It is with great sorrow that we announce that Peter “Woody” Woodward passed away peacefully on the night of Saturday, 23rd July in Warwick Hospital.

Woody was a larger-than-life character who was well-known in local sporting circles and, as many subsequently discovered on their travels, in global sporting circles. In fact, it became something of a running joke that, wherever you were in the world, if you made a new acquaintance, an opening line of “Do you know Peter Woodward?” often yielded surprising results!

An old boy of King Edward VI Grammar School and a Vice-President of Chelmsford Hockey Club, Woody joined Chelmsford relatively late in his hockey career after spells at various Essex clubs, including Wickford, Romford and Brentwood. He immediately took on the role of 200 Club organiser and, making full use of his ability to engage complete strangers in conversation, set about successfully increasing the membership. After finishing his playing career with the Evergreens due to “ankle trouble”, he assumed the role of Men’s 1st XI Manager for the final few seasons of their EHL stay.

Woody managed the Essex Men’s hockey team in the early 1980s before becoming the President of Essex County Hockey Association, while continuing to organise regular fixtures and overseas tours for his midweek social team, the Angels, which often included an Olympian or two in their ranks. He also enjoyed playing bowls for Writtle BC and cricket for Stock CC, where his idea of taking some of the younger players “under his wing” included pre-match visits to the local hostelry, much to the dismay of his team captain!

Chelmsford Hockey Club wishes to convey our deepest condolences to Peter’s widow, Pat, two sons, Andrew and Iain, and Peter’s extended family.

Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course but we understand from Peter’s family that the formalities will take place in Stock, Essex later in August. We shall publish further details as they become available.