer #1 and Ale Trailer #7, W.Stephenson, made a strong getaway on the long, straight stretch only to get overtaken by virtually everybody on the hill. Yet more peculiar riding from Ale Trailer #8, who looked to be fatiguing 💤 .

#4 Woodbridge Red Lion: As a pub, personally my favourite of the Trail. My first ever visit too. Friendly service. Very spacious. Very impressed. Certificate less so as it had to be dusted off from upstairs without a frame! Pub unfortunate victim of vile King incident upon exit 🤢.

Beer 🍺: 8x Laine Brew Source Pale Ale. Billed as ‘dangerously drinkable’. Ale Trailer #5, S.Pullen, certainly agreed. Stacks of other great choice too 😋.

Bike ride: Leading pack nowhere to be seen. The usual suspects, Ale Trailers #1, #2 (S. Miller), #6 and #7, happily bringing up the rear.

#5 The Anchor: Welcome introduction of part-time Ale Trailer #9, Z. Backhouse. Easily accessible certificate, but service without a smile. Incredible Manchester United chat, especially contrasting views of Ale Trailers #4 and #5 🤣. Ale Trailers #1, #2, #3, #6, & #8 successfully stirring the pot 🥄 , while #7 and #9 engage in deep, private discussion. Ole’s at the wheel. Swift departure before Pub Quiz involvement.

Beer 🍺: 9 x Greene King St Edmunds. Light, refreshing and made with pink grapefruit. Very popular among Trailers with several 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ dished out on the App. Three ales on the line.

Bike ride: Ale Trailer #5 took Ale Trailer #8′s example and nearly caused a pile-up. Ale Trailer #6 surprisingly took the yellow jersey. Unwise move from Ale Trailer #4 trying to give Ale Trailer #9 a ‘seatee’ on stick-thin-tyre road bike. Didn’t go well.

#6 The Old Mariner: Certificate placed behind the bar. Good service though. Main highlight included Ale Trailer #8 losing ‘the flip’ and deciding to splash his hard-earned cash 💰 on 9 shots of vodka. Hell 🙄.

Beer 🍺 : Interesting choice from Ale Trailer #7, opting for 9 x Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA over much-adored East Coast IPA 🤔. Eyebrows raised. Explosion of tropical 🏝 fruit aromas, leading to juicy bitterness went down well though. Had the best range of ales IMO.

Bike ride: 150-yard uphill sprint didn’t go without controversy. Ale Trailers #4 and #9 determined to make it work, but to little effect. Left behind.

#7 Ye Old Belle & Steelyard: A first for many, and probably the last for many. Little to no knowledge of the certificate shown - but mischievous Ale Trailer #4 came to the rescue 👍. Cue the squabble for scans. Cute dog 🐕 and snack opportunity taken by all though.

Beer 🍺 : 9 x Greene King Abbott Ale. Standard. Not sure who chose it... Ale Trailer #6 seriously flagging. #4 and #8 not far behind.

Bike ride: While Ale Trailers #2, #4, #6 and #8 decided to, perhaps rather unsurprisingly, sneak off for a cheeky Phil Babb 🌮, hardcore Trailers #1, #3, #5, and #7 took a damp detour to pub #8. Splendid running effort from Trailer #9.

#8 The Cherrytree: The final pit-stop and despite enjoying a peaceful first pint, the hardcore are interrupted by the overindulged riff-raff who rather take over as they insist on playing ‘Guess Who’.

Beer 🍺 :5 x Adnams Ghostship. 8 x Belhaven Old Gold.

No further notes taken; we’ll call that trail complete 🙌!

The scramble for the last train home ensued, and after lodging the bikes at Trailer #4′s new gaff, we all boarded the 10.23 rather successfully. Well, apart from Ale Trailer #2′s backpack, which I’m sure must be in one of the 8 toilet 🚾 pubs he rated!

And to top an excellent day off, we even got a free train ride home to compensate for the earlier mishap. Thanks, Greater Anglia 👍.

Things you must do after reading this blog:

- Try an ale (if you haven’t already) 🍺

- Download and open the CaskFinder App 🤳

- Find and explore different ales and pubs 🕵🏽‍♂️

- Tell your friends / family / pets 👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 🐢

- Make memories. Take photos. Have a blast! 📸

- Repeat!

Ipswich, we’re coming for you next...🍻

#beer #ale #aletrail #pubs #suffolk #suffolkpubs #caskfinder #caskale #woodbridge #friends #real ale

0 notes

willridgard · 6 years ago

Text

The robot-land of ‘work experience’ I wouldn’t wish on anybody

I’ve read a few interesting pieces regarding work experience at national newspapers in my time, so I thought I'd share an experience from a few years ago…

It's true. First impressions count. So, despite trying my utmost to make a good one on my first day at XXXXXXX, I was slightly taken back when I could count on one hand the amount of 'hellos' I got.

The person that helped organise the placement trudged me up the long staircase with all the enthusiasm of a dead fly.

'We look forward to meeting you,' said the email prior to my arrival. Well, after a rather brief introduction, which included being told to 'go out for lunch whenever you want. Don't wait for someone to tell you,’ I could already tell how this placement was going to go.

The forceful introduction continued, and as I looked around the desks, I saw loads of robots staring at computer screens, not acknowledging anybody else's existence.

It was astonishing.

It'd taken me a while to get this placement chance, and I came with lots of ideas and enthusiasm, but truthfully, it all vanished sooner rather than later.

Not one person asked where I was from, how my journey was, where I was staying etc. I felt stuck and uncomfortable, and without realising it, started to become a robot like everyone else.

The first task I was given was quite interesting - and fairly challenging. It took me quite a while to produce what I did, and I was told that the statistics would get used in the weekend's publication. Did they? Did they heck!

The second and third tasks were unclear and dull - and the XXXXXX journalists clearly didn't want to do them. They were therefore shipped to the 'workies' to do. Good old ‘workies’ - what a term! I didn't dare ask for clarification or help with my 'boss' on these tasks; the atmosphere was that uncomfortable.

I couldn't wait for KFC at lunchtime, but upon my return, finally, there stood someone with a friendly face, and a firm handshake.

We had a good little chat about journalism, among other things, and he seemed interested, and like someone I could work with to extend my foot in the door. However, just one hour later, with my 'work experience' tag around my neck, I was like a lamb to the slaughter…

BANG. The life got frightened out of me as, from nowhere, my chair was rammed into the metal draw next to me, making quite an impact! An accident, surely? Well, there was no apology from a broad journalist obviously in too much of a rush for words.

'You're going to have to move I'm afraid', were the words muttered after quite an awkward stare. There was no hello. Splash. The big fish plopped the little fish out of the pond and the little fish (me) flopped onto another unoccupied computer oceans away from my 'boss' for the week.

I remember almost making an excuse not to go in for the remainder of the placement after that horrific first day. But this was meant to be a dream placement, and work I should be striving for, so I gave it a second day and chance.

On the Tuesday, I was to experience 'live match night’. 'Rock up about three', I was told. I came in early hoping to make an impression, only to get blanked by virtually everyone again.

Thankfully, the rude gentlemen who had barged into me on the first day wasn't there on arrival, so I rather hastily took a seat, before seeking my first instructions for the day.

