Beacon has a blast as the community comes together to celebrate the Football Club’s Centenary.

In 1921 the local community got together to celebrate the ending of difficult times. Soldiers were returning from the First World War and the Spanish Flu had finally passed through.

They held a two-day party of fun, games, food, drink and entertainment on a field they had cleared behind the Mitre in Wickham Bishops including Beacon Hill Rovers’ first ever match.

And a century later the community turned out again, the field now a grand sports area so we were back in the same place; certainly physically, possibly emotionally.

Over the weekend the combined Centenary Festival and Village Fete drew large crowds to enjoy the kind weather. Over forty stalls of traditional Fete games and artisan products with a children’s play area and a range of food and drink outlets provided something for the whole family.

Saturday evening saw the Football Club celebrate their Centenary with live music in the giant big top after a day of full-on five-a-side competitions for current and past Beacon Hill players. On Sunday it was the Youth teams turn as they hosted their favourite opposition in special Centenary matches.

The Weekend also gave the opportunity for the local community to mark the passing last year of Peter Mickelsen, a great servant to the Football Club and the Beacon Hill Sports Association. In Peter’s honour, the Association organised a ceremony where the pavilion was renamed “The Peter Mickelsen Sports Pavilion”.

To complete the Weekend’s entertainment Heybridge Swifts brought a team to play in the ‘Peter Mickelsen Memorial Match’: the game was played in some style by both teams, Swifts winning the penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw.

The whole set-up couldn’t have happened without the huge crew of doers from Charlie Brewer’s initial plans of ‘let’s get the biggest marquee on the planet’ through to John Linton skilfully managing the stallholders. Other key players were Iain on design and tech, Stu for great pitches plus, Lexi top job with the bars, Steve Henno for producing a brilliant programme, Anne and Joy for staffing the Hatch and Ryan for all the work he put in, appropriately acknowledged with his “Clubman of the Year” Award and all those who put that extra shift in around the Hill this last month.

And as it was all about football a special mention to the Men’s First Team who found themselves 0-2 down to Swifts in the exhibition match and pulled it back with some stylish and determined play.

Now I’m going for a lie-down, enjoy whatever breaks you can fit in.

Merf