18 August - 26 August 1999
After months of planning we were visited by 10 members of Tus Bröckel Badminton Club (near Celle, Germany) and 3 friends from near to Hamburg. They stayed as guests of members of our club for 8 days. This is a record of their visit.
Arrived Wednesday 18 August just after 1.00pm at Norton Street Coach Station, Liverpool after 20+ hour journey and taken to St. Mary the Virgin Church Hall Waterloo for reception and to have photograph taken for Crosby Herald. Afternoon spent relaxing until taken to individual homes. Evening spent recovering from the journey although four of the girls went to the fairground at Southport during the evening.
Thursday was spent visiting Albert Dock in Liverpool and then shopping, evening visit to Victoria Hall B.C. in Freshfield (Southport League).
Friday we visited Chester for the day and then onto Hilltop club night at Fazakerley Sports Centre.
Up early Saturday morning as we had hired a minibus for the weekend to travel down to Birmingham to compete in the Birmingham Badminton Bonanza at the National Indoor Arena. The girls do well but just fail to qualify for any of the finals. After we had all been knocked out we moved onto London and stayed overnight at Baden Powell House, arriving at about midnight after getting lost because the motorway was closed near London.
Sunday was spent sightseeing in London before starting off for home at 6pm.
Monday back to sightseeing and more shopping in Liverpool City Centre before visiting Megabowl in Netherton for their first taste of bowling in the evening.
Tuesday we visited Southport and the girls went on the fairground. The evening a match was played against the Knowsley Junior Squad that competes in the Merseyside Youth Games, the girls won the match comfortably in front of the camera from Channel One Liverpool.
Wednesday was spent with the families although one group went to Camelot during the daytime, others went sightseeing and shopping.
Thursday morning the Crosby Herald is published with photo and article about the visit. The group are transported to Norton Street coach station ready for the trip home. The coach departs at 12.40.
Friday evening Channel One has item on it's Sportspage show about the visit with interviews with myself, Ina Müller, Edna Weaver and Lee Burgess and shows clips of the game between Lee Burgess & Phil Pugh and Katharina Krüger & Rovena Söhndel. The programme is repeated on Saturday morning.
Taken at Moorfields Station Liverpool after returning from Chester.
Prior to playing in Birmingham
Time to leave after being knocked out.
Southport fairground with prizes
Norton Street Coach Station prior to returning to Germany
