Newsletter 1 2024

The new season is fast approaching, and at last, it’s nearly time to get outdoors and start bowling again.

The Club opens on Thursday 18st April, with our first club night, followed by the Captain’s vs President’s match on Saturday 20th April. Please remember to put your name down for the supper on the list in the clubhouse if you want to eat. The fee for the supper, additional to the match fee, is £5.00 per person, payable on the day.

As usual we are holding a Newcomers weekend on Saturday 27th/Sunday 28th April, so if you know of anyone who want to come and try out, please point them in the club’s direction on those days. We now have a new sign outside the car park entrance which, although it doesn’t specifically mention the Bowls club, does indicate the Turkey Farm Recreation Ground where we are sited, and should help newcomers locate the club.

Our membership is currently 71 full playing members (45 men and 26 ladies), plus 2 Junior members and 12 social members. And, talking of our Junior members, Alfie Williams has been nominated for Leamington Spa – the National Under 18 trials, – so Congratulations to Alfie!
I will send out members lists to everyone shortly, but because of data protection, they will only show names, telephone numbers and email addresses.
Members should have received both Catering and Cleaning Rotas for 2024, but I will also attach them to the email containing this newsletter.

Sadly, we lost 3 former members over the winter:
- Jeff Nash, who had not played for a few years, but had been a very active member of the club for many years,
- Edie Alden, a founder and Honorary member of our club, who used to live in Brookbridge Lane very close to the club with her husband John, and recently moved away to the south-west.
- Jim Russell, who most of you knew very well, as he was always down at the club, and until very recently an active member of the Selection Committee, always ready with a joke and a friendly word. Jim lived just around the corner with June, also a founder and Honorary member.
We will miss all of them, and wish their families well.

By the time this goes out members may have attended the Music Night on Thursday 11th April, but there are a couple of other dates/reminders for you:
- On Monday 13th May we have the West Sussex Bowls Touring Club visiting us for the first time, and we will be fielding 7 Rinks (yes 7 Rinks, i.e. 28 home players) against them. Please look out for more details on the noticeboards.
- The Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League have brought forward their finals day to Sunday 1st September. This clashes with the first day of our 2024 Bowls Tour, and so anyone entering the WHBL competitions and going on the tour could be affected.
- The final date for Club Competition entries is 12th April with the draw taking place on the 15th. If you still wish to enter, Julian will accept emails before that date.
- The new Thursday night practice competition, now known as the Russell Trophy, will commence on Thursday 2nd May. Check the boards for details. Those that just want to roll-up can still do so, provided that Rinks are free.
- A reminder that we are still required to wear White shirts and Grey trousers etc when playing/rolling up on club nights, and Club shirts and Grey trousers etc when playing in club competition rounds.

Coaching:
Les and Peter will be organising some coaching on marking/umpiring shortly. Look out for the notice on the board for those that want to participate.
New Coaches are always being sought, and, again there are notices up on the boards advertising courses for this year. If anyone wants to put their name forward, the club will support them financially. Please talk to any Committee member if you are interested.

Finally, some news which affects all of us:

Barbara, our current Treasurer, has tendered her resignation. She will remain in post until the end of the Club’s financial year, unless someone comes forward earlier to replace her. But in any event, we will need a new Treasurer soon, and no club can continue to operate without one. So, we need all the membership to consider whether you could take on this role, and if so, put your name forward to the committee.

Additionally, Julian, the Competitions Secretary has announced that this will be his last year in this role, and therefore, we will also be looking for a replacement to be voted in at the AGM in November.

ROB HAZEU

 

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