September 2024 Newsletter
The end of the season saw the culmination of our club competitions. Our main Finals Day was held on Sunday 25th August, after being rained off on the scheduled previous day. Fortunately, Sunday’s weather was ideal for playing bowls. The results of this year’s competitions were:
Winner Runner-up
Altimus David Howells Terry Greening
Handicap John Matthews Pam Veale
Two Woods David Percival. Graham Stevens
Yardstick Pam Veale John Matthews
Ladies’ Singles Pat Matthews Melinda Sprigge
Men’s Singles Russell Davis Terry Greening
Pairs Graham Stevens John Matthews and Terry Greening and Russell Davis
We congratulate the winners and runners-up and thank everyone who entered the competitions. On Saturday 7th September we held our ’nominated pairs’ competition, in which six teams competed for the new John Jeromson Cup. Each team played every other, three in the morning and two in the afternoon. Although the matches were limited to just eight ‘ends’ it was quite a strenuous day but most enjoyable, including the ploughman’s lunch between sessions. The winning pair, scoring nine out of a possible ten points, were John and Pat Matthews.
League results
Our Stevenage Mixed League programme ended with an away match at Whitethorn, in Letchworth, on 15th September. Although we played well, we lost by 39 shots to 52 to the fourth-placed club in the league but at least picked up one of the six match points by winning on one rink. During the summer we notched up eight wins – only five of the other twelve clubs won more matches. But we were held back by the losses and, especially, the five fixtures we had to concede through not having enough bowlers available to play. So we ended up at the bottom of the table but along the way we had a few good wins and some close results against much stronger opposition.
In the Welwyn & Hatfield League we fared better, finishing fourth out of nine clubs, only seven points (more or less a match win) behind the top club. On Finals Day at Hertford, our team of Dick Berry, John Matthews, Graham Stevens and Pam Veale won the ‘fours’ trophy and Graham was runner-up in the Jock Hunter singles competition. Congratulations to our finalists and to all our bowlers who played in the W&H matches during the summer.
Coffee morning
Once again, this winter we are holding find-raising coffee mornings at our clubhouse in the Watton Road Recreation Ground. The first is on Saturday 5th October from 10am to noon and everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy coffee and home/made cake. We also have a selection of books and jigsaws at very reasonable prices. The coffee mornings will normally be on the first Saturday of the month. We look forward to seeing you.
August 2024 Newsletter
At the time of writing, in mid-August, we have just four more matches to play in the Stevenage Mixed League. After a couple of good recent wins we are currently sixth in the league table. Some of the seven clubs below us have several matches in hand, though, so that will affect our final position but I am hopeful that we will not drop too many places. We are certainly finishing the season more strongly than we began, when we had a run of three losses and two other matches conceded because not enough members were available to play. The improvement since then has been thanks to some fine bowling by our experienced members and the welcome contribution of some new bowlers who have been playing for the first time this year. Although we have had to concede several fixtures we are one of only five clubs in the league who, in terms of matches actually played, have had more wins than losses!
When this report appears we will have had our Finals Day, when members compete for honours in several competitions. Fingers are crossed that we will have good weather for the occasion, as we did last year. Saturday 7th September is scheduled for another competition day, when pairs of members will play each other in a ‘round robin’ tournament for the John Jeromson Trophy. This is a new trophy in memory of our late member who sadly passed away last year; ‘JJ’ was, of course, also well known to members of Knebworth Royal British Legion. Matches on 7th start at 10am, continuing after lunch into the afternoon, and visitors are welcome to come along and watch the proceedings.
The following week sees the conclusion of 2024 outdoor bowls. We have just two fixtures in September – at home to Datchworth at 2.30pm on Monday 9th, followed by our last match of the season when we play Whitethorn at Letchworth on Saturday 15th.
July 2024 Newsletter
We are well into the summer bowls season as I write this, in mid-July. With just over half of the programme completed in the Stevenage Mixed League, we are holding ninth place (out of 13) in the table. Although not having enough bowlers available has compelled us to concede some fixtures, we have notched up four excellent wins – two of them against top clubs in the league – and I thank our small team of experienced bowlers for their support. I must also mention those who have joined us since last year. Five or six new bowlers have made their debut for Knebworth this season, not only in ‘friendly’ matches but in the more competitive league matches, too. By all accounts they are thoroughly enjoying these opportunities and, as Captain, I welcome their enthusiasm.
After playing half of our matches in the First Division of the Welwyn & Hatfield League we are currently fourth, out of nine clubs. In fact, we have the same number of points as the second and third placed clubs but they have a slightly better ‘shot difference’. Some of our ladies play in the North Herts County Ladies League but their programme has only just started. It looks like a busy month ahead for our small club.
Our Monday evening and Thursday afternoon ‘roll ups’ are continuing during August, allowing members to practise their skills. We are still happy to see anyone who would like to ‘have a go’ at bowls so why not come along and maybe you could be playing for Knebworth next year.
The big event in August is Finals Day on Saturday 24th. Starting at 10am, the finalists in our club competitions will be competing for seven trophies. Some matches will be played in the morning and, after lunch, play continues in the afternoon. As always, the club is open to anyone who would like to come along and watch the proceedings.
Visitors are also welcome at our home matches. Only six are scheduled for August – on Thursdays 1st and 8th, Saturday 17th, Monday 19th, Tuesday 20th (all at 2.30pm) and Wednesday 14th (5.30pm).
June 2024 Newsletter
After a disappointing start to the season, our members were encouraged by three wins in a row in late May and early June in the Stevenage Mixed Bowls League. Two of them were victories against top clubs and in one of those we did not have a full team and had to forfeit shots on all three rinks. However, even after deducting 16 shots we still won with a revised score of 49 to 37. It was a most impressive performance by all our bowlers that afternoon.
Our Monday evening and Thursday afternoon ‘roll up’ sessions have continued to be popular with both existing and prospective members. But we always welcome more people who would like to try their hand at bowls. Just turn up on a Monday (from 6pm) or Thursday (from 2pm) when our green at the main Recreation Ground is open for a couple of hours – as long as the weather is kind to us! Someone will be available to give you basic instruction and all you have to do is please remember to wear flat-soled shoes. If you are keen to join us we can talk about getting you kitted out and maybe playing in some of our weekend matches this summer.
You can also find out more about the club from our website (see above) or by coming along to watch our home matches. In July they are scheduled for Thursday 4th (6pm), Saturday 6th (2.30pm), Monday 8th (6pm), Monday 15th (2.30), Wednesday 17th (2.30), Tuesday 23rd (6pm) and Wednesday 31st (2.3
May 2024 Newsletter
The summer bowls season started last month, when we played our first few competitive fixtures. Having less than a full team for a match means forfeiting some shots so it was not surprising that, without enough bowlers, we lost our first two matches in the Stevenage Mixed League. But not by many shots. In the first match we played one of the strongest clubs in the league so it was a credit to our bowlers that we picked up a league point by winning on one of the three rinks – as we also did in the second match.
