Author: Bowls Secretary

A Welcome Message from our 2025 Presidents

The outdoor season is now almost with us, following what we understand to have been a highly enjoyable indoor season. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all who have worked so hard to keep things running so smoothly throughout the winter months.

The green will open on Wednesday April 16th with Burnham Mayor and Town Crier doing the honours. There will be a spider, a few ends of bowls and the indoor competition trophy presentations.

Tom, our greenkeeping coordinator and team did a great deal of extra work during the closed season. The details are too much to go into here and, to be honest, we don’t fully understand some of the terms they use anyway! However, we would like to congratulate all those in the team and also Avon Sports for their hard work and for producing what is now a lovely and welcoming green for all our members and visitors to enjoy.

We have a full season ahead of us with opportunities for new members to become involved in all aspects of the game. Let’s just hope that members old and new will all support our selection team by indicating their availability to play games!

The club’s Open Day is Sunday 25th May from 11.00 to 16.00. Please come along to volunteer or just pop in to watch and support the club. There will be a BBQ, Raffle, Tombola plus plenty of other things to do and, of course, the bar will be open.

On behalf of the Management Committee, we sincerely thank you in advance all for your support and we trust you will all have an enjoyable season.

Happy bowling!

Sylvia Lupton and Bob Brown

Club Presidents

Monday Evenings Umbrella

Please join us on Monday evenings from 21st April for a social, yet competitive game of bowls amongst other members of the club. We have an optional fish a chip supper at the end of the games. You will be made welcome, and we are confident you will enjoy the evening. There is no commitment to play every week.

If you wish to take part, please register in the clubhouse no later than 5.30pm.  If you struggle to make it for 5.30pm phone Terry Cookson on: 07975 617175  

This is to give Terry time to organise the draw and be ready for a 6pm start.

Of course you can come along and watch the games and still have a fish and chip supper and or a drink in the bar. The fish and chip order, collection of money and collection of the food will be arranged by one of our regular volunteers. 

The cost for all bowlers is £1 to enter the competition and £1 per game thereafter, so £2 for the first umbrella you take part in. We play 10 ends, weather permitting.

You will receive a raffle ticket if you play. Additional raffle tickets may be purchased by bowlers and spectators at 50 pence per ticket.

Indoor Final’s Result

Only two of the three finals were played on Saturday the 15th of March, due to one finalist not fully recovered from an operation in the pairs.

Congratulations go to Andrew Ashfold, Andrew Collett and Roger Keen for winning the triples. They were taken to an extra end by three fine new bowlers in  Janis Owen, Keith Jephcott and Richard Mullan.

The singles was a match of two halves with Jim Bass coming back to win from 3  12  down   22  14  against Richard Mullan.  

More to follow with photos after the presentation on our opening day of the green on Wednesday the 16th at 3.00 pm.  When the winners and runners up are presented with their trophy’s.

Indoor Finals this Saturday, Bar Open at 11.00

Saturday 15th is Finals day! The day will comprise of two matches.

Sadly, we have not been able to schedule the Pairs Final, but the Triples will play in the morning at 10am, with the Singles match commencing straight after lunch at 2pm, earliest. There will be at least a one hour break between the two matches

Sadly, due to illness it is not possible to play the Pairs match before the close of season. 

The Indoor Singles is expected to be played at 2pm, but in any event there will be a lunch break of at least 1 hour between the two matches.

Please come along and support the competitors, and feel free to bring a packed lunch if you wish    

 

               Time                                 Competitors
Triples  10.00 am

 

    Janis Owen,  Keith Jephcott  &  Richard Mullen

                                      Vs

  Andrew Ashfold,   Andrew Collett   &  Roger Keen
                               Lunch
Pairs Cancelled 

 

                    Paul Finch & Roger Keen

                                        Vs

                Dave  Carter & Dennis Williams
 

 

  Singles 2.00 pm 

                

 

                Jim Bass      Vs      Richard Mullen

 

Outdoor Season

Not long until our first outdoor match of the season! Player availability sheets are gradually being added to the Members ‘ Area of the Website and will also be displayed at the Club.  For any difficulties using the on-line system or questions on matches contact  Jim Bass and he will try and help:  jim.bass@talktak.net

Selection of teams is on Monday mornings at 9.30 am for matches Thursday of that week through to the following Wednesday. Please support your Club if your able, available and want to have some competitive fun!

