BOWLS IS BACK! Under the backdrop of blue skies, a magnificent looking green, and the anticipation of a new season, more than 40 members in two COVID-secure sessions enjoyed the opening event of the 2021 bowling year.

This year is particularly important to Crediton Bowling Club for at least two special reasons.

Firstly, the club celebrates 90 years since its inception and this will be marked with some special events later in the summer.

Secondly, the club is honoured to have Christine Marshall as the Bowls Devon ladies’ president. This appointment should have taken place last year but due to COVID has been rolled over to this season.

A lot of Christine’s official duties are arranged by Devon County.

There are eight sections of bowling associations within Devon and Christine will take a team of her own to play against each and every one of them. One of the downsides of the COVID restrictions is that Christine will miss out on being invited to a lot of club dinners with the accompanying hospitality!

She will, however, present all awards at county finals and will represent Devon at the national finals held annually at Leamington Spa at which there is often a strong representation from Devon.

Christine welcomed the Crediton members to the afternoon session of the opening day and also made the customary first roll up of the season.

The honour of the first roll up in the morning session went to Crediton President Mark Theedom. Christine’s position is held for a year but Mark has been in situ since 2019.

He was joined on the green by Steve Wollacott, club chairman, who officially welcomed everyone to the opening day, informed everyone of the COVID restrictions that all have to comply with until further notice and wished everyone a successful season.

Mark added a few comments of his own and then asked all present to join with him in a moment’s silence in memory of those members who have died since the last season ended.

I mentioned at the beginning of this article how excellent the green was looking. Up to this year this work had been stoically led by Ted Staite and Joe Miles and they obviously taught their recruits well. Stepping up to the plate this year has been Roy Andrews ably assisted by Dave Carpenter, George Newbury, Marilyn Carpenter, Rob Paxton, Alison Blackburn and many others.

It is easy for anyone enjoying a sport to just turn up and play the game but if it wasn’t for all the hard work done in preparation the game they enjoy would not be played on such a surface envied by many visiting bowling clubs. Everyone owes green keepers past and present a great deal of gratitude.

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking how come I’ve never tried bowls before. If that is the case then this season could be exactly the right time to give it a go.

Yes you could come to the green and see some Crediton members who have won Indoor World Bowling titles, Commonwealth Games medals and are Internationals but that’s the beauty of the sport. It is one of the few sports where young and old, good and not so good can all get together and for the most part enjoy being outside, having a bit of social life and trying one’s best.

Do remember in bowls if you play a good shot there’s always someone trying to move it so it’s often a team event. For the first part of the season all bowls events will be internal as there is no opportunity to travel.

This means that the committee have organised many events for weekends. There are open evenings on Mondays and Fridays and the ladies are organising events for themselves during the days on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Bowls England are organising special events to encourage new members to try the sport on the late May Bank Holiday weekend.

But you don’t have to wait that long! When you’re on that walk around Newcombes Meadow and you look over the railings and see people playing then just grab your chance. Lean over and ask how you can join.

I can assure you that you’ll be given a friendly welcome and the guidance that you need.

The club knows that many of you enjoy sitting and watching the sessions and we hope that as restrictions begin to ease during the summer that more and more can take place in a safer environment.

The committee has worked hard to ensure that the first half of the season follows COVID guidance so the numbers of bowlers on the green at one time is restricted.

If you are watching could we request that you, as spectators, do all you possibly can to maintain social distancing so that hopefully our ‘new normal’ can bring lots more happiness and enjoyment to the second half of the season when hopefully some fixtures against other bowling clubs become a possibility.

We look forward to seeing many of you during the coming months enjoying the sunshine and watching the bowls. But, as I’ve said earlier, why not take that big step and try the game yourself!

by Mike Canning