Bowls

bowls News

Another month of great fun, with two meetings of the Club in the Village Hall, and a good attendance of members.

The highlight of the last month, though, was our invitation to play against Cerne Abbas Short Mat Bowls Club on the 29th April.  We approached the game with some trepidation, as Cerne Abbas are members of the second division of the Blackmore Vale Short Mat Bowls league, having progressed through the league from the fifth division in a short space of time.  Our team rose to the challenge, however, and with some impressive bowling, finished the evening with a splendid victory of 52 to 41!  The Cerne Abbas Club provided a delightful supper, and we returned to Sydling in high spirits.  Let us hope we can achieve the same result on the planned return match in Sydling in July.

By the time this edition of The Chalk Stream is distributed we shall have had our open morning on the 31st May, and we hope that some new members will have resulted from it.

Our invitation to anybody who would like to become a member and partake in our enjoyment remains – come and join us!  The Club will be meeting on Wednesdays 11th and 25th June at 2.30pm and 7.30pm in Sydling Village Hall.

AGM

The 8th Annual General Meeting of the Club was held in Sydling Village Hall on 3rd April 2008 and was very well attended.  The Chairman reported on another busy year, with excellent attendances throughout, emphasising the enjoyment generated in the village by the Club’s activities.  This year, the “Friendship Shield”, for competition between Yetminster and Sydling St. Nicholas, was won by Yetminster, after two hard fought matches.  During the year all the Club's various cups were competed for strongly, and another successful weekend, by members and partners, was held at the Manor House Hotel, Okehampton in Devon.  The Club Christmas Social was the usual resounding success.  The Club’s account were presented and discussed, and proposals for new charges were approved.

Sadly, due to his shortly leaving the village, the Chairman tendered his resignation, which was accepted with much regret by all the members, his having been Chairman since the Club’s inception in 1999.  Mrs. Lily Percy was then accepted as the new Chairman, and in place of another committee stalwart, John Wheeler retiring after having served since 1999, William Lorimer was elected to the committee, at 16 years of age already quite a formidable bowler.  Also elected to the committee was Pat Mapstone.  The remaining members of the committee agreed to stand and were all re-elected. 

           

The meeting was then opened to general discussion, when several matters were raised and lively participation was made by members.  In order to further the awareness of the Club, Joe Naughalty was elected Publicity Officer, and it is hoped to maintain more contact with village residents, and further improve membership of what is one of the village’s most entertaining and enjoyable leisure pursuits.  The evening ended with a splendid buffet supper, provided by the Club, and expertly prepared by Futhey Naughalty, Elspeth Appleton, Joy Briggs and Lily Percy.