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Crocodile tears for Bluecoat hopeful
MOVE over Shane Ritchie, there's a new bluecoat in town. With Pontin's Bluecoat Academy opening its doors to 50 new recruits this week, Gazette reporter JOE ROBINSON donned the famous blue blazer to learn how to wow the crowds
TALK about sticking your neck on the line.
When I was told I was going to be try out as a bluecoat, I didn't expect to end up with my neck in a crocodile's mouth.
That's exactly what happened though when I was collared by Captain Croc and The Gazette photo-grapher shortly after donning the prestigious but slightly ill-fitting uniform.
It was a jacket worn by many a rising star – Shane Ritchie, Brian Conley, Celebrity Big Brother star H from Steps, Grotbags and even Vicky Entwistle – aka Janice Battersby from Coronation Street.
And now it was my turn – and other hopefuls at the open day – to step into the spotlight.
Undaunted, Pontin's friendly staff showed me to the resort's Prince's Theatre where I was greeted by an army of tracksuited bluecoats learning card tricks.
Their teacher, I was told, was Blackpool Tower showman, Russ Brown.
The animated magician, who I was relieved to notice was without a black top hat and wand, showed some the enthusiastic bluecoats a few tricks and got them all up on stage to try out.
Spared the ordeal of having to mess up a trick in front of everyone, one kind girl, Kerry Merilow, took me to one side and showed me what she had learned.
After bamboozling me with a perfectly executed, pick-a-card- any-card-style trick, young Kerry, 22, from Eastbourne Road, South Shore enlightened me on the joys of being a bluecoat.
"It's a really fun thing to do and I've been able to do a variety of jobs." she said.
"I've now been promoted to leisure superviser and it's great fun.
"I'm less of a stage personality but I get to do bingo calling and quizzes when we have Golden Weekends for the over-50s and I really enjoy it."
My own attempt at the trick failed miserably and I gave up hastily.
My guide for the morning, Julie Butcher, then guided me to the balloon animal making class run by recently retired Southport Bluecoat, Geoff Ree.
Packing personality, Geoff had the bluecoats in stitches with his patter and twisted and turned the balloon into a dog before you could say "woof". It certainly isn't as easy as it looks though and, despite having a balloon to practice on, my best effort looked like a link of deformed sausages.
Sensing this bluecoat lark wasn't really for me, I switiched back into reporter mode and asked Julie, the entertainment productions manager, a little about the academy and discovered it isn't just fun and games. "There is a serious aspect to the academy, too," she said.
"We go through health and safety regulations with the bluecoats and train them to be good with cust-omers as well as entertainers.
"A lot of the students are wannabe entertainers and it's a great grounding for them in learning how to run events.
"For the most part, it's all about performance and creativity skills."
It certainly is. Something which I am sadly lacking. At least I won’t have to wear that jacket again.
n Interested in becoming a bluecoat? Call (01253) 347 374 or visit www.pontins.com and click on recruitment.
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
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