'Just sit there and XXXX will be with you shortly' I was told by the organiser. Well, one hour later, I was still sitting and waiting, so I used my initiative to talk to people and produce my own exclusive transfer story, which I'd heard from the horse's mouth on the tube on the way in.

It wasn't a major player, but it was Premier League news, and had quite an interesting tale behind it following some research.

A few of the robots’ heads marginally turned after hearing upon the news, but sadly that was the highlight of the week for me.

In truth, there was no structure to the placement. The organiser, who was meant to be 'looking after me' over the week, only ever left their seat to go home at 6pm.

They didn't even say hello or goodbye, let alone check on my progress or talk to me.

Every single day on arrival, at reception, my surname was spelled differently.

RIDGUARD

RIDGEGARD

RIDYARD

RIGARD

RIGGARD

RIGHTGUARD

They didn't care. Imagine that in their publications… Attention to detail and everything…

I witnessed sub-editors pronouncing David Luiz, 'David Lewis'. They weren’t bantering either. I was asked just twice if I'd like a cup of tea: I politely declined. On the Thursday, somebody who had worked close by me asked 'Did you start today?' It was all astonishing.

A chap who interviewed me for a position shortly before this placement was working there, but he didn't even look up from his desk once and acknowledge me. It was like he had been brainwashed!

The editor? I couldn't tell you who he was if I saw him staring blankly at his computer!

'Did you enjoy it?' asked my one friendly contact before I left… Working at XXXX is on my CV, but I wouldn't count it as ‘experience’. It was like fighting a brick wall - and an expensive one at that.

#work experience #journalism #newspapers #sportjournalism #work

2 notes · View notes

willridgard · 7 years ago

Text

Escape Rooms - The new craze for all friends and family!

Escape Rooms are so fashionable right now.

https://www.facebook.com/ipswichescaperooms/

In an age where children and adults alike are addicted and obsessed to things like: iPads, iPhones, Pokemon Go, and Fortnite, the emergence of Escape Rooms are becoming increasingly popular.

Well, they are for some of us anyway...!

‘What’s an Escape Room?’ I hear some of you ask. Well, in teams of 2-8, you have to work your way out of a themed-room within 60 minutes. If you don’t escape, you get stuck in the room forever (jokes)...

Escape Rooms involve: teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, time management, organisation, trial-and-error, frustration, swearing, laughter, and moments of elation and excitement!

So far we have successfully outwitted three Escape Rooms, two by the skin of our teeth! They are brilliant fun and leave you talking about your exploits for days!

And we escaped our first one on the ‘S bends’ between Saxmundham and Leiston! Yes, you read that right, the S bends! With a UFO-based theme, ‘Suffolk Escape Rooms’ presents the perfect setting for a creepy, eerie adventure, and I would highly recommend that my Suffolk followers start their Escape Room journey there!

https://www.facebook.com/suffolkescaperoom/

As you can see, we made it with a whole three minutes to spare! We needed a few clues to help us along the way, but successfully saved sunny Saxmundham (and surrounding areas) from alien exposure. You’re all welcome!

We followed this up by successfully escaping Ipswich’s ‘Secret Clubhouse’ (see headline picture), despite being slightly influenced by a few drinkies, with just three SECONDS to spare! My god it was intense! ‘Turn the key, Rochelle!’ This skin-of-the-teeth victory left us all jumping for joy in the foyer area. #DuckSaw

And, on Wednesday, things got even more intense as we managed to avoid being ‘kidnapped’ by Canterbury’s ‘Butcher’ (and his rather hungry mother) by seven seconds (Cough...additional time may have been permitted). This one was extremely exhausting and a few choice cocktails were needed to replenish energy levels afterwards!

I’m not going to spoil the party and tell you too many ins and outs of Escape Rooms; you can find out what the hype is for yourselves!

They are bloody good fun though and are bloody good value for money too.

With venues all over the world boasting a variety of themes, get on the ‘Escape Room’ train now and book up a challenge you can enjoy with friends, family, or work colleagues.

Good luck!

Picture credits: Ipswich Escape Rooms, Suffolk Escape Room, and Escape Kent - Canterbury’s Biggest Escape Rooms.

#escaperooms #fun #family #friends #suffolk #teamwork

0 notes

willridgard · 7 years ago

Text

LASER EYE SURGERY AND LIFE WITHOUT MY GLASSES!

Laser eye surgery has definitely been the best purchase I have made in my 27 fruitful years of existence.

I’m not going to lie - it was quite a daunting prospect. It’s also broken my bank account (hopefully only temporarily). But it has been totally worth it; it’s made a huge difference to my everyday life .

My interest in laser eye surgery gathered pace last summer. I got chatting to two anonymous companions who had surgery and they both said something along the lines of ‘it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.’ Fast forward 12 months and I can safely back-up their bold statement - it’s amazing what the surgeons can do. I feel like a new person!

I wore glasses for about 10 years. I quite liked wearing glasses to be fair (I couldn’t get on with contact lenses), but I was fed up of not being able to see without them. I pretty much needed to wear glasses all of the time; I was so blind that, during the first stages of the eye test, I couldn’t identify the HUGE single letter they show!

Playing football, my favourite hobby, was also increasingly horrible. I just couldn’t see. When it was light and sunny outside, it wasn’t too bad. I’d say it was just about manageable. However, when it was dark and miserable, which it often is in the UK, I couldn’t see a bloody thing! Playing and training under the floodlights was an absolute nightmare; there was absolutely no point in me being there! I distinctively remember that, on one situation, when we were warming up in a circle, I couldn’t see who I was passing too! I couldn’t identify people’s faces and couldn’t make-out their body shape. I spent evening games and training sessions squinting and guessing where the ball was going to go. A terrible state of affairs.

I said that I quite liked wearing glasses, but they were also pretty annoying at times - not to mention expensive! I’d say that I spent well over a grand on the four pairs that I had - three of which that I broke, with the other pair probably still enjoying a free journey on a National Express train! Glasses fall down your face. They get dirty easily. They scratch. They’re sweaty! Breaking my glasses at a wedding in February was one of the final straws! To be fair, this pair were already on the way out before an all-day wedding session got the better of the poor buggers. I don’t really remember the ins and outs of their departure to be honest, but I digress...I then went onto break my old, scratched, and spare pair less than a month later. This really p*ssed me off, so I said ‘bollocks to this, I’m booking myself a consultation’.

More conversations with my anonymous companions continued, before I decided to go for it! I booked a free consultation with Optical Express in April. I was nervous before travelling to the Norwich store. I did a lot of research on laser eye surgery, and I liked everything I had read and heard, but, naturally, there are lots of doubts. What if it goes horribly wrong? What if it doesn’t work? Will I even be eligible for treatment? Fortunately, I aced a set of procedural tests during the consultation. The clinic make absolutely sure that potential clients will be suitable for laser eye surgery - checking the shape, size and healthiness of the eyes, as well as the clients’ prescription. You have to have a certain level of blindness to be eligible as well - something I didn’t have a problem with!

Without going on Google, I’m not completely sure of the difference between LASIK or LASEK treatment, but I was recommended ‘ILASIK’ (the ‘top’ treatment) and went for the whole hog - you have to look after your eyes after all!

