Category: General News

For obvious reasons it has difficult to keep the website up to date as since September, other than meeting minutes, included in the members area, the many messages from Bowls Wiltshire and Bowls England has been the prominent feed for information to write about.

The committees are working hard to plan for the 2021 season, whatever that might bring and we are working in the background to look at ways we can operate proceedings that would normally be carried out through notices on the notice boards, from the website. So keep looking changes WILL occur over the next couple of months.

Remember its your site! and it can only be a good as the information provided.

Dave Greenwood

Here is the link to the latest official world Bowls Magazine

https://www.insidebowlsmag.com/dec2020

Bowls England offer a wide variety of competitions, please visit www.bowlsenglandcomps.com to view what we have on offer. Please note that all early rounds are played off within your local area first to reduce the need of travelling. 

Highlights:

1. The closing date for National Competitions will be 5pm on Monday 1^st March 2021 – there will no extension
2. All entrants must be affiliated to a Bowls England club on 1^st May 2021 in order to participate – should you plan to change clubs from that on your original entry for 2020 please notify me not later than 1^stMarch 2021
3. Should the National Competitions not take place in 2021 due to Covid-19 a full refund will be offered
4. The qualification categories for the Family Pairs has been extended to enable partners through marriage/civil partnership to enter

What do you need to do now if you have previously entered?

Your entry/entries in all events that you/your club entered in 2020 have been carried forward. 

A full list of all entries in each competition is available to view on our Competition Portal under each competition heading. Please log-in to your account to view all of your entries (to date) for the 2021 season. If your contact details are different from those on your original entry please update your account accordingly in line with current ‘Test and Trace’ requirements. 

Don’t forget to sign up to our e-newsletter and keep in touch with Bowls England over the coming months as we look forward to 2021. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you back on the green.

Regards 

Enter now for your chance to play at the ‘Wembley of Bowls’!

With the summer season now coming to a close, it’s time to look ahead positively to 2021 with entries for our national competitions now open.
Our competitions are open to players of all abilities and we offer a range of events designed to meet your individual requirements.
Playing in bowls competitions with your partner provides memorable shared experiences. We have extended the eligibility criteria for the Family Pairs to enable those related by marriage – Husband and Wife/Civil Partnership – to participate together next season.
In addition any clubs that had the opportunity to organise a Club Singles Championship this year will be permitted to enter their club champion into the Champion of Champions Singles, in addition to their 2019 champions who will also be eligible to participate in 2021.
Steve Wade, the inaugural winner of the Family Pairs competition in 2012, said: “The Family Pairs offers a great opportunity for bowlers to spend some vital family time with their loved ones, and enables them to create some special memories on the green. Winning the Family Pairs with my Dad was not only a proud moment for us, but a moment that we were able to share with the whole family.”

Jon Cockcroft, Bowls England Chief Executive, said: “The past few weeks have proved that there is little doubt in the appetite for people to enjoy our sport in a social and informal manner, which is complimentary to work and family life. However, we are also aware that many participants enjoy the challenge of competition – so whether you be a regular competitor or new to our sport we have plenty of opportunities for you to get involved. We particularly welcome entries from those who may not have entered one of our competitions before, as this is your chance to improve your game, take on one of our elite athletes and perhaps win a place in the National Finals at Royal Leamington Spa, which will host the Commonwealth Games Lawn Bowls event in 2022.”

Entries are now being accepted for the following events:
• Senior Singles (Men and Women)
• Senior Pairs (Men and Women)
• Champion of Champions Singles (Men and Women)
• Top Club (Men and Women)
• Club Two Fours (Men)
• Tony Allcock Trophy (Mixed Over 60’s Double Rink)
• Family Pairs
• Mixed Pairs
• Mixed Fours

We are encouraging all entrants to manage their entry though our online Competitions Portal at www.bowlsenglandcomps.com, where registration can be processed within minutes.

Once registered, you will be able to select the events that you wish to enter and proceed to the secure payment. All entrants will receive a confirmation e-mail, and will be able to view all events entered within the ‘My Account’ area at the top of the page. The e-mail address provided will be used to communicate draw information during the playing season and enable you to enter results immediately at the conclusion of each match.
The deadline for entries to be received is 1st March 2021.
We are always happy to guide any members through the entry process if they require further assistance.
Please call Lee Rowland on 07340 887687 or email: email hidden; JavaScript is required

Matt Wordingham
Publications / Media Officer

Further to the Bowls Committee meeting this week, we have agreed, following Bowls England guidance, to open all 6 rinks on the Top Green for singles and pairs only.

We are not permitted to play triples and rinks without spaced rinks which we will not be doing on the Top Green in order to accommodate the leagues and competitions as well as give all members a chance to roll-up.The Bottom Green, which is due to be closed next Monday morning will remain as 3 spaced rinks.

This leaves 6 rinks open from next week which should be sufficient – it is worth noting that never once since we first opened have all the available rinks been used in one day.

Rather than change the system which we are all now used to, the kit and sanitising arrangements will stay the same, using the bottom gate for entrance, the shed on the bottom green for storage and entrance to the top green via the stairs or ramp from the bottom green.

Please remember social distancing means staying 2 metres apart unless it is not possible and then it is 1 metre +

Please note that rink 2 on the Top Green will be closed from today until next Monday at the earliest due to damage to the edge.

The Bowls Committee
27.08.20

Revised guidelines for using the green

Following requests from some members who have been bowling regularly since the green opened, the Bowls Committee has considered their request to self-organise competitive bowling over the next few weeks. This will of course have to continue to follow the guidelines in respect of social distancing, sanitising and the booking arrangements.
It has been agreed today that informal pairs games can go ahead immediately and the committee will review on 14th July how this is working in practice. It seems that weekends are less popular overall at the moment, so it is hoped that any competitions organised should primarily take place on Saturdays and Sundays.
Considerably less than 50% of the club’s membership has bowled to date and it is hoped that combined with the easing of the government guidelines this initiative will encourage more members to bowl.
The one important change to the guidelines issued by Bowls England is that we need to keep a record of who is bowling for the purpose of informing the NHS track and trace system should a Covid19 spike breakout locally. This information will be kept for 21 days therefore when booking a bowling slot please ensure you put your full name, so that if we are asked we can point the NHS in the right direction. We would hope that the person booking can remember who they play with!
The Bowls Committee is currently planning to have formal competitions both for singles and pairs which should start at the end of this month or early in August.

Enjoy your bowls

DBC Bowls Committee

As activity in and around our greens increases, 36 members have bowled so far, please be reminded of the rules that must be followed for all of our safety.  These rules must be seen to be followed before any further opening of the facilities.

Important:  Those member in the highly vulnerable categories as defined by government are encouraged to remain at home.  Anyone with virus symptoms must not come to the club.

• Car Park – No side by side parking.
• Indoors – The club house is closed except for maintenance and security.
• Equipment – To be sure club mats and jacks have been sanitized you should use the spray on the mats and jacks you are about to use. You cannot guarantee that the previous players have done so.
• Greens – Currently one green is open. Members may play with one other member only or, if all players are of the same household, up to three other people.
• The adapted booking system is working well giving everyone an opportunity to book on the day.
• 2m Social distancing must be respected.

As from Monday 22^nd June spectators will be welcome at the green but  please bring your  own chair and please remember to take them home.  The 2m distancing rule must be observed at all times.

18/6/2020