Canterbury Hockey Club’s Pink & Blue Day for Janie

On Saturday 21st February, Canterbury Hockey Club will host a very special double‑header match day in memory of one of its most loved members, Janie Scott Kilvert. The event, known as Pink & Blue Day, will celebrate Janie’s life, raise vital funds for Breast Cancer Now and Prostate Cancer UK, and bring together the entire Polo Farm community in a way that reflects the values she stood for.

Janie was woven into the fabric of Canterbury Hockey Club. She first played as a schoolgirl in Canterbury before moving away for her career. She later returned to become a central figure at the club for many years.

She was a lifetime member and a hugely active club volunteer, who was serving as Ladies Chair at the time of her passing. Previously, she had worked as the Manager of the Polo Farm site, helping to drive its development into the multi‑sport community hub it is today, home not just to hockey, but to cricket, tennis and croquet.

Hockey was her number one passion, and she was known for her relentless positivity. She kept playing, booking trips, and staying involved for as long as she possibly could. Her attitude to life – full, courageous, uncomplaining – is a central reason the club felt compelled to honour her in such a meaningful way.

Her family all play hockey at Canterbury, and her loss hit the club, and the wider Polo Farm community, incredibly hard. Pink & Blue Day is a way for the club to honour that impact and her spirit.

From the outset, the idea was to create a day that raised money for cancer charities while reflecting the close link between Canterbury’s Ladies and Men’s sections.

Pink represents Janie’s primary diagnosis of breast cancer, and supports Breast Cancer Now 

Blue highlights a cancer that predominantly affects men, supporting Prostate Cancer UK  

Bringing those colours together on one day mirrors the way the club’s sections operate: separate committees, but one united club.

Pink & Blue Day has been scheduled for a major home weekend, with a double header at Polo Farm:

- Ladies 1s vs Spencer – 3:00pm

- Men’s 1s vs Exeter University – 5:00pm  

The aim is to pack the sidelines for both games, creating a real occasion for players, supporters and Janie’s family. Many of the players taking the field knew Janie personally, making the day particularly meaningful

The most visible symbol of the day will be the specially designed pink and blue shirts, worn by players and supporters alike.

- The shirts are produced by club partner Y1

- Y1 are selling the shirts at production cost only, maximising the amount that can go to charity  

- 300 shirts have been pre-ordered for this event

- All of the profit will be split between Breast Cancer Now and Prostate Cancer UK

Teamo has ensured that 100% of the transaction fees will be subsidised, ensuring that as much money as possible goes to both charities. Because the club does not have to absorb these typical processing costs, every pound spent by a supporter directly funds the vital research and support services offered by Breast Cancer Now and Prostate Cancer UK, making this event as impactful as possible

To add to that impact, the Green Street Foundation has stepped in to fund the match shirts for both the Ladies 1s and Men’s 1s. The players have additionally chosen to pay £25 for their own shirts, with Green Street Foundation covering the actual shirt costs. The result is that 100% of those player payments go directly to the charities.

Demand has gone far beyond the two squads – supporters and wider club members have rushed to get involved, leading to the 300‑shirt order.

Janie’s husband (Nick) has been blown away by the scale of support and the enthusiasm around the day. It’s emotional, but he and the children (Ali and Gabs) are all fully behind the event and looking forward to seeing it come to life.

The launch at the club’s recent President’s Day included a short speech about Janie and the Pink & Blue concept, attended by Janie’s sister‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law. From there, word has spread quickly through the club’s WhatsApp groups and social channels, with a strong social media campaign building momentum in the run‑up to 21st February.

Pink & Blue Day follows in the footsteps of another important club tradition. A few years ago, after the tragic death of a young former player, Canterbury HC introduced an annual mental‑health awareness day. Featuring specific colours, shared resources and a focus on encouraging conversation, it has become a fixture in the club calendar. Pink & Blue Day feels like a natural extension of that culture of care and awareness. While no decision has been made about next year there have been questions on what the club will loook to do. 

As Jackie Laslett, Ladies Chair at Canterbury Hockey Club, put it during our conversation, the irony is that this is exactly the sort of day Janie would have absolutely loved: a packed Polo Farm, both 1st XIs on show, friends and family together, and everyone rallying around a cause bigger than the match itself.

Whether you’re a Canterbury member, a Spencer or Exeter Uni supporter, or simply part of the wider hockey family, we’d encourage you to:

- Come down to Polo Farm on Saturday 21st February

- Wear your pink and blue with pride  

- Donate if you’re able, and help share the JustGiving link  

Events like this show what our sport and its communities can do when they pull together.