So with everything set, I had the option of being operated on within 10 days! However, as my then football team were in a relegation scrap, and I had a busy schedule during my Teacher Training (which is obviously more important) year, I managed to pencil in a date for the end of May!

Time soon passed and I was so nervous on the morning of May 24! I was wrong to be as the staff were very friendly and supportive; they made me feel at ease. A pre-operation chat to the surgeon also made me feel a lot better. He has performed more than 11,000 surgeries and assured me that everything was quick and pain-free. Optical Express’ customer satisfaction figures of 99% also encouraged me, and if worse came to worse, I could have got my money back if 20-20 vision was not acquired!

Fortunately, it was. In fact, I can now see two lines below the 20-20 line on the eye test! The surgical process was so easy; some people go in and out of the operating room within a few seconds! However, I’m not going to lie, it is quite daunting knowing that your eyesight is in the hands of someone you’ve never met before! You’re also thinking ‘please work!!!’.

I was probably in and out of the operating room within five minutes! After receiving a plethora of anesthetic drops in both eyes, eye by eye, my lids were kept open by a immovable ring (to prevent you from blinking) before I was surrounded by a burning, orange flame! I had to think of nice things at this point, especially considering that I could actually smell the effect on my eyes too...But after 30 painless (there was absolutely no pain whatsoever) seconds (16 on my left eye, 14 on my right), it was over. All things considered, the surgery equated to more than £100 per second. Madness!

Looking like Count Dracula’s long-lost brother as I slowly sat up from the operating bed (I probably fitted in well with the appearance of some Norwich folk at this point), I did panic a bit as my eyesight was seemingly no better! This wasn’t helped by the previous gentlemen, who left the clinic boasting that he ‘could see for miles’ straight after his treatment. But different people react and recover in different ways. For around two hours, post-surgery, my eyes were as red as a clown’s nose. I couldn’t stop crying or blinking and it felt like a series of needles were continuously pricking me. It didn’t hurt, but it was pretty uncomfortable.

But that uncomfortable feeling was all over after a good old sleep in my own bed! Unfortunately, the land of nod took a while to get to as my majestic mother isn’t the fastest of drivers and really struggled to work the computerised McDonalds self-service (something my tender eyes were meant to avoid). I’ve got no idea what we ordered, I just wanted to get to bed! Hurrah. When the moment came, and I opened my ‘new eyes’ for the first time, it felt fantastic.

Dark rooms are advised post-surgery and for the next couple of days I had no choice but to put my feet up and take it easy. What a shame! No screens. No driving. No physical exercise for around a month. I also had to wear a sexy pair of goggles to bed, which made me look all the more beautiful! After a successful check-up visit the day after my surgery, I was given the all-clear - and here I am - I feel like a new person finding their way around a new, colourful world!

I can now see cobwebs on ceilings and hairs in the bath; how wonderfully charming! Everything is a lot clearer and sharper, and I can see things that I could never have seen before! Watching television for the first time post-surgery felt really weird (because I could see so well), as did doing everyday things for the first time - including playing football. My decision making and judgement are now so much better; I think the teams I play for are grateful for that (I’ve got no excuses now...)!

My eyes feel amazing!. Recovery was quick, although showering was a bit of a challenge to start with as you cannot allow water to get in your eyes! I was red and sore for a few days, but everything is just perfect. Laser eye surgery has definitely been my best purchase yet - let’s hope it continues to be! It is expensive, but it has honestly been worth every penny so far!

Thinking about it? What are you waiting for? Get out there and book that free consultation and start making those steps for a better everyday life...

#laser eye surgery #glasses #optical express

1 note · View note

willridgard · 7 years ago

Text

IT’S ALL ABOUT DECISION-MAKING

So, what was it like returning home after an extended period away?

What next steps did my career take?

What am I doing now?

I will try to reveal all in this blog!

I’m not going to lie, I found it very difficult to settle back in after 15 months of freedom in the US. I’d gone from living and 24/7 bantering with the Jamaican lads - being able to do what I wanted when I wanted - to living back at home with the rents!

Now that’s nothing against my parents, as they are obviously both wonderful, but it was just quite a change and a shock to come back to. It hit me hard, and I was actually quite despondent at the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ (Christmas 2016).

Being ill didn’t help, but, quite honestly, I didn’t know what I was really doing with my life. Talking to others who have worked and lived abroad, I think quite a lot of people have similar feelings! Panic mode sets in. You get bored easily. All you think is about is your previous adventures, and you wonder what you are going to do next.

Fortunately for me, a return to work in January helped lift my spirits no end. The East Anglian Daily Times have always been excellent with me and I was very grateful that they accepted me back again (I’ve had more leaving dos than cups of tea). I needed to keep busy, and the EADT certainly got my freelancing fingers typing as I was travelling all over the region covering non-league teams!

I’d started to get resettled, but what was the long-term vision? After leaving the US, my initial plan was to try and return in a different capacity. Possibly with the Richmond Kickers. I loved my time in the US and, at the time, I didn’t think I had much at home. If a move back to the US didn’t materialise, my plan was to go and travel! Possibly New Zealand. Possibly Australia. Possibly with my old pal Jack Butterfield, who had just returned from the aforementioned countries after a similar amount of time away from home.

So what actually happened? NONE OF THE ABOVE! I had some excellent contacts out in the US, but if I’m honest, returning to work there was more of a dream than a reality. Obtaining a permanent/fixed work VISA is extremely hard to obtain, probably even harder with Mr. Trump at the helm...And in regards to getting to know Oceania, I honestly think Jack Buttz and I would have gone travelling together had he not taken a job in the Middle East at the end of February. Things could have been so different, right!? Crazy.

Anyway, the old Ford Fiesta certainly racked up the miles over the next few months as I got my teeth stuck back into non-league football. Non-league football is fantastic. I loved reporting on it. I loved talking to and interviewing proper blokes and proper players. The football is entertaining and passionate, and it helped me get my mojo back. I really enjoyed it.

That mojo took quite a battering when, around March time, I went for a job at an unnamed local establishment and was rejected. Now I’ve had my fair share of interview rejections in the past, but this one, for a junior position, at a place local to me, with people who knew me, was one of the final straws as I started to move away from journalism. It really upset and angered me.

As I stated earlier, the EADT have always been superb to me, and were very supportive and understanding after this most recent knockback. We reacted positively and I soon got my Football League Media Accreditation pass through to lift my spirits. As time entered late March/early April, I got a little taste of the Football League with a couple of trips to Colchester United, who, in my experience, are a very warm and welcoming club. I always liked the clubs who liked being reported on.

Then came my biggest opportunity - a chance to consistently report on my boyhood club, Ipswich Town. As I reflect while writing this piece, I’ve realised that it was a massive job and a massive honour. Thousands of children and adults would have loved the opportunity to report on their team, but I didn’t think of it like that back then. To me, it was work. It was what I did. It was what I was good at. It was money too. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity, in reflection.

Effectively, I was Stuart Watson’s right-hand man. In this current digital age, journalism now revolves around what people see, not what they read. Gone are the days of buying traditional, physical newspapers. Content is driven by Facebook posts, Instagram stories, live videos and Tweets. I helped drive a lot of that in my new temporary role, as well as writing things for the actual newspaper which people often forget about!

