GREEN OPENS FRIDAY 12th APRIL 2024
GREEN OPENS FRIDAY 12th APRIL 2024
CROMER MARRAMS BOWLS CLUB – MARCH 2024 NEWSLETTER
Hello Members,
We hope you are fit and well and looking forward to getting onto the green.
Cromer Marrams Bowls Club is ready for the new season when we open for play on Friday 12th April.
For just £80 members can play a casual roll up every day between 10am and dusk until the green is closed on Monday 7 October (more than 25 weeks!). If competition is what you want then we have teams in the afternoon NANSA league, 2 teams in the Tuesday evening Federation leagues, a men’s NBA league team, entry into 4 cup competitions and 8 internal club competitions. On a less competitive level we hold club spoon drives and special weekend games and have over 20 friendly matches arranged with clubs near and far. So, whatever age or level of ability and whatever level of competition you want, we have something for you. We are very happy to give coaching and support to all members.
We know from previous experience that, allowing for non-availability, we will need on a regular weekly basis 15 men for Wednesday evenings, 24 ladies/men for Tuesday evenings and 12 ladies/men for NANSA afternoons. Look out for an email and lists to confirm your interest on the clubhouse notice boards and support the team captains, thank you.
If you can’t wait for your fixture handbook, the fixtures are attached to this email and are on the website.
A busy season looks on the cards on a green which is already looking wonderful. It continues to be cared for with recent spiking and Spring feed. Committee members will arrange for the annual pre-season cleaning of the clubhouse one morning to be decided. We would appreciate your help.
We are again keen to advertise to the public, both locally and visitors, that the green and clubhouse will be open for play every day, Monday to Friday, morning and afternoon. Please volunteer to be part of a rota to attend and supervise one session from either 10.00am to 12 noon or 2.00pm to 4.00pm weekly. If you are regularly available to be at the clubhouse for any sessions, please let Neil Patrickson know. The committee are keen to give members more opportunities to play socially and know that if they attend the club there will be others to play with during the week. So, besides being open as usual from 10am to dusk for a roll-up, we hope to again organise CLUB TIME sessions every MONDAY, 2pm-4pm, WEDNESDAY, 10am-12noon and FRIDAY, 6pm-8pm.
The full playing membership subscription is £80 and social membership £20. Subscriptions can be paid by either Bank transfer (Cromer Marrams Bowls Club, Barclays Bank, Sort Code 20-03-26, Account Number 80278750), cheque or cash (in an envelope please). If you pay by bank transfer, please also contact treasurer Stuart Maley (07734457227 / email treasurercromermarramsbc@hotmail.com) or Neil Patrickson (07814060413 / email mnpatrickson@gmail.com) to confirm. Cheque or cash payments can be made please either at the green when you first play or in advance to Stuart at the green on Saturday 6th April from 10am to midday. Subscriptions must be paid by 1stMay, or by 28th April if you are playing in the first league games, thank you.
Any member playing league matches or friendlies will need to purchase a Cromer Marrams club shirt (£16/£23). A cotton zip jacket (£22/£35) or nylon showerproof zip jacket (£25) are also available from Chrissie Laskey. The prices are for old/new stock. There is only a limited supply of the old stock left, so get in quickly if you need new clothing!
In order to access the clubhouse facilities for playing, members also need to purchase a club 'yale' key (£4), see Stuart Maley.
ALL members will be required to complete a new Membership Form, updated to conform to Bowls England policy. It is attached to this Newsletter or available at the club to complete, with payment. Members details will then be up to date and you can authorise which details of telephone numbers and email addresses you wish to be made available for the smooth running of the club. These will be printed for league captains use as soon as possible after 1st May and available to other members on request.
If you have family/friends who are not sure they wish to be involved as a club member just yet, then the green is open for the public to play, as and when open. They can just turn up with smooth soled, flat shoes, borrow a set of bowls and play for 1 hour at £2.50 per person, 2 hours for £4.00 per person.
Tony G has been busy updating the club website and we also have a Facebook page. Please take a look!
We have registered with www.easyfundraising.org.uk to raise funds for the club. Easyfundraising is a UK-based charity shopping site that allows you to raise donations while you shop online. Here’s how it works:
1. Sign up for an account on the Easyfundraising website or app.
2. Choose a cause you want to support i.e. Cromer Marrams Bowls Club
3. Start shopping from the Easyfundraising website or app.
4. When you make a purchase from one of the 7,000+ brands that partner with Easyfundraising, they will donate a portion of what you spend to your chosen cause. The cost is covered by the brand, so it won’t cost you anything extra.
5. Easyfundraising receives a commission from the brands for sending customers their way. They pass on at least 50% of that commission to the cause you have chosen to support.
6. Easyfundraising also offers a browser extension called the Donation Reminder that pops up on every retailer site where a donation is available, so you don’t have to remember to come to Easyfundraising first. They also have an app available for download on the Apple or Google Play stores.
12 supporters, so far, have already raised over £95!
Your committee has been very busy during the winter on a variety of issues. We have a new Constitution and Policies, subject to ratification at the next committee meeting, which are important in the running of the club. These can be read on the website and we encourage you to do so before the season begins. The Club Rules are particularly important.
We are indebted to these members for volunteering to take on vacant club officer roles. We appointed 2 trustees, Tabitha Organ and Stuart Maley, alongside the present trustee, Roger Greef. Raffi Coverdale has taken on the important role of Safeguarding Officer and Nigel Coverdale will be Club Vice Captain to support Keith Pantling. David Brown is the NANSA Captain for 2024. Thank you all!
The club competitions have undergone a new look under Competitions Secretary, Marc Smith, as follows:
Prize money will stop and winners/runners up will just receive a trophy. The Finals Weekend will be held over 4 days, 13th-16th September. All matches will be played in the traditional format except the Open Pairs competition which is changed to Australian Pairs. The Novice Competition will be open to anyone who has not won a singles competition previously. Team Captains will work out handicaps for members playing competitions. For the Pairs, Triples and Fours club competitions names will be drawn out of “the hat” with handicapping set the same as for other competitions but as an average handicap.
The short mat sessions in the clubhouse continue every Wednesday between 2pm and 4.30pm until 10th April. With 15-20 members taking part there has been some fierce competition. Bob A is currently leading on 81 points with Keith P on 71 and Janice A on 68 points. In the semi-finals of the cup competition Bob A defeated Keith P and John Br beat David H. Come and play a few games of bowls with us ready for outdoor. Get a drink and biscuit and loads of chat, banter and laughter all for £2. Where else can you get such a fun and healthy leisure pursuit so cheaply!!
If you wish to keep track of the leagues, they can be found at these sites;
https://www.norfolkbowls.co.uk
https://www.norfolkfedbowls.org.uk/index.html
https://sites.google.com/view/nansabowlsleague/home
The bar continues to be open on Fridays from 7pm for members and visitors. Drinks at club prices!
For more information see the club website at cromermarramsbowlsclub.com or phone Neil on 01263 513901 or 07814060413.
Cromer Marrams Bowls Club Committee
Webmaster Tony Gascoyne