City And Port Of Bristol Bowling Club

The Bowling Green closed and everything around it was put away at the end of September, but that doesn’t mean a lack of activity there until the Spring. Lots will be going on to make sure the green and everything around it is all ready for the day when bowling returns in April 2022.

Not only will the green keeper be working through the winter to create that perfect bowling surface but there will also be volunteers from within the club doing all the jobs that need doing once bowling has ended for the season.

Preparation takes many forms and one very important thing that has to be done is the making of friendly fixtures. Fixtures Secretary Phil Cormack has already been working hard to have a fixture list ready for the start of season meeting in March. County competition entry forms have gone in and fixtures received from the respective Bristol Leagues.

To keep members together socially whilst raising money for tours and club funds there are Sunday evening social events at the club through the Winter months. The first of these was on October 31st --- not a Halloween Party but --- a Beetle Drive. Always guaranteed to provide frustration and laughter in equal measure this year’s event was 20 attended and enjoyed by 35 bowlers, family A number of bowlers from other clubs go on tours arranged by City and Port. These bowlers do support the Sunday evening socials --- a number of them were at the Beetle Drive and very much a part of the evening. There is always a Beetle Champion --- the player with the highest number of points at the end of the games and this year it was -----Bill Hatherall. The next Sunday Evening Social will be on December 5th and it will be a quiz.

Looking ahead --- there will be a Winter Bowling Break at the Toorak Hotel, Torquay in March and the twice postponed Summer Tour based in Eastbourne will go ahead in July. The tour was last there in 2016.

The glittering occasion that is the Annual Presentation Evening took place at the PBA Social and Sports Club on Friday 19th November and what an evening it was.

The outgoing President David Hinksman thanked all who entered club competitions in 2021 --- without entries there would be no finals, no winners and no Presentation Evening. He went on to thank Lis Davies for arranging this yeas club competitions and the Presentation evening. Final thanks went to all who supported the Finals Week End in any way --- the attendance at the games played was great.

David Hinksman went on to present most of the trophies won on finals day and also those won prior to it in competitions concluded prior to it. Nomads --- Captained by Charlie Maby --- did a remarkable double, winning both the Club League and the Club Knockout Cup. The winning team that Charlie lead was --- Dave Chilcott, Mike Porter, Paul Bywater and Howard Surman.

The trophy that nobody wants is --- The Wooden Spoon, presented annually to the team finishing bottom of the Monday night league. This year’s recipients --- a newly formed team in 2021 --- Three of Each captained by Lynn Burand.

The Jack Ashton Triples trophy was won this year by Nick Burand, Phil Cormack and Ken Davies.

Lorraine Holmes came forward to present the Sid Holmes Handicap Trophy to --- Ken Davies.

The Men’s Pairs Competition had not been played for several years but in 2021 it was back and the winners were --- Dave Chilcott and Bill Hatherall. The final presentation of a trophy was to outgoing President David Hinksman and he received the Men’s Four Wood Trophy from Chairman Lis Davies.

Carol and David will contest the Presidents Cup and play in their respective Champion of Champions competitions next season. That was not quite the end of the presentations ----- a bouquet of flowers was presented to Carol and to Sue who with their husbands Charlie and Dave looked after the flowers around the green throughout the season --- they looked very good.

But the evening was not entirely about presentations ---- it was also a very enjoyable social event with singer Dave Dean providing the entertainment, and excellent buffet and a mammoth raffle. There was also some dancing and a lot of conversation --- in all a great Presentation Evening.

The club would like to thank everybody who took an interest in its activities in 2021 and hope you will continue to do so in 2022. Would you like to come and join us? For further information please contact David Hinksman on 0117 9082713 or 07932 387217.