Keeping active during the winter

Whilst the outdoor bowling season has come to end for 2025 the Club’s thoughts turn to preparation for 2026. The green is the first action that has to be taken in the autumn and winter months. Our greenkeepers are supported in their early endeavours of putting the green to bed by Avonmoor our contractors who arrive during October to use various pieces of specialised machinery to cut, slice, sweep and bore the green followed by an application of 6 tons of top dressing and reseeding.

This work has to be completed early enough in the autumn to allow the new seed to germinate and grow before everything settles down through the winter with a very occasional mow of the green dependant on grass growth and weather.

As members arrive at the Club for social events through the closed season they take a glance from the balcony at the green with a longing look and in anticipation of April 2026 when the new season starts.

The Club has held its Annual General Meeting which was well attended and voting took place for appointing members to the new Management Committee who met for the first time in November.

Activities that the Club promotes during the winter months are bingo, quizzes, the newly introduced “Play Your Cards Right”, Sunday morning coffee and bacon rolls sessions and the last event of the year being the Christmas Dinner.

Various members of the Management Committee have duties to perform during the Closed season. The website Manager has to keep on top of various changes to the information provided on the Club site, the Fixtures Secretary has to work through the various requests for friendly matches in 2026 and the Ladies and Men’s Captains have to keep in touch with their leagues to attend meetings and discuss the league set up for 2026.

Our Secretary has preparation work to carry out for the New Year when annual subscriptions are collected and playing members have to be affiliated to Bowls England and Gloucestershire County.

The Club’s “Men In Hats” have already completed some maintenance and improvement works and the next challenge for them is the complete refit of the kitchen. Monies have already been raised to pay for this work following a Race Night and a hugely successful Auction. Donations for the auction came from local businesses and shops and the membership is grateful for the support received.

Tetbury Bowls Club