It has been good, then, to see some new faces and prospective members at our Monday evening and Thursday afternoon ‘roll up’ sessions. On those days, our green is open (weather permitting) for two hours from 6pm on Mondays and 2pm on Thursdays for members to practise and for prospective bowlers to ‘have a go’. If you would like to try your hand at bowls, do come along and we will give you basic instruction. You don’t need to bring anything but please remember to wear flat-soled shoes for walking on the green. You may find that you can pick up the sport immediately – and we’ve already seen one or two who can – and if you decide to join us you could be among our teams for matches before long. But don’t worry if it takes a little longer, as most people find it soon falls into place after a bit of practice. Either way, it’s fun!
Our website (see above) will tell you more about the club and we also have a Facebook page (Knebworth Bowls Club) where we post news from
time to time. If you are not familiar with bowls and want to see how it is played, you are welcome to come and watch our home matches at the Recreation Ground. In June they are scheduled for the afternoons of Saturdays 1st and 8th and Wednesday 19th. Evening matches (starting 6pm) are on Tuesday 18th, Friday 21st and Wednesday 26th.
April 2024 Newsletter
Two more clubs have joined the Stevenage Mixed League this year so we have a busy summer ahead of us, with SML matches every weekend and midweek fixtures in other leagues too. A few new bowlers will be making their debut for Knebworth but we have fewer members than any other club in the league and are always looking for more to make up the teams for matches.
Bowls is a sport which people of all ages and abilities can enjoy and there’s no better time to take it up than now, at the start of the season. From the beginning of May, our green in the main Recreation Ground will be open on Monday evenings from 6pm and Thursday afternoons from 2pm for members and prospective members to have a couple of hours of practice. Everyone is welcome to come along and try their hand at bowls. The first of these are on Thursday May 2nd and Monday May 6th. In addition, the club will be open on Saturday May 26th (10am to 4pm) during the national Bowls’ Big Weekend.
Gentle exercise, fresh air and making new friends are just some of the benefits of playing bowls so why not come along and ‘have a go’ on any of the above occasions. We can supply all you need (we just ask that you wear flat-soled shoes to protect the green) and can give you basic instruction. It’s nowhere near as difficult as you might be thinking. We call a practice session a ‘roll-up’ – and if you can roll up a ‘wood’ (as the bowl is called) so that it ends up somewhere near the ‘jack’ (that’s the white target ball) you could soon be included in our teams playing against other clubs.
If you are thinking about joining us this summer don’t delay. Do come along to a roll-up – you might be surprised by how good you are! To find out more, have a look at our website (see above) or our Facebook page (Knebworth Bowls Club) or – especially if you plan to come along to a Monday or Thursday practice – you can phone me on 01438 813073. You are also welcome to watch our league matches. May is a month of many ‘home’ fixtures and we will be welcoming other clubs on the afternoons of Sundays 5th, 12th and 19th and Saturday 25th. On weekday evenings we have home matches (starting at 6pm) on Thursday 2nd, Fridays 10th and 17th, Monday 20th and Friday 31st. Why not come along and see what it’s all about.
Another opportunity to meet some of our members will be at our fund-raising coffee morning on Saturday May 4th, from 10am to noon. These monthly events, which are open to everyone, have been a great success during the winter but they have to come to an end when the bowls season begins. This will, therefore, be our last coffee morning for a while and we thank everyone who has supported us during the past few months. We also thank the fortnightly walking group who, throughout the year, pop in for a ‘cuppa’ and make a contribution towards our funds.
March 2024 Newsletter
Members gathered at our clubhouse in the Watton Road recreation ground last month to ‘sign up’ for the 2024 season. Two more clubs have joined the Stevenage Mixed Bowls League this year so we have a full programme ahead of us, with a match almost every weekend and some midweek fixtures as well. A few new members will make their debut for Knebworth but not enough to make up for those who will not be playing this year, so we are always looking for more bowlers to meet the quota for matches.
Bowls is a sport for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy and there’s no better time to take it up than the beginning of the season. Starting on Monday April 29th our green will be open for members and prospective members to have a couple of hours of practice on Monday evenings (from 6pm) and Thursday afternoons (from 2pm). Gentle exercise, fresh air and making new friends are just some of the benefits of playing bowls so why not come along and ‘try your hand’. We can provide all you need (we just ask you to wear flat-soled shoes to protect the green) and can give you the basic instruction. It’s nowhere near as difficult as you might think. Basically, you just have to roll the ‘wood’ (as the bowl is called) along the grass so that it ends up somewhere near the ‘jack’ (that’s the white target ball)! If you can do that I will be more than happy to include you in our teams.
Weather permitting, we hope to begin the season with our traditional President v Captain match at 2pm on Saturday April 13th, followed by Ladies v Gents a week later, April 20th. If you would like to join us this year, do come along on those afternoons and see what it’s all about. We will be happy to answer your questions. Also, you can have a look at our website (see heading) or our Facebook page or – especially if you want to join a practice session – you can phone me on 01438 813073.
Another chance to meet some of our members will be at our next fund-raising coffee morning on Saturday April 6th (10am to 12 noon). These monthly events at the clubhouse have been very popular during the winter but they must end when outdoor bowls begins. So this month’s (and next month’s on May 4th) will be the last for a while and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us during the winter months.
November 2023 Newsletter
Sometimes the summer seems to come and go so quickly that you hardly notice it! That was certainly the case for me this year – perhaps because I was compelled to miss a few weeks of bowls in mid-season but more probably due to the peculiar weather we experienced. Anyway, our outdoor bowls season went pretty smoothly and our small club acquitted itself well in all the competitions. In the Stevenage Mixed League, particularly, we had four or five very good results against some of the top clubs, thanks to the determination of our bowlers in the face of strong opposition. Our final placing at seventh, out of eleven clubs, was an improvement on last year and, as Captain, I thank everyone for their support.
From the end of the bowls season until late-March the club is quieter but still with some activity. A small working party in late-September carried out the annual routine of removing mats from the ditches around the green and a few other essential tasks. Our greenkeeper, Ben, who has kept the green in good order for a couple of years or so, has prepared the grass for the winter and will be mowing from time to time. Our Annual General Meeting will be held in the clubhouse on 19th November and if you are interested in playing bowls with us next year you are welcome to attend as a visitor and chat with members – please contact me on 01438 813073 for more details. We continue to open the clubhouse every second Tuesday to serve refreshments to the health walkers and we will be holding our Saturday coffee mornings again this winter.
