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The past few months might have been wet, windy, and a bit on the chilly side, but our hardy ‘Men in Hats’ have kept at it to improve our club. And everyone at Tetbury Bowls is chuffed at their progress. The key task this offseason was to remove the existing retaining wall below the outdoor viewing area, dig new footings and replace it with a new double wall topped with new shelving. It took a few hard-working weeks for the team lead by Vic Bridgeman and specialist Greg Sharpe, and ably helped by Brian, Vincent, Keith Tim, Will, Gary E, Rob S, and Rich. Now we’re ready for the warmer weather when we can finish off the cement work. This was just one of the tasks on our ‘repair and renew’ list and we’re very grateful to all our members, family, and friends who volunteer their time and skills to help keep the club in tip top condition.
Another group of volunteers who give a lot to the club are those that organise and cater our winter social events. With Social Secretary, Chris Bridgeman, at the helm of our Friday evenings, we enjoy tasty meals before getting our heads down for bingo or settling down for a fun yet competitive quiz. From Jan’s chicken curry, Heather’s carrot and lentil soup, Ang’s beef bourguignon to Pauline’s haggis, tatties, and neaps for Burns Night, the variety is amazing and very well received by our members. A ‘thank you’ shout out also goes to our regular quiz masters – Mark, Anthony, and Les – who challenge us with quizzes that touch on a wide range of topics.
For your calendars: Our outdoor season starts in mid-April with our opening gala. You might want to note our ‘open taster’ days on the 27th and 28th of April when we invite families to give lawn bowls a try. Then we’ll be participating in Bowls England’s national Big Bowls Weekend at the end of May. Check our website closer to the time for more details. If you’re looking for a healthy low-impact precision sport, or just socialising and spending time with friends and family, this could be something new to try this year!
For readers who have played before but taken a break, why not consider coming back and starting the outdoor season on 14 April with us? Whatever your previous experience, there’s no time like the present to dust off those skills. Call 07414 274375 or visit www.tetburybowlsclub.co.uk/membership for more information.
Susanne Knaus
Tetbury Bowls Club