The weather might not have felt like summer at times, but Sunbury enjoyed a bright start to the season with a good 3-1 win against Ember. On a rather drab May Day we recorded good wins on two rinks, a last-end win on another rink and one loss. Next weekend we have a friendly against Strawberry Hill on Saturday, followed on Sunday with our first South Middlesex League game of the season. A stern test is assured against Hampton, the current holders of the Bluewood Shield. Before that we have the Tuesday Club Night roll-up – a good chance to catch-up with fellow members and arrange other roll-ups for what is expected to be a largely dry and warmer week.

Cicely Holmes

The funeral for our long-standing and decorated member is Monday 16th May – 1:40pm at Hanworth (SW Middlesex) Crematorium and afterwards at Warren Lodge Hotel, Church Square, Shepperton.

Friday Morning league

The sign-up sheets for this popular weekly league is in the clubhouse, or please let Eileen know if you want to join. Team captains and squads will be published ahead of time and your captain will be your main point of contact for the matches throughout the season. The first matches are planned to start on Friday 10th June – start time is 11am but please aim to arrive 10:30am to sort out the equipment and yourselves!

Internal Competitions

There’s still time to enter this season’s competitions – the sign-up sheets are available in the clubhouse or you can find them here .. Competitions 2022. When entering Pairs/Triples competitions your partner/team will be allocated to you. We start with the day-long Mixed 2-woods Pairs on Sat 28th May and then proceed with all the others – the draws of which will be available in good time. Unfortunately we may need to move the Presidents Plate from 12th June – all entrants will be contacted separately about this.

Sunbury v Ember

I think our captain has contacted everyone, but just a reminder for all that Sunday’s match is a home fixture. It’s our first team match of the season – a friendly against long-standing rivals Ember. Please aim to arrive in good time to help setup the green and be prepared to start play at 2:30pm.

May heralds the start of team matches and first up is a friendly with Ember on Sunday 1st May at 2:30pm. Unfortunately the Fixture card is wrong and it’s a HOME match. Our captain Di is looking for a few more players so please do get in touch if you fancy playing. She will also be down at Tuesday Club Night from 5:45pm.

Some of you may have heard that Hounslow Cons has folded as a bowls club so the fixtures with them have been scrubbed from the calendar. The full updated list is available on the website .. Calendar 2022

For anyone looking for a set of bowls, Pat spotted some woods (sizes 3,4,5) at Shepperton Recycling Centre today.

WE ARE NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK AS IT IS SUMMER

6pm Opening on weekdays and 12 Noon at weekends.

Wed 20 – Chelsea v Arsenal   7:45pm  Sky

Thurs 21 – Burnley v Southampton   7:45pm  Sky

Fri 22  – Surplus Restaurant Open

              – Big Colts training night U12, U11, U9, U8

Sat 23 – Live Cricket, First XI and 3rd XI at home 12 noon start times

               – Arsenal v Man U   12:45pm    BT

               – Rugby : Harlequins v Leicester   3pm   BT

               – Brentford  v Spurs   5:30pm    Sky

Sun24   – Colts Sunday Moring training for U5-U7 + Surplus Cafe from 10 am

                 – Live Cricket : University T20 games at 12:30pm & 4pm

                 –  Live cricket : Friendly with Club XI v Weybridge Vandals

                 – Chelsea v West Ham  12:45 pm  Sky

                 – Rugby : Saracens v Exeter   3pm   BT

                 – Liverpool v Everton   4:30pm   Sky

It was a bit of a messy start to Tuesday Club Night  but once underway there was some good bowling and bonhomie to be had. Although a little chilly by the end, the clouds threatened but, thankfully, never delivered, unlike last season! Remember it’s £2 per week and 5:45pm registration in the clubhouse for a 6pm start and optional drinks in the bar (or patio when sunny!) afterwards.

On St George’s Day, this Saturday 23rd at 2:30pm there is an impromptu Roll-up organised by our Captain Di and Eileen. The grass should be freshly cut in the regular Friday 5pm slot. Everyone is invited.

You can of course organise your own roll-up anytime although it’s advisable (but not essential) to book a rink via the booking system Book a Rink. Chris Shire is our booking expert having already organised two roll-ups this week!

The equipment is kept in the chalet, access to which is available with the key that’s kept in a drawer in the 2nd room in the main room (second door on the right) in the clubhouse. The combination is available to all so just email or ask around if you don’t know it. Once you’ve got in the habit of gaining access it really is quite simple .. honest!

Also in the clubhouse are the sign-up sheets for some of the initial team matches. Details of the competitions and other information will be available as the season develops.

We recently heard of the very sad news of the passing of Cicely Holmes.

She was a highly accomplished county player and umpire too. In recent years she was an ever-present around the green supporting current players on competition days. Details of her funeral will be published when known.

RIP Cicely.

We enjoyed a sunny start to the season with the official opening of the green on Saturday 16th April.

Shorter jacks were the order of the day but things are looking brighter for the green with the return of our regular lawnmower expected at the end of the week. Next up is the first Club Night on Tuesday 19th at 6pm – please check-in to our club rooms at 5:45pm. Also in the rooms are sign-up sheets for upcoming matches.

The green opens on Saturday 16th at 2pm but it’s not been the smoothest of times for the greenkeepers. They’ve been without their regular mower since January and been relying of late on the beast from the cricket club. Just emptying the collection bin has been a challenge let alone turning the machine around! On Good Friday we were very fortunate to pick up a couple of second hand mowers from Hounslow Conservatives who have sadly closed their green and bowling club. The grass has been growing too well this week but it looks like we’ll be blessed with a sunny start to the season.

The first Club Night quickly follows on Tuesday 19th at 6pm (5:45pm registration).

This season the greenskeepers will be cutting the green every Friday at 5pm .. followed by a trip to the bar! Of course, it’ll be getting more than one cut a week but Friday has been fixed in the weekly schedule.  Some of you may know of the troubles we’ve had getting our regular mower maintained/repaired – for the time being we have the cricket grounds team to thank for the use of their beast of a machine.

We said goodbye to the winter with the last of our Social evenings on Tues 5th – an evening of Target Bowls. It proved to be a challenge for most of us, with the notable exception of the winning team of Tracy, Maureen, Vivien, Eileen, Roger & Di .. the only team to register a score!

It may not currently feel like the weather for bowls but the new season is almost here with the official opening on Sat 16th April from 2pm. Before that we’d like to invite everyone to help with clearing and preparing the grounds on Sat 9th from 10am. Any time you can spare on the day would be appreciated – Dennis is the main contact for the day.