Last month was the first of this winter’s fund-raising coffee mornings, on the first Saturday of each month. It was very well attended on a glorious summer (!) day and we thank everyone for their support and contributions towards our maintenance funds. This month’s coffee morning will be on Saturday 4th November, when all are welcome to join us at the clubhouse in the main ‘rec’ between 10am and noon for coffee and cakes. A selection of books and jigsaw puzzles will also be on sale at very reasonable prices. We look forward to seeing you.
October 2023 Newsletter
Good bowling weather attended our Club Finals Day on Saturday 26th August and the results were:
Winner Runner-up
Altimus Alan Curtis David Howells
Handicap Pam Veale David Percival
Two-woods Graham Stevens Richard Humphrey
Yardstick Dick Berry John Matthews
Ladies’ Singles Pat Matthews Melinda Sprigge
Men’s Singles David Percival Russell Davis
Pairs Dick Berry and John Matthews and
Pat Matthews Ron Hand
Congratulations to the winners and runners-up and we thank everyone who entered the competitions and played in the preliminary rounds. Sunday 3rd September was set aside for an in-house ‘round robin’ pairs competition. Each of the four teams played matches of eight ‘ends’ against the three other pairs and it turned out to be a most enjoyable day, including a ploughman’s lunch between the morning and afternoon sessions. Three of the teams chalked up one win but a clean sweep of victories meant that John and Pat Matthews were runaway winners.
League results
We completed our Stevenage Mixed League programme at Datchworth on 11th September and then had to wait a few days for other matches to be played before our final position was confirmed. The results went our way and we finished in seventh place – one better than last year. I would like to thank our small team of bowlers for their support, enabling us to turn out a full complement on every occasion.
Saturday 9th September saw us making our presence felt at the Welwyn & Hatfield League Finals Day in Welwyn Garden City. We were finalists in two team competitions and, although we had to settle for runners-up trophies, our bowlers battled well against strong opposition in both matches. In the league itself, our performance in the early season was patchy and for some time we looked like being relegated. However, we rallied towards the end and finished in third place.
Coffee morning
Our monthly fundraising coffee mornings last winter were a great success and we are repeating them again this year. This time they will normally be on the first Saturday of each month, starting on Saturday 7th October. The clubhouse in the Watton Road Recreation Ground will be open from 10am until noon and everyone is welcome. If you enjoy reading or doing jigsaws, we also have a selection of books and jigsaws for sale at very reasonable prices. We hope to see you there.
September 2023 Newsletter
As I write this, in mid-August, we only have three more fixtures to play in the Stevenage Mixed League – two with Letchworth Garden City and one at Datchworth. For each match, six points are awarded for an outright win (the losing club can claim one or two of them by winning one or two of the three rinks) and our seventeen completed fixtures have netted us 47 points from a possible 102. This has put us currently fifth in the league table. Most of the six clubs below us have two or three games in hand but unless there are some pretty dramatic results we should at least equal or better the eighth place we achieved last year.
By the time this issue of Parish News reaches you our internal competitions should have been played on Finals Day, Saturday 26th August. I am hoping that the unpredictable weather we’ve had lately wil relent and give us good bowling conditions for that day. Two weeks later, on 9th September, the Welwyn & Hatfield League, in which most of our members play, holds its finals day in Welwyn Garden City and we will be represented in at least two of the matches.
September, then, sees the close of 2023 outdoor bowls and we have just two fixtures – at home against Letchworth at 2.30pm on Saturday 2nd followed by our last match of the season when we go to Datchworth on Monday 11th.
August 2023 newsletter
As I write this, just before mid-July, we are entering the second half of the summer bowls season. We have played eleven of our twenty matches in the Stevenage Mixed Bowls League and at this stage we are sitting mid-table in sixth place. Quite respectable for one of the smallest clubs in the league.
In recent weeks we have hosted other events at the club. Village Fun Day in June saw us serving teas and coffees and, in July, we held a fund-raising cream tea. In addition, we continue to welcome the health walkers for a cuppa on alternate Tuesdays. Your contributions to club funds from such events are always very much appreciated.
Our big day this month is Saturday 26th – Finals Day of our ’in house’ competitions. Matches start at 10am and we invite spectators to come along and enjoy the proceedings. Anyone interested in finding out more about bowls is welcome to watch our home matches, too. We have a lot of away fixtures in August but we will be at home on the afternoons of Tuesday 1st and Saturday 12th, whilst there are evening matches (starting 5.30pm) scheduled for Wednesday 9th and Thursday 24th.
July 2023 newsletter
t’s been a busy few weeks recently, with Bowls’ Big Weekend on 28th May and the club open to visitors on successive June weekends added to the schedule of in-house and inter-club matches. We are pleased to welcome some new members from among our visitors on 28th May and I hope they will be able to play in some of our matches this summer. A steady stream of people dropped in for refreshments on Open Gardens day and we thank them for their support. As I write this, Village Fun Day is almost upon us and, as well as providing teas and coffees, we are opening our green to anyone who would like to try their hand at bowls. In June we were also present at the Help Yourself to Health event at the Village Hall.
We are now well into the Stevenage Mixed League season. For a few days at the beginning of June we held third place in the league table, with three wins from six matches. But several clubs were close behind us with games in hand and a couple of weeks later we had dropped to fifth after losing our seventh fixture.
In the Welwyn & Hatfield League, our teams of triples and fours, respectively, enjoyed first round wins in the John Brown Trophy and Jubilee Cup knock-out competitions. We currently hold both trophies and hope to repeat last year’s successes in these contests.
June 2023 newsletter
Bowls’ Big Weekend saw us opening our green on Sunday 28th May for anyone wishing to try their hand at the enjoyable sport of bowls. If you were unable to come along on that occasion there are two more opportunities to visit us in the Watton Road recreation ground this month when the club is open as part of village events.
The first is on Sunday 11th June for Knebworth Open Gardens, when you can call in at our clubhouse between noon and 4pm during your tour of the gardens. Refreshments will be available in return for a donation towards our funds and if you would like to learn about playing bowls we will be happy to chat with you. An even better opportunity to find out what it is all about will be on Saturday 17th June, Village Fun Day at the end of Festival Week. Again, we will be open between noon and 4pm for tea, coffee and cakes but we will also have the green set out and members on hand to give you some practical experience of a ‘roll up’. If you would like to ‘have a go’, please wear flat shoes for walking on the green. Bowls is a sport which can be enjoyed together by young and old alike. There’s no age limit – either way!
