The Salopian no. 157 - Winter 2015
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OLD SALOPIAN NEWS 63<br />
Bevan Crew Reunion<br />
At <strong>no</strong>on on Saturday 30th May,<br />
Sabrina Club members and their<br />
families assembled on the banks<br />
of the River Severn at the School<br />
boathouse to celebrate Nick Bevan’s<br />
outstanding contribution to rowing at<br />
Shrewsbury between the years 1973<br />
and 1988. Blessed with sunshine and<br />
<strong>no</strong> wind, around 60 (many more<br />
wrote letters of support but were<br />
unable to attend) gathered for a<br />
picnic supplemented by traditional<br />
Pimms and other refreshments and<br />
food provided by Sabrina Club in the<br />
Bowring Clubroom.<br />
As President of the <strong>Salopian</strong> Club and<br />
past President of the Sabrina Club for<br />
many years, it had been Nick Bevan’s<br />
wish to bring together immediately<br />
after his Presidency all those whom<br />
he had coached during his long stint<br />
in charge of RSSBC’s top crew. Nick<br />
Bevan’s highly successful record<br />
and huge contribution to rowing at<br />
Shrewsbury has been ack<strong>no</strong>wledged<br />
in many ways, but this was the way<br />
he wished to celebrate those years,<br />
gathering together crew members<br />
he coached and their families in a<br />
relaxed familiar environment.<br />
He was also keen for those wishing<br />
to do so to take to the water again<br />
and many took up this opportunity in<br />
an eight, a pair and single scull. <strong>The</strong><br />
1978 crew were the most organised,<br />
with the majority taking to the water.<br />
With many attending having gone<br />
on after school to row at university,<br />
clubs and even the Olympics, the<br />
standard of rowing for scratch crews<br />
on the day was pretty impressive and<br />
certainly received rapturous applause<br />
from families and friends on the bank.<br />
Many had <strong>no</strong>t been back in recent<br />
times to see the impressive Ergo<br />
Room where much of the hard<br />
work is <strong>no</strong>w done in training and<br />
the quality of boats and equipment<br />
in the Boathouse needed to remain<br />
competitive at the highest level.<br />
Nick’s widow Annabel Bevan,<br />
together with their children Emily and<br />
Oliver and Edward Bevan, attended,<br />
catching up with many familiar<br />
faces, all of whom had a soft spot<br />
for Nick - NVB. <strong>The</strong> President Martin<br />
Slocock said a few words and Oliver<br />
displayed fantastic vintage footage<br />
recently found of NVB as a pupil at<br />
school at Shrewsbury.<br />
<strong>The</strong> day passed far too quickly, with<br />
many staying on late to make the<br />
most of the occasion, idyllic setting<br />
and familiar company. Nick would<br />
have thoroughly enjoyed the day!
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