CITY AND PORT OF BRISTOL BOWLING CLUB

The new outdoor bowling season is approaching fast and preparation for its arrival is well underway.

Work on and around the green has been in progress for some time and fixtures both friendly and competitive made.

Starting with a home friendly game against Bristol St. Andrews on April 15th and running through until late September there will be around forty friendly games, home and away on Wednesdays and at weekends to be enjoyed. Fixtures Secretary Phil Cormack has worked hard to put together a good and attractive list of games against clubs in and around Bristol. There will once again be visits to Yatton and to Congresbury. The club will revert to wearing white below the waist for the coming season having worn grey as part of the Covid restrictions ---- to avoid entering changing rooms --- in recent seasons.

Both ladies and men will play in their respective Bristol Leagues --- fixtures for these are compiled and supplied by the leagues and start at the end of April.

The Monday Evening Club League which includes a knockout cup competition starts in May and concludes early in September. Four teams will take part again this coming season.

Last season saw only a small number of club competitions running and as a result a very much scaled down finals weekend and presentation evening took place. With Gill Hinksman now in place as Competition Secretary there is hope that the number of competitions running in 2023 will be much greater. There is a link from competitions at club level to county level through the men’s and ladies four wood singles. Winners of each is entitled to enter the Champion of Champions competition which is run by the Gloucestershire Association --- initially in sections, Bristol, Stroud, Gloucester and Cheltenham but culminating in a grand county wide final on County Finals Day.

So --- why not come to the club in Nibley Road, Shirehampton and have a free trial bowling session. Call David Hinksman on 07932 387217 to arrange yours. The green re-opens for the season on April 10th so any time after that would be good. Bowling is a game that can be learned by anybody ---- last season saw children as young as 6 and much older people who had suffered strokes and are members of Bristol After Stroke on the green, bowling woods and quickly picking up the basics needed to become a bowler. The club has qualified coaches and many experienced bowlers who can show how it’s done and provide support.

The bowling club offers much more than bowling --- it offers a sense of belonging, provides a challenge and the opportunity to make new friends. During the Winter Months the club runs Sunday evening Social Events --- most recently there was an excellent quiz devised and presented by Gordon Dimond. Great fun and with prizes for the winning team --- Nomad

2. The previous month saw a night of skittles. Not everybody plays skittles so for them it was something of a challenge and an experience.

Before the outdoor season begins the annual Winter Bowling Break will see about thirty bowlers, family and friends heading down the M5 To the splendid Toorak Hotel in Torquay early in March.

There will be four two hour long bowls matches against other visiting teams on the hotels four rink arena. But --- it’s not all about bowling --- there is plenty of time to make use of the hotels array of things to do, enjoy the entertainment and explore Torquay and the surrounding area.

Hopes are high for a good and successful season with hopefully an increase in membership numbers and the formation of a Junior Section. The club ran regular sessions for children and young people last season and they were well supported. The plan is to develop what was a group of potential young bowlers into a junior club with real games of bowls and maybe a challenge to junior sections from other clubs.

For further information about the club and its activities please call David Hinksman on 07932 387217.