By mid-May we had played the first few fixtures of the season, taking on three of the strongest clubs in the Stevenage Mixed League and winning one of the matches. We also won our first two matches in the Welwyn & Hatfield League. A decent start, but there’s a long way to go.
May 2023 News letter
Summer bowls has now started in earnest but our green at the Watton Road recreation ground will only see four competitive matches this month as we begin the season with quite a number of away fixtures. However, the green will be open to all comers on Sunday 28th May. On that day – which is part of the national Bowls’ Big Weekend – we look forward to welcoming you to ‘try your hand’ at bowls.
Maybe you have been thinking about joining us for some time? Perhaps you are seeking a new pastime? Or are you looking for a way to enjoy some gentle but worthwhile exercise in the fresh air? Bowls offers all these and more, so why not come along? The club will be open from 10am until about 5pm. All you need to bring is a pair of flat shoes for walking on the green.
The clubhouse will also be open on Saturday 13th May for this month’s coffee morning. Pop along for a cuppa and cake between 10am and noon. We look forward to seeing you. This is the last coffee morning for the moment, as we have Saturday bowls fixtures from next month onwards.
Finally, I must thank those members who have been painting and making other preparations for the season, including putting up a new equipment shed. Thanks, too, to Neves Solicitors for their sponsorship this year.
April 2023 Newsletter
This month is the start of the summer bowls season and we begin with two ‘in house’ events. On Saturday 15th April is our President v Captain match and the following Saturday, 22nd April, we play a Ladies v Gents match. Both start at 2pm and if you are interested in taking up the enjoyable sport of bowls you are very welcome to join us during those afternoons to watch and find out more. Our club is situated in the Watton Road Recreation Ground. Also, you can have a look at our website (see above) or our Facebook page (Knebworth Bowls Club) or phone me on 01438 813073.
Our only competitive match this month is an away fixture at Baldock in the Stevenage Mixed League on 29th April. As one of the smallest clubs, we did well last year to finish eighth of the eleven clubs in the league table and I hope our 2023 campaign will be at least as successful.
During the winter we held fund-raising coffee mornings on the second Saturday of each month and we thank everyone who came along and gave their support. These will continue for another two months, before the summer programme of Saturday bowls matches begins. This month’s is on Easter Saturday 8th April so why not pop along for coffee (or tea!) and cake sometime between 10am and noon. And a chat about bowls, too, if you like. We look forward to seeing you.
October 2022 Newsletter
We ended the season in eighth place in the Stevenage Mixed League – a pretty good result as we are, I believe, the smallest of the eleven clubs which make up the league. As Captain, I would like to thank everyone for their efforts and support, which meant that we only played once with a bowler short. In contrast, some much bigger clubs had to cancel or rearrange several matches because they could not turn out enough players. Our new in-house league competition, in which eight pairs of members took part, concluded in late-September and we congratulate the winning team of Dick Berry and Gail Reed on finishing top of the table.
Last month we held the first of what we plan to be a regular fund-raising coffee morning on the second Saturday of each month (except the busy December). Our visitors found the weather warm enough to sit outside the clubhouse and enjoy coffee, cake and convivial chat and we thank them for helping towards the ever-demanding upkeep of the club premises. We can’t expect the same weather but we can offer the same hospitality this month when we hope they and others will join us again at the club, in the Watton Road Recreation Ground, for another Coffee Morning on Saturday 12th November between 10am and 12 noon.
On the following weekend, members will meet in the clubhouse for our Annual General Meeting on Sunday 20th November at 10am. We are always keen to welcome new players so if you are interested in taking up bowls why not come along and attend as a visitor. It’s a good opportunity to chat with us and find out more.
September 2022 Newsletter
Our Finals Weekend on 10th/11th September was a hectic time for Knebworth bowlers. Some matches were played in advance as we had three teams in Welwyn & Hatfield League competition finals on the same weekend!
The results of our Club Finals were:
Winner Runner-up
Altimus John MacNair Alan Curtis
Handicap Roger Mahoney Russell Davis
Two-woods Roger Mahoney David Percival
Yardstick David Percival Dick Berry
Ladies’ Singles Melinda Sprigge Gail Reed
Men’s Singles Dick Berry Roger Mahoney
Pairs Pat Matthews John Jeromson Graham Stevens and Dick Berry
We congratulate the winners and runners-up and thank everyone who entered the competitions and played in the preliminary rounds during the summer.
Our small club performed extremely well in the Welwyn & Hatfield League finals, held in Welwyn Garden City. Saturday morning saw our triples team beaten in their match but in the afternoon they were part of our team which retained the John Brown Trophy after a nail-biting finish against WGC Knights. Then, on Sunday, we triumphed over Hertford in another close contest, to win the Jubilee Cup. The photo shows our successful Jubilee Cup bowlers.
At the time of writing, we don’t know our final position in the Stevenage Mixed League as not all matches have been played, but we already know that we will not be bottom of the table! We still have to finish our internal ‘pairs’ league, which was instituted this year, before we close the green in late-September and begin to prepare for off-season maintenance and repairs. For help with the repair work, we are most grateful to local company AWD Scaffolding Ltd for very kindly donating used scaffolding boards to replace some rotten woodwork lining the ditches around the green.
Finally, please make a note in your diaries for Saturday 8th October, when we are holding a fundraising Coffee Morning at our clubhouse in the Watton Road Recreation Ground. This will be from 10am until noon and everyone is welcome. If you have never visited our club before it can be a relaxing location to sit awhile and enjoy a coffee and chat. And if you enjoy reading or doing jigsaws, we also have a selection of books and jigsaws for sale at very reasonable prices. We hope to see you there.
August 2022 Newsletter
We are now coming towards the end of the season. By mid-August we had completed 14 fixtures in the Stevenage Mixed League and, with six more to play, were seventh in the league table. Most of the clubs below us have fixtures in hand, so it is possible we may be leapfrogged, but I am hopeful that we can do enough in our final matches to keep us off the bottom of the table.
August sees the closing stages of league fixtures and competitions in the Welwyn & Hatfield League. We play in semi-finals of two competitions towards the end of the month. Our lady members have been exceptionally busy this season, playing in the Ladies County League for the first time, as well as in the North Herts Ladies League.
Our Finals Weekend this year is 10th/11th September. At the time of writing we don’t know if we will have members involved in the Welwyn & Hatfield finals on the 10th so the plans for our own event have to be a bit flexible about whether we play our finals on the Saturday or the Sunday. By the time this Parish News appears we will know and we will aim to keep everyone informed. As last year, the weekend coincides with the Scarecrow Festival so, if you are out and about on the ‘trail’, be sure to look in at our green in the main Rec and enjoy the proceedings with us.
