End of Season Presentation Evening

Photographs from the end of season presentation are available in the gallery

From the Chair - End of Season Review

Membership

We have seen several clubs disband, teams cease to exist and yet against a tide of falling numbers playing bowls our membership has once again increased. It has been great to see new members at the club, taking part in our various league teams, round robin or simply enjoying the green on a social basis.

On the Green

It has been a phenomenal achievement to have a total of seven summer teams and one winter team, playing in six different leagues. Of pleasure to me has been seeing the teams come together, embracing new players and individuals clearly enjoying each other’s successes and feeling able to contribute to the team.

Whilst we have not had any promotions, all teams have comfortably held their own, which after some recent promotions and league reorganisations is a great outcome.

An important measure for me and one which defines us as a club is that we rarely field anything less than a full team. Indeed, I think it has only occurred on two occasions this season and right at the end of the season when absences are high.

The above reflects well on all the captains, the role I do not underestimate, getting the balance right when oversubscribed or chasing around to get a replacement player when someone drops out at the last minute can be challenging and thankless.

Thank you to the captains of all our teams.

Within this section I want to comment upon the Round Robin. I get all sorts of feedback, not all favourable, but when people talk about Round Robin it is always positive. The organisation under Bill's guidance, the atmosphere and the enjoyment as pairs battle it out for the eggs. If I see someone on a Tuesday afternoon or a Thursday, they invariably greet me with a Round Robin update and who won the eggs. It’s a great part of our club and thanks Bill.

The Green and Surrounds

The feedback from our own players and those visiting has generally been that the green has improved markedly on how it was last year. As seems the way with bowlers, some will always have a comment; ‘it has lost some of its marks, its not as fast as it was, bowls pick up dressing’ and of late ‘ the worms’. At the end of the day we are a small club, possess limited financial and physical resources and as such are not going to have a green like Owley Wood or Castle Private. That said we can have ambition and the focus this winter will be on consolidating what we have achieved whilst working on those areas that are not on a par with the wider green. Going forward it is my ambition to have a rolling three-year plan that will reflect our budget constraints but deliver year on year improvement.

We took the big step of purchasing a fully refurbished/reconditioned mower in mid-July, replacing the Ransome mower which I believe was produced in 1950. This has not only benefitted the green but also assisted us from a health and safety perspective. As part of our culture of continuous improvement I am keen to review existing equipment, establish what we need to aid our green maintenance and assist in achieving a better green year on year.

I have referenced before that much work was done in the winter to improve the wider bowling experience. I hope you will concur that not only do we have one of the more picturesque greens but also one where the surround is as neat, tidy, and cared for as any you visit. We also have a flower display which stands us a part.

To all those who helped on the green during the year and in improving the surrounds many thanks. A special thanks to Brian Swann for his floral designs which are much admired by our membership and opponents alike.

Smooth Operation

A special mention to our treasurer Maggie Coats and our secretary John Coats. It goes without saying that the serenity a swan displays above the water hides the activity below. That is very true at our club and the efforts of both treasurer and secretary should not be underestimated. The number of teams, different leagues, cup competitions both internal and external etc etc all create admin for the treasurer and secretary.

A thank you also to the committee and indeed everyone at the club for the support you have given me during this my first year.

Dates – Help and Assistance

The Green Closing – As referenced the last league match at home is a Mid Cheshire League match on 4 October. With no other league matches and Round Robin moving inside the green will remain open until the conclusion of that match. However, it will not be cut as regularly as it has been, with such dictated by the weather.
Green Maintenance – We are hoping to undertake some green maintenance over the weekend of 5 and 6 October. This is obviously weather dependent, and the proposed date may move. Further ongoing work will take place in October and over the winter. If you are willing to give some time to assist with the green, please let me know. Any help would be much appreciated.
Surroundings – Last year we had a small but industrious workforce tidying up and improving the surrounds. This year we would like to do the same and other jobs that arise. We met the first Wednesday of the month, depending on the weather and as with ‘green maintenance’ there is not an expectation you will attend every month. There is always a hot drink and biscuits to compensate for any damp and cold. Again, if interested and you wish putting on the list let me know.
Suggestions – If anyone has any suggestions as to how they feel the running of the club can be improved then please contact me.
Dates :
- - Green formally closed after Mid Cheshire League Match 4 Oct but will only be sporadically cut from now until then.
  - Presentation Evening – this is to be confirmed but please add a hold the date of 15 November to your calendar
  - AGM – will take place in January. Date to be confirmed.