I interviewed stacks of players. Luke Chambers was probably the pick of the bunch. He’s a great person and captain to talk to. Very honest. Very passionate. Steven Taylor was awesome too. Like me, he’d just come back from a spell in the States, so we talked for yonks about the yanks! The best technical player I interviewed at this time had to be Tom Lawrence - who can forget that goal against QPR!? (See all his goals in a Town shirt at the bottom of this blog).

All-in-all, I think the ‘best manager’ (maybe not at this current time...) I’ve interviewed is Jose Mourinho, while Kyle Walker has to be the ‘best player’. I don’t think they remember me. Not to get sidetracked, all of the Ipswich players spoke well and were all very friendly to be fair.

This was quite an intriguing time to report on Town as they were in a bit of a relegation scrap. One week they would go and beat Newcastle United 3-1, where I made my Facebook Live debut, and the next they’d go and lose to Rotherham. THAT performance against a Newcastle side who won automatic promotion into the Premier League was sensational though. I will always remember it. Town really rose to the occasion, on ‘Sir Bobby Robson Day,’ and scored some absolutely cracking goals. Our website figures went through the roof.

Trips to Burton Albion, Nottingham Forest and the old enemy were also intriguing too. I am a passionate Ipswich fan, so it was extremely difficult to sit among the Canaries’ fans (where the press box is at Carrow Road), especially when Jonas Knudsen’s header put Town 1-0 up! I have no idea how I didn’t a) stand up and shout or b) get my head kicked in! I jumped up a little and sat forward in silent amazement as you could hear a pin drop around us. Unfortunately, the home support were a little louder when Norwich later equalised, but hopefully Town will finally get one over Norwich next weekend after nine years of hurt (who’s counting?)...

Did I enjoy reporting on Town? I did, but maybe not as much as I should have... Maybe not as much as I thought have would when I was growing up with ambitions of being a sport journalist...

That may sound stupid, and I’m aware that I was so very fortunate to have the opportunity (especially as I got to interview legends of the game like Gianfranco Zola and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink), but I’m just being honest. Not everything is as glamorous as it seems.

I quite liked it. It was busy. It was demanding. It was tiring. There was a lot of work. The travelling was a killer. There were some late nights. There were occasions when I just had to take a deep breath and remind myself that ‘I’ve just been paid to watch professional football - the game I love’.

If I’m honest, I felt more comfortable in the non-league game, where I could freely express my opinion and promote my passion for grassroots football. #Proper.

Under my frustrating freelance terms, I knew work would become scarce again come May. I loved working for the EADT, and I must say that Stuart and Andy Warren (proper blokes, proper journalists) do a better job than ever now, but it felt like, that if I didn’t organise myself elsewhere (scrapping around with labouring jobs etc), then I’d always be hung out to dry once the football had stopped. I’d had enough of that to be honest. I was nearly 26 at this point, not 18. I needed consistency. I needed steady income. I needed a change.

Teaching gave me that change. My interest in teaching came shortly after I landed back home. A contact of mine invited me to work with a small group of Year 11 students who needed a push in GCSE English. The timings worked with my schedule. It was good money. I thought ‘why not’. Seeing them once a week, I surprisingly really enjoyed it. I felt like I was making a difference. Inspiring. Motivating. Their GCSE results proved so, and with that, I’d already made a decision; I was going to try and become a qualified English teacher.

I was perhaps fortunate to get accepted onto the teaching course I applied for. After all, I applied later than most. My school experience was limited. But I have a fair amount of life experience. I’ve done some cool things. I wrote things. I’ve worked with children. I have contacts. I am determined. I always do my best.

Into the crossfire and it sure was a rough ride to begin with... My first placement was certainly an eye-opener, but I got through it before moving onto my second placement - which went a lot better than the first!

I must admit that I did have a major wobble during the first placement. In November, I went for a couple of journalism interviews. It’s always good to have options after all...One was in the west of the country. It was a 400-mile round-trip. Can you guess what happened? That’s right, disappointment. At least I got to give my new car a good run-out! I knew being offered the job would have been a long-shot, but it took XXXXX more than a month to back to me (via a regimented email), and, during the interview they didn’t write a single note. Weird. Proper weird...

However, as we move into 2018, I really enjoyed my second teaching placement. It gave me a lot of confidence in the things that the first one couldn’t. The challenges of a classroom were completely new for me last September; I’d never taught a lesson (which averages around 30 students) before my first placement. But my second placement taught me loads in terms of classroom management, subject knowledge, teaching style, differentiation, assessment, marking, the list goes on...

I am very grateful for the opportunity there and will look to go from strength to strength in my upcoming NQT year. Is teaching difficult? You bet it is. But I love a challenge. Late nights spent marking and planning are a norm, and it is stressful. But it’s enjoyable too! There’s never a dull moment. You are kept on your toes in more ways than one and I really enjoy making a difference to young people’s lives. The holidays are pretty good too...

There are lots of challenges that I am still adapting to, but I’m very happy with the decision I have made.

Do I miss getting paid to write about football?

To a degree, yes. Football is something that I will always love and is something I’m pretty much besotted by. But, at the end of the day, it’s my favourite hobby. I felt like I was going round in circles. I might be being harsh on myself, but I wasn’t really getting anywhere. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t pay the necessary bills. It could have, but I’m not sure it could have for long. Freelance budgets can get cut at any time and this was the case for me on numerous occasions. You’re always the easy option, the first to go.

ALAS, I am really enjoying teaching. I am also really enjoying being able to play Saturday football. ‘Play as long as you can’ is a phrase that has often been said to me. And after consistently playing week-in, week-out in the States, mostly injury-free, and then building up my confidence and experience at Leiston Orient (Sundays) and Leiston St Margarets over the last two seasons, I now feel ready to have the biggest impact I can on the pitch at Benhall St Mary.

The SIL Senior Division is a decent level and I have no excuse really; At 27, I should be in my prime. I’m fit (ironic that I’m actually writing this with an injury). I’m six foot when I stick fringe up. I’ve had my eyes lasered to better than 20-20 vision. I know what I’m good at and I’m part of a fantastic club and team that could do really well this season.

Right now, I’m happy to send in match reports for my associated teams and to write the odd piece for the excellent Kings of Anglia magazine (which you should definitely buy by the way. It’s available in all good newsagents).

What happens next? Let’s wait to find out. I’m not completely sure yet. It promises to be quite a year...

youtube

#decision making #sportjournalism #teaching #careers #opportunities #football #friends

0 notes

willridgard · 7 years ago

Text

THE ‘A TO Z’ OF MY AMERICAN ADVENTURE IN WORDS AND PICTURES

Did I really live in America for 15 months?

Yes.

Yes I did.

But, after more than 18 months since moving back ‘home, from Richmond, Virginia, I frequently ask myself the above question.

More than 4,000 miles away from friends, family, and home comforts, I must have been mad when I think about it. But I did love it! Experiencing a different culture and way of life was superb and I’m really glad I was brave enough to do it.