July 2022 Newsletter
By mid-July we had completed eleven of our twenty fixtures in the Stevenage Mixed League and were holding a position just below mid-table. I am pleased to note that – unlike some much bigger clubs – we have been able to field a full team every time so far and have not had to concede or ask for a postponement. That is a great credit to our small pool of bowlers and I thank them for their support.
Our players in the Welwyn & Hatfield League are also half-way through their programme. We are through to the Jubilee Cup semi-final and are still in the John Brown Trophy competition, which we won last year. Our internal ‘pairs’ competition, reinstated this year in a league format, is progressing, with teams playing each other on those Monday evenings when we do not have a match against another club.
Visitors are welcome to watch our league fixtures at our green in the main recreation ground. In August, ‘home’ games are scheduled for the afternoons of 1st, 11th, 20th and 27th, with evening matches booked for 4th, 22nd and 31st.
June 2022 News Letter
We are now about a third of the way through our season of fixtures in the Stevenage Mixed League. At the time of writing we have won two of our six matches and collected 14 points out of a possible 36. Our team in the Welwyn & Hatfield League has seen success in two ‘knock out’ competitions – in both of which we did well last year. On successive evenings in mid-June we won our first round match in the John Brown Trophy competition and our second round Jubilee Cup match. We currently hold the John Brown Trophy and last year we were runners-up in the Jubilee Cup competition.
It is pleasing to note that several members who joined us last year are now becoming regular bowlers in competitive matches and, as Club Captain, I am happy to have their support. Some very new and prospective members will, I hope, be playing their part in due course. We are a small club in terms of numbers so we are always keen to welcome new members. If you would like to take up the sport of bowls, have a look at our website or come along and see what it is all about. We can then arrange for you to try your hand at a convenient time. In July we are playing at home, starting at 2.30pm, on Saturday 2nd, Wednesday 20th and Saturday 30th. There are also some weekday matches and you may find members playing internal competitions on most Monday evenings from about 6p
May 2022 News Letter
We began the season with our traditional President v Captain match and our first competitive fixture was a few days later at Stevenage Mixed League opponents Aston on 27th April. Winning two of the three rinks, plus the overall win on shots scored, gave us a good start to the season with five points (six are available for each match). We briefly led the table! Our next three matches, up to mid-May saw us pitted against two of the strongest teams and we were unable to continue the success – but it’s early days!
The programme of fixtures in the Ladies County League, North Herts Ladies and Welwyn & Hatfield leagues began in May, as did our club competitions, so there is plenty of bowls being played in Knebworth.
At the end of May we were to take part in the ‘Bowls Big Weekend’, with the club open to visitors. Anyone interested in playing bowls who was unable to come along is welcome to call me on 01438 813073 for more information. You can also visit our website. Or come along and watch our matches. In June we are scheduled to play ‘at home’ on the afternoons of Saturday 18th and Wednesday 22nd and we have several evening matches, too.
April 2022 News Letter
This month the summer bowls season really gets going, following our first two Stevenage Mixed League matches which were scheduled for the end of April. The clubhouse and green in Watton Road Recreation Ground look good, thanks to all those members who joined working parties on two occasions in April. On the first, the clubhouse received a thorough spring clean and a week later we carried out some essential outside maintenance. We extend our grateful thanks, too, to Knebworth Village Trust for a grant towards re-setting paving slabs in the walkways around the green.
I am pleased to welcome some new bowlers who will be making their debut for the club in league competitions this summer. But more members are always needed as, every year, one or two of our stalwarts decide to hang up their bowls shoes or retire from competitive matches. If you are thinking of taking up bowls, or are just interested in seeing what it is all about, make a note in your diary for Saturday 28th May. We are taking part in the national Bowls’ Big Weekend and the club will be open to visitors from 10.30am until about 5pm. The Final of our 2021 Ladies’ Singles competition, which we were unable to fit in at the end of last season, is to be played in the morning and, during the day, there will be opportunities for visitors to try their hand at bowls. All you need to bring is a pair of flat-soled shoes for walking on the green. We look forward to seeing you.
As well as 28th May, we welcome spectators at our ‘home’ matches. During May these are arranged for the afternoons of Saturday 7th, Sunday 15th and Tuesday 17th. Why not come along and watch for a while? Or you can find out more through our website.
March 2022 News Letter
This month sees the start of the outdoor bowls season – yes, summer is on its way! The return to something like normality last year saw Knebworth Bowls Club making its presence known in two of the local leagues, finishing second in Welwyn & Hatfield and a creditable mid-table position in the Stevenage Mixed League. We also collected a competition winner’s and two runner-up trophies.
In the Stevenage league, the 2022 season presents quite a challenge for a small club like ours. Because of covid restrictions, matches last year were played as three teams of triples, thus requiring just nine bowlers on each occasion. The format this year is three teams of four, so 12 bowlers will be needed. As Club Captain, I am happy to be able to give members more opportunities to play – but it does mean that at least a dozen will need to be available for selection every time. We would have struggled to make that number last year but I am hoping we can field a full team for each of this season’s 20 fixtures.
A new venture this year is that a few of our ladies have formed a team to enter the Ladies County League. We are already in the North Herts Ladies League so our lady members – who also play in the mixed leagues, of course – look like having a busy summer! Among our ‘in house’ competitions we have reinstated one of the pairs categories after a lapse of several years. All in all, there will be plenty of bowls at Knebworth in the coming months.
Saturday 23rd April is the President v Captain match, which traditionally starts our season. Next day, Sunday 24th April is a Skills Development Day, when a team of expert coaches will help us to improve various aspects of our game (another is scheduled for 22nd May). For our first competitive match we make the short journey to Aston on the evening of 27th April. Our home fixtures begin on the afternoon of Saturday 30th April when we welcome, for the first time, Baldock Bowls Club, which has joined the Stevenage Mixed League this year.
Anyone thinking of taking up bowls is welcome to come along when we are playing at the Watton Road Recreation Ground. Alternatively, to find out more, have a look at our Facebook page (Knebworth Bowls Club), or phone David Percival Club Captain on 01438 813073. I hope we can build on last year’s success and that this summer will see a return to the full enjoyment of bowls in the traditional way
February 2022 News Letter
As we move towards the outdoor bowls season, some activity will be taking place at our clubhouse and green in the Watton Road Recreation Ground, with preparations being made for the summer. Last year we achieved some good results in the main programme of Stevenage Mixed League matches. All of our full members played their part and helped us finish in a creditable mid-table position. We also reached the final of the ‘knock out’ competition. Our small team in the Welwyn & Hatfield League also did well, securing second place in the table and winning one of the two competition finals in which they played. We look forward to another good season in 2022.
