Dear Parents,
With February now at an end, spring can start tomorrow and the countdown to the summer begins. No really cold temperatures this winter but plenty of rain, and I did ask Games colleagues earlier in the week “is it really that wet up on Willsfield even for a kickabout?” Sure enough, when taking our prospective new Groundsman (more on him in a few weeks’ time…) up there on Wednesday, him in box fresh trainers and me in wellies, wading through a huge puddle just to get to the gate, it was clear that the ground was completely unplayable. Hopefully we can get games on next week, and our potential new employee is not too cross that I have trashed his trainers even before he has started working on Willsfield.
Cold and wet outside and my bike does not come out to play until it’s at least 15 degrees and dry. So the weather needs to improve as the famous ‘Beacon Peloton’, fresh from our exploits to Paris last year, are set to hit the road again this summer and I need to get training. Nothing international this year, we are sticking to a domestic, Beacon themed, ‘Tour de Lighthouse’ and will cycle the 150 miles (over two days) down to Portland Lighthouse near Weymouth on the weekend of 13 and 14 June. The second day in particular promises to be a memorable route through the New Forest, along Bournemouth beach, Sandbanks Ferry and Corfe Castle, before ending for a well deserved celebratory dinner at The Lobster Pot on Portland Bill. We currently have 15 staff and parents and welcome any new members of all abilities – do email me at [email protected] if you would like to join us; we’d love to hear from you.
And no, I couldn’t write this column without mentioning Watford’s excellent win against Luton last Sunday. A comprehensive result, and great to share it with colleagues, parents and boys from The Beacon community who I bumped into before and after the game. I didn’t see him on Sunday but Krishna (Year 4) came to see me on Monday, still ‘buzzing’ from the Hornets’ performance and kindly gave me his programme from what was his first Watford match – welcome to being a Watford fan Krishna, a lifetime of disappointment and ecstasy in equal measure awaits…
Have a good weekend,
Nick Baker