Sport In Profile UK Issue 14 | Page 18

Bracknell Bees FOLLOW US ONLINE twitter.com/sportinprofile working a lot more closely with the ice rink. The continuation of junior player development into the Bees squad is also key and again we look forward to working much more closely with the Bracknell Ice Hockey club to this end. We are always looking for new partners, sponsors and of course fans! Anyone looking to get involved with the fastest team sport on the planet and this great local, community driven, club then our first message is always please get in touch with us. We are always on the lookout for new sponsors, be it companies or individuals, and welcome all levels of input from both. We are also always keen to encourage people to come along and check out Ice Hockey, if you haven’t seen a game before then believe us you are missing out and should check it out! Our match night volunteers are a truly dedicated and great bunch and do a fantastic job of supporting the team in a variety of different and valuable ways and we always welcome more Lynne Spearing of Club Sponsor Franx Barbers recently took the time to tell us a little more about the company and their positive association with Bracknell Bees. She told us, “We’ve had a salon for around nine years and an opportunity came up a couple of doors down from where we are based with another unit became available. We had toyed with the idea of opening a barbers somewhere in Wokingham and so grasped that chance with both hands; I’m pleased to say it has taken off very quickly. “It has a very traditional set up. We see it as a gents grooming shop rather than a traditional barbers and has a trendy image with a very friendly atmosphere. Our clients can have a drink or come in for a chat so it is something of a man cave! If anyone fancies a haircut and are over this way you’re more than welcome. “My son has been playing for the Bracknell Bees since he was about seventeen and has been there for years. After a spell away he came back and got into the first team which is great to see. “As a company we started sponsoring them last year and are proud to be doing so again this season. It is a good platform to help us get our name out there and so is a partnership that benefits both parties. 18 Issue 14 to expand the work that the current volunteers already do for the club. If you would like to know more or can offer partnership, sponsorship or assistance then please drop us an email at press@ bracknellbeesihc.com and we will get back to you. Looking to the longer term future, as best as anyone can, the stability of the club and the new league in which it now plays are the two key challenges moving forward. UK ice hockey can, for the most part, be financially challenging but we feel that both the Bees and the National Ice Hockey League look stable going into their first season together and the future certainly looks bright. In this modern age of social media and immediate comment and feedback all teams have had and continue to have their ups and downs. The challenge of trying to balance that with keeping paying fans satisfied with the on-ice product is an ever present battle but one that we feel we are doing our best to achieve. As a club we continue to attempt to keep the teams profile positive, noticeable and energetic whilst making ourselves part of the local community and part of the goal of developing the next generation of ice hockey players in the UK. “We’re always keen to support the local community where possible and hope to be able to continue to support the club for many years to come. We’re very proud to be associated with Bracknell Bees and we wish them all the best for the future.”