Archive for the ‘Media & Sport’ Category
MP Celebrates Return of Cricket to Meltis Sports Club
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Media & Sport
On a chilly Sunday in May, Richard was delighted to join Newnham Meltis Cricket Club in celebrating the first match on their new ground at Meltis Sports Club.
The Meltis ground has a strong history as a cricket venue but no match had been played there for 15 years. So to mark the return of cricket to Meltis, a special invitational match was played between a Newnham Meltis side and an opposition XI picked by Councillor Apu Bagchi. The match was dedicated to long time Meltis Club member, Rowland Sharpe, who had long dreamed of cricket being played at Meltis but sadly passed away before it came to fruition.
Richard had the honour of bowling the very first over of the match and, despite not having played since his school days, he was very close to bowling a maiden over. The two sides – each made up of a mix of men, boys and some ladies! – played a tightly fought game. Councillor Bagchi’s side made 77 in their allotted overs before the Newnham Meltis side fell just a few runs short in the final over.
Despite losing out to Councillor Bagchi’s team, Richard was very pleased with his side’s performance and all involved had a fantastic day.
MP opens Beds Blue Raiders field
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Media & Sport
Richard and Marion Cottier officially open Beds Blue Raiders' field
Richard recently attended the opening ceremony of the newly named Phil Cottier Field next to the International Athletics Stadium on Barkers Lane, home to our very own American Football team, the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders.
Phil Cottier, who tragically died last year, was a League official for 20 years and the Blue Raiders’ first youth coach.
After a few words by Richard, the team’s honorary president, the field was officially opened by Phil’s widow, Marion, ahead of the team’s first pre-season game against the Ipswich Cardinals.
Richard takes part in BBC News School Report
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Education, Media & Sport
Last week, Richard was interviewed by Year 8 students at St Andrew’s School in Bedford for the 2012 BBC News School Report.
During the interview, Richard was asked some challenging questions about government policy on pensions and gangs, among some more light-hearted ones about the UK’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.
To view the report, please visit:-
http://www.st-andrews.beds.sch.uk/news1201.htm
Olympic Torch coming to Bedford!
Posted by Richard | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Media & Sport
The announcement of the Olympic Torch’s route to London 2012 has now been made, and I am delighted to hear that the torch relay will be coming through Bedford.
I am pleased that LOCOG has recognised the diversity and sporting importance of our town, and that the residents of Bedford and Kempston will be able to share in this great festival.
So, make a note in your diaries that Sunday 8th July will be the day the Olympics comes to Bedford!
LOCOG are now looking for ‘local leaders’ to get friends, family and neighbours together to celebrate the torch relay and to organise local events. Please visit London 2012 Local Leaders to sign up
Bringing the Torch Relay to Bedford
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Media & Sport
Richard with Brendan Harris holding Olympic Torches along the Embankment, Bedford
Last month, Richard invited one of the very few organisers of an Olympic Torch Relay, Brendan Harris, the Chief Operating Officer of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games, to Bedford where they visited two local schools, Balliol Lower and Queens Park Academy. Brendan recounted the story of how he spent three months on the road with the Olympic flame, travelling 16,000 miles through 43 of the 50 States in the USA. As students listened, two real Olympic torches were passed around– one from the Atlanta Games, and the other from the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
The students learned that the torch relay is the largest spectator sporting event; that over 15,000 people carried the torch in 1996 and that the torch could be carried as you ran, as you walked, on a wheelchair, on a train, on a plane, in a canoe – just about any method of transport.
Brendan said that Bedford was a perfect destination for the 2012 London Olympic Games torch and urged the Council, and all of us, to contact the regional organising committee to say the torch must pass through our town on the 8th July when it wakes up in Cambridge and goes to bed in Luton.
Please join Richard in his efforts to get the torch to pass through Bedford by emailing: eastofengland@london2012.com
MP urges people to nominate Olympic torchbearers
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Media & Sport
Richard Fuller, MP for Bedford and Kempston, is asking constituents to nominate local residents to become Olympic Torchbearers. The 2012 torch relay is looking for 8,000 “inspirational” people to carry the torch on its journey around the country.
Richard said:-
“We already have a number of great reasons as to why the torch should come here, including our history of nurturing home-grown Olympians.
“But it will be even harder for the London 2012 committee to turn down our request to have the torch pass through Bedford and Kempston if we a large number of local people nominated to carry the torch.
“We have an abundance of inspiring life stories in our remarkable town, so I hope people will visit the London 2012 website and nominate!”
For details on how to nominate someone to become a Torchbearer, please visit:
http://www.london2012.com/olympic-torch-relay
