Already the bowling season is nearly half-way through its allotted span, and clubs everywhere are gearing up to be the best they can. Avon Bowls Club is no exception and following the delayed start due to the late spring, members are now enjoying the season in all its glory.
One of the busiest members this year is the Chairman, Dawn Edwards, who is very involved in her duties as President of Bowls Wiltshire Ladies; she is travelling around the county attending many functions which will culminate at the end of the season with Finals Weeks held every year at Leamington Spa.
However, she is also enjoying events at home and last week the club hosted the Ladies County Two Wood Singles Quarter – and Semi-finals as well as the first-round ties of the County Four Wood Singles. Avon Vice-Captain, Marcia Hartley, won through to the next round of the Singles while she and Georgie Newman will play in the last eight of the Pairs at Salisbury on 1st July.
In early June, Marcia Hartley and Georgie Newman represented Wiltshire against Dorset in the John’s Trophy, a national Inter-County competition for ladies, played at Sherbourne Club, where Wiltshire came out worthy winners – 16 points to 6.
Meanwhile, the men have also been very busy and Avon recently hosted the first round of Bowls Wiltshire Four Wood Pairs where the father and son team of Jo and Tom Newman won against a team from Holt. They followed this with a closely fought second round tie last Friday (also at home) against a team from Spencer Moulton, finally winning by 24 points to 21.
At the beginning of May, the club held Baker’s Bowls Birthday Bash, which while celebrating the 85th birthday of member Pauline Baker, also raised a princely sum for the club, helped by the kind donation from the Shaw Country Hotel of a Sunday luncheon voucher, which was won by a resident of Crown House.
Unfortunately, the annual Cup match with our friends from Pontyclun in South Wales had to be cancelled, which, although sad means Avon keep the trophy until next year!
Chairman Dawn Edwards will be holding her President’s Day at the Club on 2nd July at the Avon and members are looking forward to acting as hosts on this prestigious occasion.
The Club Tour in mid-July is to Stratford upon Avon, an event always enjoyed by bowlers as they have the chance to meet teams from another county which is outside the regular areas of play.
Good weather is preferable for the enjoyment of the wonderful game, so we hope the elements will smile favourably upon us for the rest of the season. To anyone out there who has never given bowls a try, the club has an Open Evening every Tuesday from 6pm, so why not come along and give it a go? A pair of flat-soled shoes is all you need, and the club will do its best to make you feel welcome.
Pauline Baker
Press Officer
Avon Bowls Club