I haven’t written too much lately, but I’ve been inspired by my ‘American adventure’ and plan on providing my committed readers with A to Z ramblings and pictures on all things ‘Merica. So here goes…

Alcohol - They love it! Yep, it’s true, some Americans cannot drink, but then some Brits cannot either! There are some lovely local ales and ciders to choose from. Oh what I’d give for a Bold Rock Cider or a Vienna Lager right now; Virginia’s finest! Bud Light was like water over there and there was nothing better than a visit to the local alehouse or brewery on a Sunday afternoon filled full of sunshine, live music food trucks, and good drinks. ‘Tailgating’ was fun; you basically eat, drink and play games in/by your cars until you are ready to go into the event you are waiting for. It’s also almost impossible not to get ID’d in the States; you literally get ID’d every single time. In Walmart they have a ‘Challenge 40′ policy. Strict or what!? Pints come in the form of ‘fluid ounces’. You can pick from 16, 24 and 32 fl oz. 1 imperial pint = 17.5 fl oz. It’s fair to say that the 32 fl oz ‘growlers’ (which keep your beer cool & fresh) are the most popular…’Tipping’ is a must. A lot of employees make most of their money from tips; anything less than 10% is frowned upon, but not illegal. I recommend tipping at around 20%, and in cash…We partied pretty much every weekend (we even did an all-nighter in a Ipswich v Norwich themed party in respect of the 1-1 draw in September 2016) and I learned all the ins and outs of popular drinking games such as Chesticles, Flip Cup and Beer Pong. #BYOB

Baseball - ‘Take me out to the old ball game’ was a song that I had to get used to during my stay. I took a while to warm to the popular sport, but actually rather enjoyed it in the end. I found it quite relaxing and similar to cricket, but some fun interlude activities, after every inning, such as t-shirt shooting, mascot racing and a firework display made it worth the admission price. The Richmond Flying Squirrels were my local team (I even got a selfie with ‘Nutsie’), but I was fortunate enough to watch a Major League Baseball game between Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals. In prime seats, it was fantastic to experience the pace, skill and professionalism that these major players display. Unfortunately, I never really gave hitting or pitching a go; Year 11 Rounders was where my talents ended! #ItsAHit

Cornhole - Cornhole is amazing! Basically, either on your own or with a partner, and against another individual/pair, you have to chuck bags of corn (effectively beanbags) onto a board from quite a distance. You score one point if your bag stays on the board and three if you manage to throw it into the hole towards the top of the board! However, if, say I was to throw my bag into the hole and then little Jimmy, on the other team, did as well, our scoring points would be cancelled. The team who scores 21 points first is the winner. Technique and mental strength is everything. Some people loop them. Some people fire them in. I was obsessed, but I wasn’t as good as your average American… I might make a couple of boards now and turn it into a UK craze…#NiceToss

Driving - God. Where do I start? Turning left at traffic lights is a nightmare. You can turn right on a red light, which actually makes things on the road a lot quicker…if you don’t crash into the back of someone (cough, Daryl). Turning left is slow and takes forever. Daryl and I also took two hours to get from work to our apartment (a 10-minute drive) on our first day…it was fun trying to work out where to go and on the wrong side of the road! Trying to buy a car, as a ‘foreigner’, was even more fun. After literally the longest day in the world, with lots of technical difficulties, I finally managed to get my hands on a Hyundai Elentra. Fortunately, obtaining a Virginia Driver’s Licence was far easier, although I did have to take practical and theory tests. Now, it’s no secret that I spent quite a bit of time and money getting a UK licence, but, ironically, I had no such problems getting a Virginian one. After smashing the theory test, adapting to all the different road signs, my practical test was literally a 15-minute drive around the block to make sure I could control the car! Oh how I laughed. American driving licences are handed out via states, only making them valid in that state, so it’s all very confusing when someone from Florida drives in Virginia for example…Automatic cars are also very popular out there. Nine out of 10 cars are automatic. I’m not a fan myself; you approach a junction and all you have to do is brake, but it felt like you should have more to do! I was more of a ‘stick’ fan. Stick to what you know. There were also lots of monster trucks, with wheels as big as elephants. Don’t mess with those. #MyRideOrDie

Experience - If you’re thinking about going to work/live abroad, even if it’s for a short/extended period of time, go for it. Different places bring different experiences and ways of life. If you don’t like it, you can always come home! #JustDoIt

Food - Oh my god. It was amazing. It’s easy to put on the pounds…and not so easy to lose them. Americans love their food. They especially enjoying ‘grilling out’ - the equivalent of a BBQ - with an unlimited array of meats, pastas, and salads. They literally ‘grill’ all day (often by the pool and with a ‘cooler’ packed full of beers) and everybody brings a dish until it’s all cooked and eaten! Fried food is massive. McDonalds is monstrous. Chicken wings (mostly devoured at Buffalo Wild Wings) are most popular and the portion sizes will blow your mind. I made history when I walked through a Chinese drivethrough (I had car issues) on July 4…They’d never experienced that. Chipotle was the best. I had countless amounts of it; I could eat it forever. Double chicken. White rice. Black beans. Medium sauce. Grated cheese. Sour Cream. Sweetcorn. Chips & dip. Unbelievable. Still, I did miss a good ole Sunday Roast. #BurritoBowl

Golf - There are some lovely courses, with some beautiful views. If only I was a bit better…However, I did make Oasis Sports Park history with a tee-off that skipped across the pond on three or four occasions before plonking right next to the pin for a birdie. Well, birdie opportunity…You know what they say ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’… Footgolf, at Windy Hill Sports Complex, was a lot of fun too and was the permanent fixture of the annual Wynn Lane competition. I did convincingly win it in 2016…#Fore

Hiking - There are some amazing views in Virginia. It took me a while to get used to that hike life, but I actually really enjoyed a good ole Sunday morning stroll up the mountains. Hiking is kinda scary you know, but fortunately I outfought several bears and managed to avoid any catastrophic slips off the top of the mountains. Better to be safe than sorry… #HypeToHike

Indoor soccer - So much fun. It’s fast, it’s feisty, and it’s really competitive. Indoor soccer is played professionally across the pond and I found myself working in a place that specialised in it. XL Sports World provides 24/7 soccer. Every night of the week, hundreds of players and teams, of all ages, sexes, and abilities compete against each other. From U6 up to the 40+ age range, every day was different. In the ‘Winter season’, when there is no ‘outdoor soccer’, the XLSW facility is absolutely heaving; it opens at 6:30am and often closes somewhere between 2 and 3 am, with both ‘fields’ fully occupied through the duration! Crazy. Indoor is played on a pitch with measurements of 180 by 75 feet. Solid walls all the way around lead to a plethora of rebounds and pinballs! Let me tell you that indoor is bloody exhausting and you need subs more than ever! In such a tight area, toepoke shots were so effective, yet so annoying to watch as a football traditionalist. I loudly disapproved at the start, but actually used them quite a lot in the end as goalkeepers didn’t expect them and nobody knew where the ball would end up! This is not just your casual game of five-aside by the way…there is a whole book of unique rules (including the controversial three-line rule among others), with match referees, who have to be certified. Games consist of two 25 minute halves and you can get blue, yellow and red cards! Blue card = two-minute time-out. Yellow = five minutes. Red = whole facility ban plus a trial with the disciplinary committee (basically FIFA). Working and playing there was challenging at times as you wanted to win, but you also didn’t really want to upset customers/referees that you have to build relationships with. It’s a fine balancing act, but I think I got it just about right and only received one blue card(hand of God) in hundreds of games played. Once the ‘regular season’ is over, the play-offs occur, with the lure of ‘half-price beer’ for the winners often inspiring the teams…XLSW is the biggest seller of beer in the whole of Richmond. Impressive! Indoor Soccer is fantastic and I’d love to play and be a part of it again. Partizan Richmond United were my outdoor team and we were decent (I think we finished as runners-up). Roachy = absolute Scottish legend. #Helen #GoalsBusiness

