Bully off for a historic hockey festival in Torbay

The Torbay Easter Hockey Festival returns for its 73rd running over the Easter weekend in 2025, running from Friday, April 18 through to Monday, April 21.

With only three other Easter hockey festivals still in existence, a resurrected Blackpool, Skegness, and Beanfields (Weston-super-Mare), Torbay is the longest continually running Easter festival in the Country.

With the astro pitches at Clennon Valley in Paignton and Torquay Girls’ Grammar School being used, the current entry is 10, an increase from 2024. Nine of the participating teams date back to pre -Covid days, with eight each having attended over 60 festivals.

Further entry slots are still available and festival contact details can be found at www.torbayhockeyfestival.org.uk

The Festival HQ will again be the Palace Hotel, Paignton, following a very successful initial hosting in 2024. The Festival kicks-off at 9.30am at Clennon Valley Leisure Centre, with the traditional flag laying on the surrounding fence, not the raising, as the flag pole has long disappeared and not been replaced.

This is followed by the Official Bully Off between the Festival President Ms. Nicole Amil and Chairman James Carter.

On Saturday evening, the Festival hosts a Reception for Club Captains and Secretaries, and all players who have attended the Festival for 25 years.

The teams fiercely complete for the Bill Stickells Cup for highest scoring team over the weekend, with the Buffaloes from Smethwick H.C. back to defend the Cup they have won on three of the last four occasions.

However, in the spirit of Festival Hockey, there is the Tony Forward Shield awarded for Fair Play to ensure the event is enjoyed by all. 2024 winners were the Bluebottles from Bristol and the Torreadors from the local Torbay Club.

On a more sombre note, the Festival has lost two of its longer serving friends, with Don Bryant of the Oddfellows passing away in June. Don attended his first Festival in 1955 and had clocked up over 60 attendances.

In October, Phil Gutteridge of the Stags in West Bromwich also died. Phil’s first appearance was in 1975, and he had two spells on the Festival committee, spanning 1992 - 2011.