New website design for Compass Distribution brings back Ice Hockey memories...

Having just finished a new web design for my friend Alan Fenn at Compass Distribution, whilst updating the news page with a new Sheffield Steelers team picture (pictured with Alan and the ice hockey league cup), bought to mind a more recent visit as a guest of Alan to watch a Steeler's game.

The 'problem' had arisen during the run up to the first interval - Alan had promised to provide two 'guests' from his VIP box to take part in an organised hampster ball race across the ice.

Basically, you don gloves and protective pads and helmets, get zipped up in a man size plastic beach ball and have to roll yourself to the half way line and back.

Sounds easy except that you're on ice so you quickly fall over and realise that the only way to move is by a 'lolloping crawl'.

So there's much hilarity both outside and inside the ball as you quickly loose all sense of direction and where the opponent is in relation to you. Plus you soon start exerting yourself - misting up the ball etc and then comes the panic as you begin to run out of usable breathable air.

So as a guest, I felt almost duty bound to help Alan out and step in at the last minute as a contestant.

It was a great laugh, extremely tough and quite an experience. An heroic feat I've regaled family and friends with since - and now you.

If you ever get the chance to have a go then do.

Alan is a big fan of the Sheffield Steelers and as their long time trusted partner for delivering all their direct marketing leaflets etc, continues to support the team both on and off the ice.

Compass Distribution provide direct marketing, leaflet and magazine distribution and delivery services to companies and individuals in the UK. Based in Sheffield, they currently have distribution contracts in over 14 counties and the list of city, town and area names reads like the largest rock tour t-shirt you ever saw.

Alan and his distribution team can be contacted via their new website - http://www.compassdistribution.co.uk

Half time antics at the Sheffield Steelers courtesy of Compass Distribution

Yours truly was very excited to accept an invitation to join Alan Fenn of Compass Distribution - direct marketing and leaflet distribution services based in Sheffield - to last nights ice hockey game at the home of the Sheffield Steelers who played the Cardiff Devils.

However, that wasn't the real surprise of the night. Oh no.

Not only did I get to watch the match from the lofty heights of a corporate box, I also met the Manager and players, had my picture taken out on the ice and a picture with the latest bit of club silverware - the play-off winners cup.

Well I can pretty much take that in my stride but I wasn't prepared for a real challenge at the first interval.

Alan's business - Compass Distribution - were sponsoring this match and Alan had agreed to provide two willing recruits to play the interval game of Hamster Ball racing.

So yours truly - padded up - was placed in a life size version of a beach ball and 'walked to the ice' That's where the trouble started. Once on the ice with a thin film of plastic between you and the ice - well it was like being Bambi!

So started a long crawl to the half way line and back. On the return journey i made good ground on my opponent who had obviously got the knack of things a lot sooner than me - and if I hadn't of started running out of steam might have eventually caught up.

Still it was a really fun event to take part in and hopefully we put on a bit of a show for the 3000 plus spectators.

I did warn my 'opponent' that should he win, he'd got to mention Fabulous Photo Gifts in his interview but there were no reporters waiting - just a nice cold pint back in the box! There was a vicious rumour circulating that the event was video'd - I'll keep checking YouTube just to make sure!!

Thanks to Alan and his family and the other guests, including Jill and her husband from the Academy and Star Pupil driving schools based in Rotherham- Good luck to Emma with her test this Friday coming! (Please check out her website for details! www.starpupilacademy.co.uk) for a great evening and of course to the staff and players of the Sheffield Steelers. We'll be back to see you soon.

Jonathan.

Night out with the Sheffield Steelers

(l-r)Georgie, Max and Charlotte pictured with No12 - Randy Dagenais of the Sheffield Steelers


We had another little office outing last Saturday with the kids and went to watch the Sheffield Steelers Ice Hockey team play at their home stadium courtesy of our good friend Alan at Compass Distribution and our new friends at the Sheffield Steelers.

Arriving early, we were invited on the 'behind the scenes' tour which took in the changing area, players lounge, the bench where you really get a sense of the speed at which these guys skate as we watched their warm up before being led onto the ice for photographs.

Too much excitement? The evening was far from over as we were invited to watch the game against the Cardiff Devils from the lofty heights of a VIP box.

A thrilling game ensued with the Steelers winning 2-0 before we were escorted down to the VIP marque to hear the post match interviews with some of the players and the kids had a chance to grab some autographs.

The Steelers media manager spotted my son - Max - and asked him if he'd got all the teams autographs to which he replied "wellll - I'm missing a few". The manager winked at Max and took him down to the dressing rooms where he got the whole teams signatures.

I was also presented with a signed shirt by their number 11 player by Alan during the game - now I have something to wear at the next game as we're all totally addicted to the sport now.

If you've never taken a game of Ice Hockey in before, then we can highly recommend it as a very safe environment for families. Lots of fun and lots of excitement.

Thank you again Alan and Steelers' media manager Dave Simms for a great evening. Our best wishes for the rest of the season.