Jamaica - I loved living with a few Jamaican lads. We had such a laugh living and working together. FIFA was on repeat. The nights out were great and we all played footy together too. Their cooking was sublime. Hopefully King Rusty has got a bit better at sh*thead by now… #BobsleighTeam

Kickers - Richmond Kickers were my local professional soccer team. Kickers played in the third tier of professional soccer (The USL) and the standard was quite impressive. On my first visit to City Stadium, I saw them narrowly lose 2-1 to a West Brom side that saw one of my heroes in Gareth McAuley play! In the summer of 2016, Kickers went one better and shocked a strong Swansea side by deservedly beating them 2-0. Both games were delayed by major thunderstorms, which was certainly a new experience for me and the English sides (Tony Pulis did keep his hat on). After settling into my XL Sports World job, I broadened my journalistic horizons and the Kickers were fantastic for me. They took me on in a part-time intern basis, and as the 2016 season progressed, I often found myself in the Kickers’ headquarters, writing articles and becoming part of the team. I even helped out the retail team once and sorted out the club merchandise! It was great to see how a professional club operates and I was very thankful to be a small part of the journey. I was very impressed with their ticket promotions too; prices were cheap (often $10) and there were stacks of drinks deals for paying customers too. Kickers’ average gate was around 4,000 when I was there. Impressive. #RVAIsRed

Lifestyle - You can do what you want really. I had so much freedom and lived a very relaxed life. All I really did was drink beer, eat food, play football, and hang out with friends. Perfect. I hit the gym a bit, I dived in the pool a bit. Concerts were epic (Milky Chance being my favourite), but you had to be careful of the crazy rednecks which were also in abundance at other events I attended such as NASCAR and the Rodeo. The Rodeo was a strange one; it’s something I can say I’ve been to, but I’m not too keen on it. Being a sport fanatic, I also put a lot of effort in to see live American Football, Baseball, Hockey, and Basketball matches. All of which were fascinating and very different. I must say that the hype, the electric atmosphere and the interval entertainment significantly adds to the value for money of attending American sporting occasions. They make you feel involved and you cannot take your eyes off the spectacle. I often went line dancing (LOL. Hopefully there is no video footage of my amazing dance moves out there) at a local bar, and loved Rugged Maniac which consisted of a 3-mile run littered with challenging obstacles (fire, barbed wire, tunnels, etc) and mud up to your waist! Paddleboarding was bloody immense…once you could do it. I did fall over a few times initially, but it was brilliant thereafter. I shot a few guns (Walmart was full of them) and, like everybody else, got hooked on Pokemon Go. The English accent drew a fair bit of attention too for some reason…#ILoveYourAccent

Mates - I was very fortunate to have such a close group of friends during my stay; they were really friendly, fun and made my experience all the more enjoyable. There are too many people to individually mention, but I made a lot of good friends I still keep in touch with. Most of these friends came from working at XL Sports World. I think it’s fair to say that I received a lot of ‘banter’ for my British roots, but elephant fan ‘Harry lad’ (fellow Brit) and I certainly gave as good as we got! Drinking games and hanging out with the likes of Justice, Wankathon Ian, Cheeky Keeky, Jesstice, Creechy, King Rusty, Coach Katy, Tommy Tuch, Syd the kid, Carlos Mohammed, McGinn, Daryl and big man Otto et al were always good value and lots of memories were made. I left them all supporting Ipswich Town and becoming experts at Sh*thead and Drenthe…#AlrightMate

Newspaper - After getting involved with the Richmond Kickers, I proceeded to write several match reports for the local newspaper: The Richmond Times-Dispatch. Being referred to as a special correspondent (!!), I covered games against teams such as Charlotte Independence, Bethlehem Steel and Louisville City, with my RTD front page on a thumping 4-0 Kickers win remaining my biggest achievement in journalism. I loved the challenge of writing for an American audience, using phrases such as cleats (boots), on frame (on target) and offsides (offside) with a hint of disapproval in my face… #SportSells

Opportunity - I am so very grateful for the whole opportunity. Ultimately, I grabbed this opportunity after working for the same company in England. My first involvement with XLSW was during a university placement that saw me lead American groups on sports tours around the UK…We visited places like Wembley and Wimbledon to mention a few, and my job was to show Americans the sights and take them from A to B. Sounds pretty cool, right? Well it’s a bit harder when you do it with a broken ankle..! Hard work and determination got me through that tour (I did get a first in that placement) and future opportunities rose from it as I was invited out to Virginia. XLSW now have bases in Florida, Maine, North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. They, alongside soccer, are growing all of the time. #GoForIt

Patriotism - You wouldn’t believe how proud I felt to be British out there. I think I got the patriotic bug as Americans are so proud of their country and to ‘be American’. They love celebrating their country and indeed others’ as they go absolutely mental for St Patrick’s Day which is something we barely even celebrate in England! Thanksgiving and July 4 (Independence Day) are also massive and are just excuses to drink loads of beer and eat loads of food to be honest. England should have more days like that. ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ national anthem was absolutely everywhere! It seemed like it was sang at any excuse. From sporting occasions to the rodeo and NASCAR racing, every single American would standup, remove their hat, and belt out ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’ very seriously! If you didn’t sing, or at least stand up, it was very frowned upon! Fortunately, Richmond possessed quite a large English and Scottish contigency out there, so that helped me keep sane! #StandUpIfYouLoveTheAmericans

Queen - Our Queen is a legend. Americans love her. We love her. What a woman. #GodSaveOurQueen

Richmond - Richmond is a cool place. Very artsy. Very cultural. It has a bit of everything. There are loads of great bars and places to eat. Richmond is definitely not shy of an event either, with half marathons, mud runs, live bands and gin festivals on every street corner. Soccer is growing all the time out there. You can watch more live football there than you can in England. It’s crazy and is probably why I loved my time there so much. #VirginiaIsForLovers

Skunks - Ahhhh, our Social Coed team consisting of all the lads and ladies in our friend group. What a team we were; I think we won the trophy four times! I’ll never forget my Skunks debut when I scored a ‘girl-goal’ (there is alternate scoring in Social Coed). Quite a few people laughed at that. We played good football, had a good team spirit, and drank loads of beer afterwards. Our girls, alongside a lot of other females that played at XL, were very decent by the way. I can see why the US are so dominant in the women’s game; they love it more than the blokes! I believe the Skunks have sadly dispersed now, but am also led to believe that my number 32 shirt has been retired in honour of my motoring arms and legs. #Champs.