On the morning of Sunday 20th March members will gather at the club from 10am onwards to ‘sign up’ for the new season. If you are thinking of taking up the sport of bowls, why not come along and find out more. Or you can telephone me on 01438 813073. We welcome new members and even if you are a complete newcomer to bowls you will have opportunities to play in matches against other clubs during the summer. This year we have arranged two days early in the season when experienced coaches from outside the club will come along to help both current and new bowlers to improve their skills, so it will be a good year to take up the sport.
NOVEMBER NEWS LETTER
As we close the green for the winter we can reflect on quite a successful summer. In the Stevenage Mixed League (comprising ten clubs) we finished sixth, just one point behind the two clubs which were fourth and fifth. It’s frustrating to be so close to claiming fourth place but it is a big improvement over recent years. We also reached the final of the league’s ‘knock out’ competition.
The club also enters a small team in the Welwyn & Hatfield League and there, too, we did well, taking second place in the table. In addition, we made the finals of two WHL competitions – winning one of them – and we congratulate Dick Berry on reaching one of the singles finals.
The delayed Pairs final in our internal competition programme was played in late September. John Matthews and Russell Davis took the title, with Dick Berry and Jean Lyme runners-up. It was not possible to play the Ladies’ Singles final before we closed the green so this is scheduled to take place at the start of next year’s season.
October 2021 News Letter
Our season ended last month with a weekend of intense activity. Club Finals Day was on Sunday 12th September and we enjoyed perfect bowling weather, ending the day with tea and some delicious homemade cakes. Congratulations to the winners and runners-up and our thanks to everyone who entered the competitions and played in the preliminary rounds during the summer.
Two of the finals have had to be held over until later in the month, after the copy date for this issue, but the results decided on schedule were:
Winner Runner-up
Altimus Russell Davis Ken Davis
Handicap Russell Davis Dick Berry
Two-woods Dick Berry Russell Davis
Yardstick David Percival John Matthews
Men’s Singles John Matthews Richard Humphrey
The day coincided with Knebworth Scarecrow Festival and some of our ladies put their skills together to introduce ‘Betty’, who spent the day standing beside the entrance to our green in the Watton Road Recreation Ground. Dressed as a bowler, complete with a club shirt, ‘Betty’ attracted many complimentary comments from passers-by and added to the fun of the day.
On the previous day, our members who play in the Welwyn & Hatfield League were finalists in two team competitions at the W&H Finals Day in Welwyn Garden City. The morning saw us lose to Datchworth Bowls Club in the final of the Jubilee Cup but in the afternoon we won the John Brown Trophy in a closely-fought match against Sele Farm, based in Hertford. One of our members was also due to play in the final of a singles competition but this had to be postponed and, at the time of going to press, is still to be arranged.
After a busy weekend we met our local rivals again on Monday 13th September when we were away to Datchworth for our last fixture in the Stevenage Mixed League programme. Our clubs have been separated by only a few points in the middle of the league table for most of the summer. Although our opponents (who still had another fixture to complete their season) won the match, we came away with one point to prevent them collecting the full six – which could be significant in determining our final position in the table. ….. .
September 2021 News letter
Now coming towards the end of the season, by mid-August we have completed thirteen fixtures in the Stevenage Mixed League programme and are fifth in the table, with one or two fixtures in hand over the clubs immediately above us. We have five more matches to play but two of them are the home and away meetings with the league leader so we may not improve much on our mid-table position. However, that would be a good result for our small club and certainly an improvement over recent years.
We reached the final of the SML Knockout competition and, although we lost to St Ippolyts, we scored a very respectable 60 shots against their total of 72. It was a good performance by our bowlers, bearing in mind that St Ippolyts won the trophy on the past three or four occasions and are currently some way above us in the league table, at second place. We were due to contest semi-finals in two Welwyn & Hatfield League competitions in the second half of August.
In September, we conclude our Stevenage Mixed League programme with a home match against Stevenage Town on the evening of Thursday 2nd and away matches at Letchworth on Saturday 4th and Datchworth on Monday 13th. The main event on our green at the Watton Road Recreation Ground is Finals Day for our internal club competitions, scheduled for Saturday 11th September. However, the Welwyn & Hatfield League have selected the same day for all their competition finals, so we may have to reschedule our Finals Day. It depends upon how our teams perform in the two semi-finals – and on some of our members’ progression in individual W&H competitions. If we have to change the date we will aim to inform everyone as soon as possible. Whichever day our finals take place, visitors are welcome to come along and enjoy the proceedings, which start at 10am and, after a lunch break, resume at around 2pm.
August 2021 News Letter
At the time of writing this, in mid-July, we have played nine matches in the Stevenage Mixed League programme, winning four and losing five. For each match, six points are shared between the clubs (three for the overall score and one for winning each of the three rinks) and two of our wins were comprehensive enough to give us all six points, while another notched up five. The results so far see us with 27 points – exactly half of a possible 54. This is reflected in our mid-table position, which is pretty encouraging for a small club like Knebworth. Equally encouraging was our first-round win over the strong Riverain club in the SML ‘knock out’ competition. As Club Captain this year, I am pleased that our new members are settling in well and are playing their part in both competitive and ‘friendly’ fixtures.
Our team in the Welwyn & Hatfield League has continued to do well and are close to the top of the table. Since last month we have won our second round match in the John Brown Trophy competition.
With the easing of Covid rules, we have been pleased to welcome back the Health Walkers, who pop in for a cuppa after their exercise around the Recreation Ground – and beyond, for the more energetic! August should see plenty of action on the green, as members play the quarter and semi-finals of the various competitions before Finals Day in September. We are now able to invite visitors to the club so, if you want to find out more, why not pop in and watch for a while, or visit our website or telephone David Percival (Captain) on 01438 813073.
July 2021 News letter
At the time of writing this, in mid-July, we have played nine matches in the Stevenage Mixed League programme, winning four and losing five. For each match, six points are shared between the clubs (three for the overall score and one for winning each of the three rinks) and two of our wins were comprehensive enough to give us all six points, while another notched up five. The results so far see us with 27 points - exactly half of a possible 54. This is reflected in our mid-table position, which is pretty encouraging for a small club like Knebworth. Equally encouraging was our first-round win over the strong Riverain club in the SML ‘knock out’ competition. As Club Captain this year, I am pleased that our new members are settling in well and are playing their part in both competitive and ‘friendly’ fixtures. Our team in the Welwyn & Hatfield League has continued to do well and are close to the top of the table. Since last month we have won our second round match in the John Brown Trophy competition. With the easing of Covid rules, we have been pleased to welcome back the Health Walkers, who pop in for a cuppa after their exercise around the Recreation Ground - and beyond, for the more energetic! August should see plenty of action on the green, as members play the quarter and semi-finals of the various competitions before Finals Day in September. We are now able to invite visitors to the club so, if you want to find out more, why not pop in and watch for a while, or visit our website or telephone me on 01438 813073.
