Family-run, Bracknell BID business Ozone Ice Rink is celebrating after founder Danny Meyers was confirmed as the official Great Britain Olympic Coach for the Under 16s 3-on-3 ice hockey team this month.
This announcement is doubly exciting as it also means Ozone Ice Rink will be home to the official Olympic trials and international tournaments which will begin in late December this year.
Danny is no stranger to ice hockey, or the Olympics having represented the GB team for 12 years at junior level where he won both a silver and bronze medal.
Danny said, “We’re delighted that Ozone will receive this international recognition and be at the forefront of the ice hockey game. This is the first time 3-on-3 ice hockey has come to the UK and we are proud to be the only rink in Great Britain that can hold this. For the players, they will get the full Olympic experience, but it will also bring fantastic support and opportunities for our fellow local businesses who will benefit from increased visitors to the area.”
There are few people that can say they built their business from the ground up and really mean it, but for Danny and his family they can use this phrase literally.
Born from a dream in 2019 to have a professional ice-skating rink that families, businesses and professional skaters and ice hockey players could use in his hometown, Danny dedicated his life to turning that dream into a reality.
Despite facing scepticism, funding difficulties and the huge set back of the Covid pandemic, Danny was not deterred and kept persevering until he was eventually given the go ahead. Two years later, countless hundred-hour weeks and easily the most gruelling time of his life, Danny and his father had built the ice rink and officially opened Ozone on the 4th May 2021.
Ozone now employs twenty-one members of staff, many of whom are friends of Danny and his family and have supported their journey from the very beginning. This has created a strong community feel at the rink and if you speak to any of the staff, they will likely have different versions of what Ozone means to them and how much they care about it. It is this sense of community which Danny says makes the rink what it is and such a unique place to visit.
He said, “We often reminisce about the difficult times during the build and can still remember where every bit of plaster board was. Many of our customers know our staff by their first name and we make sure they feel welcome and comfortable from the moment they enter – we are passionate about creating memories for local people.
“When it comes to the wider community, that’s incredibly important to us too. We buy locally where we can and are proud to be part of Bracknell BID, in fact our Head of Corporate Relations and Partnerships is a BID director.
“The BID has made such a huge difference in the area with initiatives such as the loyalty card scheme, litter cleansing, Tidy Days and Meet Your Neighbour events which are a fantastic way to bring local businesses together. The BID’s improvements on Western Road with the new floral displays and grass edging have been amazing and really revived the area.
“We’re looking forward to more exciting BID projects; with better lighting and a new wayfinding scheme coming soon.”
You certainly don’t need to be an Olympic level athlete to enjoy the rink however as Danny and his team have a fantastic programme of activities for everyone including some brilliant Christmas events coming up too.
From corporate team building sessions and wellbeing programmes Ozone has it all including their very own on-site gym and café and it is used by local schools, Scouts and Guides’ groups and families and individuals.
Visitors can enjoy coffee mornings, public skates, private sessions and even birthday parties and the team are happy to create bespoke events to suit your needs.
Christmas is a great time of year to visit Ozone and many families and friends often use the venue to get together and enjoy some festive fun whilst exchanging gifts.
For businesses there are some fantastic sponsorship opportunities available including the ability to align yourself with an Olympic level venue and all the positive branding that brings with it.
Find out more…
To keep up to date with both Danny and Ozone’s Olympic journey and to find out about the exciting events and activities coming up over the coming months visit https://ozonerink.co.uk/