As well as Social Coed, I played for several teams in the Men’s Open, which was a different ball game. I think I lost two or three ‘A’ finals with ‘Leicesterlona’, which was gutting as we had a great team who moved the ball well and rotated well. Conor Sammon’s (ex-Ipswich) best friend played for us as well! I never thought America would link me to the former Kilmarnock striker; football’s a funny old game! Underdogs Ian FC, captained by the inspirational Ian Robinson, also lost a final, in the ‘B’ division, after scoring three goals in the last two minutes of the semi-finals to spark absolutely wild scenes! I will never forget Marc Gohlke flopping around on the floor like a fish while trying to save a shot. Good times. I also need to mention that I scored five goals in an ‘A’ game once. #WillRigsOnFire.

https://www.facebook.com/will.ridgard/videos/vb.710673231/10153940691018232/?type=3

https://www.facebook.com/will.ridgard/videos/vb.710673231/10153907826768232/?type=3

https://www.facebook.com/will.ridgard/videos/vb.710673231/10153890752158232/?type=3

Travel - USA is one of the biggest countries in the world, so it would have been rude not to have done a bit of exploring. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to visit all 52 states, but I did manage to tick off Florida, Washington DC, and both the Carolinas. DC was amazing. I loved it. I saw all the sights, where the history of the US presidency is well-celebrated. Florida was hot. So hot. Lots of lovely beaches there, with the white sand squeaking with every footstep. I wouldn’t recommend getting stuck in Boston airport and sleeping on the floor though. That’s not so fun. #Explore

Uber - Uber is extremely popular out there and is pretty much used to and fro all parties. However, the Jamaican lads and I did get stung one night when an Uber cost us $300 for a 25-minute drive. We didn’t know whether to laugh or cry in the morning. I think that was my last Uber tbf. #AToB

Vote - I was in America the night of November 8, 2016 when Donald Trump was elected as the president of the United States of America! I was deported a day later. Lol. JK. I returned home a month later. It’s cool to say that I witnessed this significant piece of American history though. I sat up until the early hours with a six pack of Bold Rock and watched it all unfold. Virginia was 50-50 for the record…#DonaldTrumped

Weather - It was extreme. The humidity was relentless. The sun continuously baked.The rain was torrential. The thunderstorms were enthralling. The snow was extraordinary. I’d say Virginian summers saw temperatures average around 32 degrees celsius (90 fahrenheit). Florida was something else, I think it got up to 43 (110) at one point. Outrageous. The snow locked me inside my apartment for a whole week. My Elentra had to be rescued by a snow plough. Sadly, I never got to drive one. I absolutely loved the extreme thunderstorms. They were petrifying, but awesome to watch (especially with a beer on the balcony). #StormChasing

XL Sports World - XLSW was where I spent the majority of my time. My role was very varied and I enjoyed all of the challenging elements that went with it (mostly). I did a bit of coaching, which I really enjoyed. I did some marketing and PR work, and was especially prolific when co-promoting and setting-up our Open House project, pushing and driving our Youth programmes through. I wrote weekly newsletters which differed in content and I drove the social media to new levels. I managed the facility most evenings, checking teams in and co-deploying an effective payment system that was well-respected by teams, referees and players (eventually). I established excellent relationships with current and new customers - consistently attracting a host of new team$$, while maintaining current customers’ business. I scheduled league games (which is harder and more time-consuming than it sounds). I introduced cricket to XLSW. I ordered food. I pulled pints. I cooked food. I cleaned toilets. My role certainly varied and it was brilliant to do for just over a year. Social media is massive, but word of mouth is still the most effective news source there is and I think I did a lot for XLSW and their customers. It wasn’t all fun and games though. People moaned. Referees were abused. Fights occured. I had to call the police once. When it boils over, it boils over. It was uncomfortable at times. #PlayTheXLWay

Youngsters - My American adventure all started through the Summer Camps. For three months, alongside Daryl, I coached ‘soccer’ to hundreds of kids. It had its challenges and was extremely tiring, but I had a cracking time! There were some excellent players and some amazing kids. Some weren’t so good or nice, but, collectively, we all had a great summer coaching them. The Summer Camps certainly prompted me to work with children as you can have such a positive influence in their lives. #JustPlay

Zoo - Z is such an awkard letter, but Richmond has a zoo. I didn’t visit it, but I did think about it. It’s quite good apparently. Maybe next time. #ZooLander

So there you go. There is my A to Z analysis of my time in America. I do miss parts of it. I had a cracking time and it played a big part of my life and led me to where I am today.

Did I really live there though? I’m still no clearer…

#america #americanadventure #atoz #britsabroad #travel #explore #lifestyle #richmond #va #virginia #footballislife #summercamp #godsavethequeen #submission

0 notes

willridgard · 7 years ago

Text

After finding my writing fingers again, I thought I’d reblog this piece I wrote nearly three years ago (originally published in December 2015). Interesting reading in hinsight...

I’m now working on a piece post-USA. What did I do when I got ‘home’? Was it hard to settle back in? What next steps did my career take?

#StayTuned

JOURNALISM...AN EXPERIENCE!

Journalism. What a slog.

I’ve had plenty of ‘work’, but never a 'job’.

That’s my analysis anyway, since graduating with a NCTJ-accredited 2:1 Sports Journalism Degree (with Honours) from the University of Brighton in July 2013.

More than two years on from the proud moment of graduation, there’s never been a dull passage since.

I have applied for stacks of journalism jobs over the last two years, but have found that final finish line of gaining a full-time, contracted position somewhat elusive.

I had 95p to my name a year on after graduating and that was after spending six freelance months working for Archant’s East Anglian Daily Times/Ipswich Star daily newspapers.

My involvement with the above employer has been a rollercoaster ride in itself.

I initially went for a one-week work experience placement back in October 2013.

They asked me back for a second week, but with a potential job in sales lined up in London, it was decision time.

But I followed my dream, and returned for a second and third week of unpaid experience, before it was decision time for them. They had to cut me off or offer me some paid freelance stuff.

Fortunately for me, it was the latter, and my first ever paid piece of work was a back-page with Ipswich Town striker Daryl Murphy, following a dire 1-1 home draw with Barnsley on a wet Friday evening at Portman Road.

Initially on just a three-day week agreement, I got my teeth stuck in for the next five months and improved my writing style, my journalism thought process, and built up my contacts. This was before a cold March morning, when I received a surprise call into the office.

This was it, I thought. They were going to offer me a full-time job. I was excited.

What in fact happened was the complete opposite. They were cutting me off immediately, due to 'financial reasons’. I couldn’t believe it, I thought I was rapidly improving and providing some good stuff.

I was annoyed, of course I was. I remember cursing like mad when I got home, and a trip to the local public house, amid two wobbly bike legs, was fully exploited.

'You’ll be back’, 'be proud’, and 'you never know what will happen in the future’ were three common catchphrases said to me from a plethora of supportive people at this point, which I reluctantly acknowledged. I felt like I had failed.

After the non-league football scene finished in April, I was completely done and I scouted around for other work, other opportunities to explore.

A brief spell labouring for my old man sufficed to pay the bills, but journalism seemed a tough nut to crack.

I sent dozens of job applications online, but heard very little back, which disappointed but didn’t surprise me. I went for an internship at a national newspaper only to get rejected for 'not having enough experience’. (!).

Another internship opportunity replied to me saying 'the position is unpaid, but we have a toaster, so you can bring all the bread you like in’. It was in London, I live in deep Suffolk. I never went for that position.

As far as I was concerned, I’d done my time of this 'unpaid work experience’ malarkey. I’d had enough of them during and post-university.

There gets to a certain point where you cannot work for nothing anymore.

