West London Polo - Westway Sports Centre

I'd be up for west Polo next year, but sparodic what with work..
always worth a re-try to get it going

I know aufbruch is up for it
just to find a court with lights, where was it heythrop played?
#toolazytoUTFS

I'll try to get along to Souths and see how it goes, if I enjoy it and there is enough interest, it might be worth having another go at a W or SW... Maybe! Thanks for the replies!

yeah, i know i'd be in as well as people at college who would want to
but as before i think this horse has been flogged enough

Wow, pessamistic beyond your years!

It just takes a nice pitch and two or three regulars and the rest comes. Looks like we're just missing a pitch!

Heythrope played on Hurlingham didn't they? Just that because they are all students they'd play from 3ish... Iirc.

Other than location, what was the issue with the Hurlingham court, did it have lights for winter nights? Is Newington covered?

With a few months of silly commutes, it would be nicer to do polo this side of Waterloo...

Id play weekday wests for sure

No lights was the problem. The only covered place people play in (in london) is Peckham.

Working stiffs like me would get to the court for 6 / 6.30 when it's dark by 7 that's no good... I do now work about 10 mins from Hurlingham so could be there for 5.40... But to get anyone to come here really needs lights.

Ben makes six people who've seen this thread and said they'd play west (so not including the likes of aufbruch, who I think is too busy for week nights anyway... And who I think now works in the city so would have my old problem of getting court side when it's dark and hm who's not started playing or felix's school friends)...

Basically the need is there, just takes a good court.

Heythrop were renting out the Westway sports centre with lights and cover!

If we can sort that I'd play week nights, it's on my ride home (from THE CITY [of Kilburn]).

I'd deffo be up for a WeLo resurrection.

Well I did say 'I think' james! :-p

I'm up for wests, but I've had my fill of trying to organise it, I'm made to be a follower! If someone else organises it I will come.

Ok, West London polo is due a revival... who would like to lead it?

I have on offer a very warm contact from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea who would like to host sessions, source/fund courts, etc. They would put the sessions under their Bikeminded campaign (which attempts to get more local people to cycle: http://www.bikeminded.org/ ).

It just needs someone to run with it...

any idea of time frames jono? im pretty swamped with work till mid feb/march
but am more than up for it, if no one more qualified is willing

Not sure, I can find some more info if people are game, etc. It's an ongoing thing to try and get more locals on bikes I guess, I'll ask more about funding/timings.

I dont know that part of town at all. What's the most easterly court on offer?

Happy to help if I can. Feel free to CC me on anything.

I'd also be up helping.

How far west is west?

There's some courts in Ealing available that can be floodlit. 5 mins from pic. line tube and 10 mins from Ealing B/way, 15 mins from main line into Waterloo.

Down side is lack of decent pubs very close by but plently on the cycle home.

I believe the court has to be in Kensington and Chelsea to get the support from the Borough?

They're looking into finding some "perfect" court facilities that would normally be paid for (they'd pay for them), this is probably going to kick off in March and all they need is some equipment and volunteers (they plan on promoting the bike polo sessions to the local community). It may even be paid initially, watch this space.

If they are going to help with the facilities that's 90% of the battle, there are plenty of posibilitoes of they are willing to fund. There's a park with a massive Chelsea badge on the floor, 2 courts next to each other, that has lights, if we could use that it would be awesome. Defiantly a pay to book site?

Have you passed this on to someone jono?

Passed what on to where now?

I'm dealing with it currently. When a date/facility is confirmed we will need polo playing volunteers to come along (for the first session and ongoing sessions if you guys like it, etc).

Ah sorry, misunderstood, thought your original request was to get someone else to deal with the council instead.

Awesome, if your happy to deal with them I will defo play... As I've said any time someone's tryed to reorganise wests! :)

Work in SW, could probably help out. Another night for Polo is always welcome in my book!

We're trying to get polo off the ground out west - which in this case is the wild west of Ealing, Hillingdon & Hounslow.

We've got some funds, some equipment and at least one decent flood lit venue and looking for more. We've also links going with a sports trust that organises street football and the like plus ways into some local schools.

Anyone here up for this? Happy to pay expenses and the like, likewise if this takes off in the slighest we can pay for CRB checks and other stuff in order to keep the ball rolling.

Crumb will be very happy, he comes from hounslow, but he's trying to stay off the forum at the moment. I'll forward your message to ask if he wants to get in contact with you.

Depending on day I'd also be up for coming along.

Choose a day, a time range (ie when do lights go out?) and give us the post code of the flood life venue and we'll see if we can get enough for 6?