Looking for a new, healthy and sociable pastime? Why not come and join your local Bowling Club!

Our outdoor Bowling Green opens on16th April at 3pm and we welcome new members. Watch this space for more information on this event!

During the season we offer FREE taster sessions with coaching instruction. All you need to get started are a pair of flat soled shoes and a willingness to give it a go. If you enjoy it and decide to join, as a new bowler you will get half price outdoor membership (April to September) and free indoor membership (throughout the winter) for the first year.

We regularly host competitions, social events and have a licenced bar! You could soon be part of this, so are you curious to find out more? Please email burnhambowls@yahoo.com or contact Paula on 07901752840

Club Christmas Quiz 2024. Result – The Answers are Now on the Clubhouse Notice Board

Congratulations goes to our winner – Richard Thomas who collects £25 and a fantastic cup.

Rich has removed the TV from the wall and replaced it with his Immense Inaugural Christmas Quiz Trophy, so he could relive his victory on a regular basis. His wife was not pleased and expects him home from hospital early next week.

Thanks to everyone who bought the quiz paper.

Hope you all had fun sorting out the answers.

All of the quiz sheets returned were duly marked.

Those with all correct answers were put into a hat, and the winner drawn by Richard Luscombe.

Senior Quiz Organiser Trudi J.

 

 

 

New Years Eve Party

Sir Mike Squire

Guests to a club social should now know it will always be a night to remember and so guests were greeted with an ‘Italian Champagne’ or fresh orange juice at the door to be then seated in a loose semi-circle.

 

             

The bar was manned by Terry and Rob and a full buffet prepared by Rita and Brenda awaits to graze on over the night.  Whilst settling down the groups had a little word game to indulge with three possible answers. Do you know what ‘weesquashing’ means?

1. stamping on small people  2. drinking dilute urine   3. spearing eels at night

                                   

Thirty adults then engaged in ‘pass the parcel’ but with a twist as when an object was unwrapped it had to be worn. The winners were the one with the most things on and the finder of the crown.  The photos speak for themselves as do the smiles.

               

On to the Two Minute quiz of three rounds to win a mystery team prize.  Players have fourteen categories such as tool, city, fruit, etc to complete with a given initial letter.  The two minutes start and furious scribbling and debate ensues.  The scoring system is 0 for a wrong answer, 1 point if the same as another team and 2 points for a unique answer. If the initial letter is ‘D’ there may be several alternative answers e.g. for city we had Dublin, Dubrovnik, Dusseldorf, etc but if there is any doubt about an answer all the players vote for or against, much to the dismay of some players and the winning team whose prize was sardines and apples.

              

 

With an hour to go before midnight we played whiteboard Pictionary with the chance to choose from easy, medium or a hard category.  Unflinching confidence led most teams to chance the hard category with appalling results as seen from the pictures. Richard Luscombe’s volcano and Brenda’s Martian will become legendary.

                            

Richard’s    Volcano. ???                      Rita’s       Squirrel???                    Brenda’s  Martian????

 

Don led the crowd in a standing circle to sing Auld Lang Syne to bring the night to an end,

These events do not happen without a huge team effort and so I have to thank the gang for rolling up the carpet, setting out the furnishings and of course putting it all away. A special thanks for Trudi for sourcing items for pass the parcel and organising the Christmas quiz.  Rita and Brenda worked together for hours to prepare, make and set out the buffet as well as all the washing up and cleaning down. Terry and Rob worked wonderfully to keep the drinks flowing and special thank you to Terry who helped me clear up the next day ready for the carpet to go down again.

                    

It should be noted that 90% of the waste and packaging has been recycled from this event.

Mike Squire – Event Coordinator and host

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all of our members, friends and supporters.

The club wishes everyone a happy and healthy New Year, full of wonderful memories.

Not too many bad bowls or unlucky wicks, but to enjoy our wonderful game of bowls on what should be a better green than the last couple of years. When all the hard work during the winter will be completed before the opening of the green.

Every year is a gift, and 2025 is yours to unwrap. Wishing you joy and surprises ahead!”

 

Class of 24 Christmas Gathering.

 

Some of the members who joined the club this year held their festive Indoor evening.

Not only did they play indoor bowls, but they also played Jack-Pot,  On the Edge and Target bowls.

Mike was on bar duty like he has been most Fridays and was kept nice and busy.

Our Chairman Don Bridges came along with more mince pies and made a short speech, and gave all a glass of Baileys.