June 2021 news letter
Playing bowls this summer is beginning to feel ‘normal’, although we are of course still restricted in what we can do. Things are getting easier as the restrictions are peeled away. Our results so far have been mixed. Unfortunately, we have not been able to build on our initial win in the Stevenage Mixed League as we lost the next three matches, although we picked up a few points along the way. In the Welwyn & Hatfield League we have had a better start - played four, won two, lost two. We have also had success in two W&H knock-out competitions, the John Brown Trophy and the Jubilee Cup, winning our first round match in each case and thus progressing to the second round. ‘Big Bowls Weekend’ at the end of May saw activity at the club all day on the Saturday, with club competitions in the morning and a members’ match in the afternoon. Several visitors turned up to ‘try their hand’ at bowls and we hope that one or two will be encouraged to join us. For information about the club, please visit our website. We are also on Facebook or you can telephone me on 01438 813073.
May 2021 news letter
By the time you read this, the 2021 outdoor bowls season should have started at Knebworth. Following tradition, our first event was the start-of-season warm–up for members – the President v Captain fixture. I am writing these notes (on ‘final copy’ date!) a couple of days beforehand and I am hoping that the promised warm weather will arrive for afternoon of the match. As I have the honour to be Club Captain this year, I am looking forward to the event with more than usual anticipation! Our first league fixture is scheduled for the end of April and that is the start of a full programme throughout the summer until September.
In mid-April I attended a virtual meeting of representatives of all the clubs in the Stevenage Mixed League and it was encouraging to see everyone’s enthusiasm for holding a league programme this summer, after the hiatus of 2020. Because of the current restrictions, it will not quite be the same as usual and changes to the way fixtures are organised will be made at various dates, according to the Government’s ‘road map’.
If you happen to be passing the club while we have a weekend afternoon match, for instance, you may notice that we are not playing in ‘whites’ as is usual on Saturdays and Sundays. The League has decided that, until changing rooms can be used, we will play in ‘greys’ – but the traditionalists amongst us hope that, from about the middle of the season, we can be properly attired! Unfortunately, another of the restrictions at present is that we cannot welcome spectators to our green at the Watton Road recreation ground. We do welcome interest from prospective members, though, and anyone who would like to find out more about us can telephone me on 01438 813073.
I wish all our bowlers – including some new members who have joined this year – a successful and, more importantly, enjoyable season.
April 2021 newsletter
After a year with no outdoor bowls season and a severely curtailed indoor programme during the winter, Knebworth bowlers can at last have something to look forward to. Arrangements are being made here in the village, as well as in the local area and throughout the country, for matches to be played this summer, subject to limitations.
At the time of writing (mid-March) we are anticipating that bowls and other outdoor sports will be allowed from March 29, although the ‘rule of six’ will apply until at least the middle of May. We are still awaiting guidelines from our governing body, Bowls England, but we and other local clubs have agreed a programme of fixtures from late-April to mid-September, in the expectation that a league programme can begin at the usual time. It is, of course, hoped that some of the restrictions which will be in place at the start can be relaxed as the season goes on.
Knebworth Bowls Club members should now be receiving a letter from the Committee enclosing their renewal form for this year. The letter explains how ‘signing on’ may be carried out safely and according to current rules by the weekend after Easter. Any members who have not received their letter by the Easter weekend, or who have any questions or comments about the summer programme, should telephone me on 01438 813073. We are always keen to welcome new members. Unfortunately, under current rules we are unable to invite visitors into the club to watch our home matches in the normal way but anyone interested in finding out more can telephone the same number. Let us hope that in the summer of 2021 we can play and enjoy our bowls in as normal a way as possible.
January 2020 newsletter
Happy New Year to all Knebworth residents and readers of Parish News. After the first month of 2020, it may be that some of those new year resolutions have fallen by the wayside, so how about starting February by making another. One idea could be to try something new and get a bit of exercise at the same time. Yes, you know where I’m going with this – why not make a resolution that this is the year you will start playing bowls!
It’s not too long ago – although it may seem so – but I should record that our Christmas Tea in mid-December was enjoyed by a clubhouse full of members and friends. Thank you, Gail Reed and her helpers and all those who came along. We also extend our grateful thanks to McCarthy & Stone who sponsored the event. Along with other funds raised, their generous donation will enable us to carry out some refurbishment of the clubhouse.
Returning to my earlier theme, if you are looking forward to the warm summer months and the idea of playing bowls appeals to you, you can find out more this month. We are holding a coffee morning in the clubhouse at the Watton Road Recreation Ground on Saturday 22nd February. It starts at 10.30 and will include a ‘bring & buy’ sale. You don’t have to ‘bring’ and you don’t even need to ‘buy’ (although we will of course be delighted if you do!) but it will be an opportunity to meet some of our members. Make a note in your diary!
OUTSIDE COMPETITIONS
Welwyn and Hatfield league
Over the summer some of our players have entered competitions outside the club with some success, these are as follows.
Triples Graham Stevens, Roger Mahoney and John Mattews won.
Pairs Graham Stevens and John Matthews were runners up.
East Herts League
Mixed pairs Pam Veale and John Matthews got to the semi finals.
Congratulations and well done to all of you.
September news
At the time of writing we have not quite finished the season, which has been extended well into September by several re-arranged fixtures. Other clubs, too, still have programmes to complete, so we do not yet have the final results of all the leagues in which we play.
We were blessed with perfect bowling weather for this year’s Finals Day, on Saturday 7th September. There were nail-biting finishes to some of the finals, all of which were appreciated by many of our members who came along to watch the proceedings. Congratulations to the winners and runners-up – it is good to see that one or two new names will be added to the Honours Board. Our thanks to those who carried out the organisation of the day and to everyone who entered the competitions and played in the preliminary rounds during the summer.
The results were:
Altimus Winner- Terry Metcalf Runner up- Jim Conder
Handicap Winner- Roger Mahoney Runner up-John Matthews
Two-woods Winner-John Matthews Runner up- David Percival
Yardstick Winner-John Matthews Runner up- Colin Macleod
Ladies’ Singles Winner- Melinda Sprigge Runner up- Gail Reed
Men’s Singles Winner- Ron Hand Runner up- Graham Stevens
Pairs Winners- John Matthews and Dick Berry Runners up- Colin Macleod and Del Woolf
August news
We are hoping for good weather for our main event this month, which is Finals Day, Saturday 7th September. Those club members who have made it through the preliminary rounds will be playing for titles and trophies in seven competitions. The first of the finals begin on our green at the Watton Road Recreation Ground at 10am. We will have a break for lunch and then continue with the afternoon matches at around 2pm. Visitors who would like to join us at any time during the day will be very welcome, especially if you are thinking of taking up bowls next year. So why not make a note in your diary to come along and enjoy the fun – and have a chat with members at the same time.