Don’t get me wrong, it is something youngsters and graduates have to do - especially in the competitive field of sports journalism, and I gained invaluable insight, confidence, knowledge, and contacts during my time at MATCH Magazine, Football Exclusives, and Queens Park Rangers (where I was a SoccerSight matchday commentator - providing commentary to visually-impaired fans).

But my advice would be not to get taken advantage of, and only do this 'experience’ until a certain point, and if it is providing you with something and will look good on your CV.

I had a couple of interviews for full-time positions, and came close, but in July and August, I was back at the EADT, covering the local tennis tournaments.

I didn’t mind it. I like tennis. I caught a tan, and I got to know some local links who I formed a bond with to produce future pieces - what journalism is all about.

You can have all the qualifications you like, 120 words per minute shorthand blah blah blah, but if you can’t talk to people and build connections, how do you expect to get stories?

Especially in the local environment, where there is no hiding and you have to go out there and get it - not being afraid to pick up the phone, attend events, and speak to people you have never spoken to before.

If you make an effort with people, they’ll make an effort with you. That’s how I’ve worked anyway.

With my foot creeping back in the EADT door, I was initially offered Thursday and Sunday shifts again. Not ideal, but better than nothing.

I took the offer up. One of the key things in journalism is not to say no. I could have easily said no, but that would have been naive and stupid - regardless of what happened before.

I was determined not to be 'cut’ again, and although frustrated that a full-time position was never likely to come to fruition, I kept my options open - a positive of being freelance.

With my journalism skills improving, those initial two days in August turned to five or six come May in a 2014/15 football season for me to remember.

A year on after that first day of 'experience’ at the EADT, I made my Football League print debut, covering Colchester United v Fleetwood Town (a 2-1 home win) as the paper’s main writer at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

It was a proud moment, and I loved it. Colchester were also happy with me, as before kick-off, the U’s had not won a home game all season and sat in the relegation zone!

Suddenly I was becoming more noticed, and I’d found a style that suited me - there have been times where my work has been a bit jumbled, but, the more you do something, the better you get at it, and that’s no different in journalism.

I was pulling out non-league exclusives on a consistent basis, people were trusting and engaging with me, and I was producing clear, precise copy that everyone seemed to enjoy.

After predominantly just focusing on writing in my first spell, I broadened my skills by being trusted to sub, write headlines, put pages together, fit pictures in, and use the company’s social media networks.

I then came up with an idea to run a weekly column named 'Park Life’ - looking at the local grassroots football game.

There was a void space for it, and after all, non-league football had quickly become my speciality. I quickly realised that, during work experience at the EADT, this was the gap for me to try and fill if I had any chance of getting myself some paid work.

I could go on for hours and hours about my passion for non-league football, but let’s just say that drive was portrayed in Park Life, where I could express myself, tell people my thoughts, and give teams coverage who had never received any before, in my own unique tongue-in-cheek style.

I’d like to think that the column was a hit - and it broadened my range, in terms of producing content and my thought process behind producing stories.

The perfect example of which would probably have to be a piece regarding non-league teams, Ipswich Town, Portman Road, and the Hospital Cup.

A controversial arrangement - seeing as Ipswich had, for the second year running, just dismissed non-league clubs’ hopes of playing end-of-season county cup finals on the Portman Road turf (citing the Blues’ possible play-off involvement as the excuse in 2015), Town announced that the Hospital Cup (which used to be a pre-season match between Norwich and Ipswich) was set to return as an Under-16 game at Portman Road, in between possible dates where Ipswich would have been involved in the play-offs.

Town really had shot themselves in the foot with this announcement, and the plethora of criticism from local non-league associates, many of whom have grown up supporting Ipswich Town Football Club, was aplenty. And rightly so.

Brave enough to print Ipswich a few home truths - in the paper and online - I stand by everything I said in those two carefully-crafted columns which can be read here: (http://www.greenun24.co.uk/non-league/ipswich_town_disappointment_for_suffolk_fa_county_cup_finalists_but_norwich_city_joy_for_norfolk_fa_finalists_1_3973049 and http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/sport/the_hospital_cup_another_kick_in_the_teeth_for_non_league_1_4010509).

I actually ended up going to watch one of the Norfolk County Cup finals - Dereham Town v Wroxham - just days after Norwich City beat Ipswich Town at Carrow Road in the Championship play-off semi-finals. And it was the Canaries who ended up winning promotion into the Premier League. Karma, perhaps? This season’s arrangements for Suffolk Cup finalists are TBC.

With the column flourishing, and more trips involving Colchester under my belt, it was in fact around this time (March 2015) that my interest in a possible summer trip to America stemmed.

After all, once the football season had finished, I was only likely to be working two or three day weeks with the Anglian.

A trip to the States would be refreshing and a great experience (there’s that word again), why would I say no? But I was still reluctant to start with and kept it firmly under my hat, as all journalists can do.

The plan was to still find a full-time role somewhere, and with nearly 18 months of consistent professional work on my CV - which also included occasional work for BBC Radio Suffolk and The Non-League Paper - I was getting noticed by employers, and received replies on job applications that I was previously getting ignored by.

I was astounded that I was getting interviews for some of the positions I applied for, but I did, and came mightily close, only to fall to the classic 'experience’ or 'local knowledge’ reasons given for missing out.

A lot of jobs seem to go internally, and that’s fair enough I guess, but also a waste of time for other hopefuls who trek up and down the country specially for interviews.

So still with no full-time role, I headed out to the States (Virginia) in June, with ambitions of just enjoying my time out there for a couple of months before coming back refreshed and raring to go for the 2015/16 football season.

I’d been across the pond twice before, and although I was excited to see what would lay in store, it was all a bit of a last resort opportunity.

It turned out to be an opportunity I won’t forget. I ended up extending my stay until the last possible return date of my 90-day VISA, I absolutely loved it, and will hopefully continue to do so this time as I head out for a predominantly PR and social media role for a sports company.

Pre-summer, I didn’t see myself wanting to come back, but after the whole US experience, I was very keen to and luckily enough, that has come to fruition.

Top lifestyle, people, weather, and food, I found that, as a Brit, there is little pressure on you in America, and at the age of 24, now’s the time for me to get out there and explore a little bit.

It’s a fantastic opportunity that I may as well give a shot, and if it doesn’t work out, I can always come back.

How did I get the opportunity in the first place? Well, I initially went on a work experience placement with the same company back in March 2013, and with a broken ankle. What was I saying earlier about making contacts and never saying no? You never know what things lead to.

Will I miss working in local sport close to home? Yes, I will, I have thoroughly enjoyed talking to people who want to talk to you and receive coverage, but it is time to move on - 4,000 miles away in this case.

Working for the EADT has been great, it is a place where I have learnt and developed so much. Frustrating at times, yes, but I am extremely thankful for what they’ve taught me, culminating in an opportunity to report on my boyhood club Ipswich at Blackburn two years on from going on work experience.

Mistakes? I’ve made loads. Some major, mostly minor, but everyone makes them. You can’t let them bother you though, and you move on…

And any slight doubts I had about this big change were rectified when I saw a recent advert for a full-time journalism job offering £14k a year. I would have applied for that job a year ago. It’s time to take a bit of time out and give something else a shot…

#journalism #sportjournalism #work experience #life experience #graduates #travel #opportunity #work

1 note · View note