A Night to Remember: Raiders Give Len a First Game to Treasure

Raiders were delighted to welcome a new super fan to the Sapphire last week who has been listening to the stream but had never been to a game before. Len Keam, who is blind and currently in a wheelchair first discovered ice hockey during the Winter Olympics.

The family from Linford, near Thurrock, Essex did some research to look into a local club, and they came down to the Sapphire during the summer to find out a little more about the Romford Raiders. Former Raider and GB International Brynley Capps was doing a training camp on the day, and the family promised to bring Len back in the season to watch a match live.

Len, who is 18 next month, attends a specialist boarding school in Worcestershire has been a regular listener to the streams this season, and was given the chance to meet commentator Matthew Udall before the match.

The Basingstoke Bison took the Raiders to overtime in a thrilling encounter that went right down to the wire before the Bison grabbed the winner but Raiders still managed to hold onto a vital league point, despite missing Canadian netminder Cole Ceci due to injury.

Len got the chance to chat to Cole during and after the match, and they also discussed the Olympics. He also has a growing collection of NHL pucks and was delighted to add a Raiders Ceci signed puck to the pile, along with a Raiders hat, scarf and stick from the Merch stand.

Raiders DJ Paul Ludlow also came to visit Len in the stands and presented Len with a signed shirt which was a birthday present from his aunt Stacey, Uncle Del, and cousins Gene and Xanthe who were also attending their first game.

The icing on the cake was one final surprise at the end of the game, when Len taken on the ice to meet the team after the game, and given a lap of honour around the rink with the Raiders team, pushed around by Brandon Ayliffe and cheered on by the faithful Raiders crowd.

Len said “My first love of ice hockey started when my brother Stan got me to watch it during the Winter Olympics, during the final I was wondering if there was a local club that we could follow, that was was when I found out about the Romford Raiders.

My experience of visiting my first game, was the best I’ve ever had, I didnt know what to expect but thanks to help from Al Gerrie and Emma Anderson I was treated to an evening I won’t forget and I can’t wait to visit again. I’ve been following The Raiders on the live streams but was great to get in the arena and experience the atmosphere”

We hope to be able to welcome Len back to another game over the Christmas period, but in the meantime we know Len will be listening to the stream and cheering on the Raiders.