Finally, thank you everyone for making this a special club. I will look to keep you updated on relevant matters as they become known/confirmed.

Alistair

Wilbraham Cup

On Sunday 1st September, we will staged the annual Club Championship, the Wilbraham Cup. 23 members tooks part, with first time losers competing in the Anne Nield Trophy. The Wilbraham Cup Final was contested between Beverley Barton and Vernon Slater, with Vernon taking the honours, in a closely contested game - 21-18.

Wilbraham Cup Winner - Vernon Slater Wilbraham Cup Runner Up - Bev Barton

John Coats and Viv Dennett were the Anne Nield Trophy finalists, both having played very well to get to the final, John taking the win.

Anne Nield Trophy Winner - John Coats Anne Nield Trophy Runner Up - Viv Dennett

The standard of bowling throughout the tournament was very high. Jeff, Peter and Alistair did an excellent job in running the event. The first three rounds of the Wilbraham Cup and the first two rounds of the Anne Nield Trophy were best of 11 ends, which kept the competition flowing. The semi-finals were first to 21 or best of 21 ends, whichever came first. The semi-final results were:

Wilbraham Cup - Bev v Sally (15-10) and Peter Winnington v Vernon (10 - 18).

Anne Nield Trophy - Jeff v John (5 - 21) and Viv v Steve Roberts (14 - 13)

Thank you to everyone who turned up and made it a very enjoyable day. In addition, we raised £53.10 towards club funds on the raffle.

Tony Nield Cup

The Tony Nield Cup competition was held on Sunday 28th July. Eighteen members took part on what turned out to be a perfect day for bowling. The competition was managed as usual by Jeff Henton, who did an excellent job as always, and a huge "Thank You" to Steve McConnell for manning the barbecue.

It was a close competition with several players scoring in the twenties over the five rounds. Alistair Dalzell was the winner, with Peter Winnington just one point behind.

The next competition is on Sunday 1st September, when we hold the Wilbraham Cup.

Below are a few pictures from the day:

Message from the Chairman

The following is an extract from a message from new Chairman Alistair Dalzell, which was sent to all members today - 222nd March 2024. All, I was delighted to be elected Chairman of Crowton Bowling Club, in succession to Peter Bellis, or so one side of my brain keeps telling the other side that has some doubts !! Peter has, with the aid of the committee, established a unique spirit at the club and one that is very much inclusive. I want to build upon that, whilst providing great facilities and opportunities for the membership, whether they simply want a social bowl or to play within one of our league teams. We are blessed with great facilities and a location which is second to none. I can be accused of being a bit wordy and so will try not to switch you off but at the same time wanted to update you on a few things : The Green Significant work was undertaken in September and October, including hollow tine aeration, scarifying, top dressing, and reseeding and this has resulted in a much more evenly grassed green. Despite the very wet weather the green has been regularly tended and the grass height maintained at 10mm Considering the ongoing wet conditions, we will not be risking damage to the green by excessively reducing the mower height, rather a phased reduction to 5mm as weather and circumstances allow. It is acknowledged this will mean you will need to give your bowls a bit of push for a few weeks, although we think protecting the green for a few weeks is sensible in the context of the season. The Green will be open from Monday 25 March. Around The Green A working party was assembled at the end of the 2023 season and has met regularly throughout the winter. In my opinion their efforts have been rewarded in how the club’s footprint now looks, and I would encourage you to have a walk around the green. Not a definitive list but some of the activity undertaken: Remove the growth behind and on top of the two sheds, the top of the bus shelter and in the corner where the away team sits. Clear out the garage, two sheds and paint the latter. Apply fencing preservative to all wooden fencing and gates as well as the clubhouse. Paint all windows. Treat all benches. Paint the metal fencing and the floodlight pylons. Apply a synthetic grass edging to all the green gutters. Install two gates either side of the bus shelter to give access to the area on the far side of the green for ongoing maintenance. A final tidy up will take place on Wednesday 3 April ahead of the league season starting. Fridges etc. will be stocked on or around this time. Membership Fees You should have received an E mail in respect of the Annual membership, and this confirmed that the cost remained unaltered at £20. If you could pay this by one of the following methods a) the bank account directly b) cheque/cash to Maggie/John or your team captain that would be very much appreciated. Membership Numbers Contrary to many clubs our numbers are relatively strong, and we will be welcoming several new members this year which is fantastic. That said we are eager to encourage new members, specifically those who want to try the game for the first time or become involved with our Round Robin so do put the word out. To better embed ourselves within the local community we will be taking part in the “Big Bowls Weekend” scheduled for late May and where we hope to attract individuals interested in bowls who may not have played before. Depending on interest this to be supplemented by four training/engagement sessions. More to follow and we will be seeking volunteers to assist with this. League Teams We appear to have good numbers for all teams which is great as I do not want us to be fielding less than a full compliment. To aid Captains please let them know of holidays and unavailability as soon as practical in order that they can plan accordingly, specifically where there are pinch points. Communication As the season progresses I will look to send an E mail advising of points of interest, highlighting positive achievements on and off the green etc. We also have a Facebook site, and this contains useful information and will be updated on a regular basis going forward. It can be found by searching “ Crowton Bowling Club” . Presently it has 17 members so some way to go before it can be described as an “Influencer”. We also have a website which provides fixture information etc. Committee The Club Committee comprises me, John Coats, Maggie Coats, Peter Winnington, Ian Rigby, Phil Sidebotham, Simon Barton, Brian Swann and Peter Bellis in a consultancy capacity. The desire of the committee is to afford you a great bowling experience and so if there is anything you think we should be doing to improve this e.g., leaking tap, rabbit seen on the green, canned drinks running low etc. then please do let us know. Dates for Your Diary Green Opening Monday 25 March Big Bowls Weekend provisional date 26 May Tony Nield Cup 28 July Wilbraham Cup 1 September Presentation Evening to be confirmed when league dates known Finally, I would just like to thank the committee and the working party for all their hard work in getting us to a position where I believe we can go out and enjoy the 2024 bowling season. Whether you are a new member or have been a member for many years I hope you enjoy bowling at Crowton this summer and if there is anything you think we can do to improve the bowling experience then please contact me :Email : alistair.dalzell@hotmail.co.uk mobile 07771367329 or any of the committee listed above. Regards, Ali

GREEN OPENING

We plan to open the green from Monday 25th March 2024, weather permitting. Following on from the problems last year, we will be reducing the cut over a number of weeks to ensure that we don't put too much stress on the grass. Our first priority is ensuring that the green is in good condition all season. The weather this year has not permitted us to cut the green regularly and so please bear with us for the first few weeks.

Update on pre-season preparations

The winter working parties have been hard at work and the green and surrounds are starting to look ready for this season. The clubhouse windows have had a fresh coat of paint and the surrounds have been birdproofed.

Much of the fencing and woodwork has been repaired and treated to a fresh coat of woodstain and the green's gutters are now fully edged with artificial grass. There are still a few jobs to complete, but as these photos show, a huge amount of work has been completed. We look forward to seeing you when the season starts in April.

DIARY DATES

The Club Social Event - Tony Nield Cup will be held on Sunday 28th July 2024.

The Club Championship - Wilbraham Cup will be held on Sunday 1st September 2024.

AGM - Thursday 1st February 2024

This year's AGM was held at Crowton Village Hall on 1st February. Notes of the meeting will be available to review in the Hut, but all members should have received a copy by email.

Peter Bellis stood down as Chairman, after many years excellent leadership. He was presented with beer and wine as a token of the Club's gratitude for his efforts. The new Chairman is Alistair Dalzell - we look forward to working with Ali to further develop the Club.

One of the main areas of focus is making sure that the condition of the green is better than in previous years. Considerable effort has been made to train the volunteer green's team and we employed Amenity Ground Services to complete the end of season renovations. We have concerns that some of our equipment is becoming unreliable and so we will be planning to invest in new equipment where we can. In light of this, it was agreed to increase the match fees from £1.50 to £2.00. However, the cost of joining the Club has not increased and remains at £20 for the year.

Thank you to everyone who works so hard to make Crowton Bowling Club successful, whether that is by stepping up to captain a team, volunteer to maintain the facility, run the Round Robin and competitions, by being part of the committee or just in making Crowton a friendly, sociable Club.

Details of the current Captains and Committee can be found here.