Ice rink sparks tales of romance and title fights

Joanne and Jason Parry got married after meeting at the rink as teenagers

From a love story between a hockey player and a figure skater, to a champion boxer winning his titles, people have been sharing their memories of Telford Ice Rink as it celebrates its 40th birthday.

The rink is home to the Telford Tigers ice hockey team, while skating lessons, competitions, and figure skating are all held there regularly, as well as family activities.

Joanne and Jason Parry were both involved in activities at the rink from their early years.

Joanne started ice skating at four years old, before taking up figure skating, while Jason started playing ice hockey there when he was 15.

"I'd always seen him round the building when I was figure skating," said Joanne.

"Then I got a job there when I was 16 years old, started supervising the birthday parties and got to know him then."

Mrs Parry said she did not like her now-husband much when they initially met at the rink

However, it was not love at first sight.

"I never liked him, because he was a typical ice hockey player, he was arrogant, ignorant," she said.

It was the forced proximity that eventually wore her down.

Joanne said they started working together, spending eight hours a day alongside each other.

"I moved in after a year into his flat, and then we got engaged the year after that... now we’ve been married 15 years." she said.

The pair worked at the rink for years following their marriage, and now take their own children there.

Of her daughter, Joanne said: "It's nice to be able to go on the ice with her and have a skate around, and tell her the story of working here and meeting her dad here."

Richie Woodall said he wanted to win his world title at Telford Ice Rink

Former world champion boxer Richie Woodall is well-acquainted with Telford Ice Rink.

Born in Birmingham, he moved to Telford when he was just two years old.

When he first started dating his wife, he used to take her skating there between his training sessions.

"I’m terrible on the ice... I couldn’t even stand up, [but] I said I could," he told BBC Radio Shropshire.

As his accomplishments in the ring grew, the title fights beckoned.

"All my titles, I won at the rink," Woodall said.

"My Commonwealth title in 92, European title in 95, world title in 98... and I lost my world title here, so it's the rough with the smooth type of thing.

"All my greatest achievements were at the Telford Ice Rink."

He said winning there was a dream - he was determined that the major titles would be fought in Telford.

Four generations of Sandra Henson's family have loved the rink

For Sandra Henson, the ice rink is home to many happy memories for four generations of the family.

She attended the first ice hockey game at the rink in 1985 with her mum and her own daughter Louise.

"The three of us just loved it, I don’t know why, we were just hooked almost straight away," she said.

Her mum volunteered at the rink, selling programmes and washing kits.

"She was always outside the door for the whole first period, even though she had a season ticket, so she never saw the game," Sandra said.

Louise started going to the rink as a young girl

Louise met her now ex-husband at the rink.

Their son Ryan soon became hooked on ice hockey and began watching games at the rink.

At age nine, he told his family he wanted to play ice hockey and is now a netminder.

"We're very proud of him, what he's done," said Louise.

They still have a season ticket, just seven or eight seats from those they had in 1985.

On Saturday, the rink will play host to 1980s fancy dress and disco sessions to celebrate the anniversary.