Our club competition finals usually mark the virtual end of the season but, with so many fixtures postponed during the summer and re-arranged to a later date, we are this year continuing more than half-way through September. As well as several ‘away’ matches, we have fixtures scheduled on our green this month on Tuesday 3rd and Monday 9th (both at 2.30pm); Wednesday 11th at 5.30pm; Saturday 14th at 2.30pm; and Thursday 19th at 5pm. As always, we welcome visitors.
July news
For many people, the internet is the first port of call for information about a particular topic. Basic information about Knebworth Bowls Club appears in various places but news and details can now be found more easily on our very own website, which was launched last month – www.knebworthbowlsclub.org.uk. The website has been set up by our member Melinda Sprigge and her husband Robert, who we thank for their work on the project. You can also find us on Facebook.
We are now halfway through a season which has seen rather more re-arranged matches than usual, with other clubs often finding it difficult to make up sufficient numbers for the scheduled date. Worst affected has been our North Herts Ladies team, who should have played five matches up to late July but have played none at all! But our bowlers, including a couple of new members this year, have been enjoying a pretty full season of fixtures in the Welwyn & Hatfield and Stevenage Mixed league fixtures, as well as a few ‘friendly’ matches.
This year we played many of our ‘home’ fixtures in the early part of the season, so we are mostly playing ‘away’ in August. However, there are matches on our green at the Watton Road Recreation Ground scheduled for August on Wednesday 7th, Friday 9th, Tuesday 27th (all 6pm) and Saturday 31st (2.30pm). At various times, members will be playing in the preliminary rounds of our club competitions, prior to Finals Day on Saturday 7th September. When matches are taking place, visitors are always welcome to come along and watch.
June News
As well as the Stevenage mixed league, we have a busy programme of fixtures in two other leagues, Welwyn and Hatfield (where we have entered two teams) and North Herts Ladies. This month, members will be competing against each other in the first rounds of our own club competitions.
The following are the matches for July for the Stevenage Mixed League. Please add your names to the lists on the board for selection if you would like to play. July 7th has been scheduled. As there is a Committee meeting today some others may be scheduled if enough names are already on the list as Denis will be at the Clubhouse.
2.30 Sunday July 7 Away White 3 Horseshoes
2.30 Sunday July 14 Away White Datchworth
2.30 Wed July 17 Away Grey Stevenage Vets
2.30 Sunday July 20 Away White Holwell
2.30 Sat July 27 Home White 3 Horseshoes
2.30 Tues July 30 Away Grey Shephalbury
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May News Letter
Can I remind those that can to add their names to the rota for teas please. It has been suggested that if nobody has put their name down on the rota that the reserves do the teas for that day. Also the rota for Monday evening club night/roll ups is on the board if you are able to open up at 6.00 pm and give a little instruction if necessary. Many thanks. It really does make a difference if you can add yourself to a rota for one game as it is very difficult to play and do the teas at the same time which in the past has been the case on many occasions. If it is sandwiches there are always people who will make a loaf of sandwiches (4 loaves are usually enough – less if triples) to lighten the load on the person who has elected to do the tea. I am always happy to make a loaf of sandwiches so please ask if you would like some made. Most of all enjoy your games.
Below is a list of games for SML and North Herts Ladies bowls matches for June. Please add your names to the available list on the board if you wish to be selected. May’s matches have now been selected. Please check board to see if you are playing.
Aston – Home – White Saturday 1st June 2.30
St. Ippolyts – Away – White Saturday 8th June 2.30
Whitethorn LADIES – Home – Grey Wednesday 12th June 6.00
Howard Garden – Home – White Saturday 15th June 2.30
Kimpton Friendly – Away – Grey Wednesday 19th June 2.30
Stevenage Town – Home – Grey Wednesday 26th June 6.15
St. Ippolyts – Home – White Saturday 29th June 2.30
Gail
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April Newsletter
Hello The first match of the season with Aston away on April 24th had to be postponed due to the lack of members’ names on the list for selection. SML will now be triples matches as a number of clubs are experiencing problems having sufficient numbers to field teams. Particularly lady members as each rink has to have one lady at least on each rink to avoid penalties being applied.
There are different lists on the boards for leagues which some of you signed up to play in which you may have been selected to play so please remember to check when you are at the Club House.
Welwyn Hatfield Blue team have a match on Tuesday 30th April away and Thursday 2nd May at Home. Please check your list for times and location a copy of which I believe you have been given. Welwyn Hatfield Yellow team is still to be selected.
On a better note we won our game against Willian on Saturday 27th at Home 73 to 62. It was very cold and windy but a good game was played over 18 ends.
Below is a list of games for SML matches for May
- Saturday 4th May Holwell 2.30 Home White – This match has been selected so please check the board
- Sunday 12th May Riverain 2.30 Home whites
- Tuesday 14th May Shephalbury 2.30 Home Grey
- Wednesday 29th May Kimpton (Friendly) 2.30 Home Grey
Enjoy your games. Gail
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March Newsletter
IT IS TIME TO ENROL. A couple of other dates have been added as a reminder for your Diary. Sheets are now on the board for you to add your name if you are available to be selected.
Roll up evening is a Monday from 6.00 p.m. Most of these evenings there will be somebody who can give some instruction if you would like it. A good way also to get some practise in especially at the beginning of the outdoor season.
6th April 10.00 a.m. ENROLMENT DAY: one of the most important days for your diary. Time to come and sign up and get out the Club shirts etc. ready for the first game later in the month. Exciting to start playing outdoors again with all it’s trials and tribulations as well as sunny summer days not experienced indoors.
20th April 2.00 p.m. PRESIDENT V CAPTAIN: a bring and share day. Bring something to eat and share for a social after the game assuming we are all still talking to each other. I know how competitive we all are!!!
The first 2 STEVENAGE MIXED LEAGUE MATCH DATES
Wednesday 24th April 6.15 p.m. ASTON away Grey
Saturday 27th April 2.30 p.m. WILLIAN home White
FUND RAISING EVENT 24TH MAY 2.30 P.M. CREAM TEA £7.00: Scones cream and jam and cake. All home made. If you have not been to one yet give it a try. Tickets sell really quickly so before it is advertised outside the club call Gail on 01438 811887 to book your ticket/s. Bring a friend or two. It is a jolly afternoon with lots of chat and laughter. Leave a message on the answerphone if no reply.