At the recent AGM we heard about proposed changes to the SSA building and around the green. Both are subject to planning approval but should result in improved facilities going forward.
As a result of the drive for women’s cricket at the club there is a proposal to change the “bowling club” end of the building to provide women’s toilets, showers and changing room. In so doing our space will contract but will result in a more usable space with additional facilities, nicer decoration and ready access to the bowls green! The target date for the work is next winter. Separate to this is a new facility by the green .. a summer house in the name of Barbara McQuade, who kindly provided the funds for this in her will. Other topics discussed were expenditure for a new mower; fresh ideas for club competitions and the debate between round-robin or knockout for the day-long ones; proposals for a drive to remove cash payments and for tiered membership schemes; a request for some Monday night “how to” and coaching sessions. We also have a new President in the shape of Diane Saunders .. not the first woman in the role as that honour went to Miriam McDonald back in 2010, but very welcome anyway. There are also a couple of new faces on the committee .. Andrea Edwards as Safeguarding Officer and Gary Langford as a general committee member.
Our December winter social on Tues 3rd December 7:30pm will have a Christmas theme – everyone is welcome.
The SSA AGM is Thurs 28th November 7:30pm.
Safeguarding documents are available here .. Safeguarding
It was Neil Fowler’s night at November’s winter social. After hosting a very well received night of Bingo he was then awarded this year’s Club Trophy, ahead of a few other worthy contenders. Congratulations to all the winners on the night, especially to the lucky winners of Full House .. Alison, William, Peter, Jenny, Bindley, Nikki and Hilary.
We’ve now received details of Tony Latchford’s funeral on Wednesday 13th November .. Church Service at St Mary’s at 1:30pm; Committal at SW Middlesex (Hanworth) Crematorium at 2:40pm; Reception afterwards at the Bowls Club (SSA). Full details are here .. 
We recently received the sad news of the passing of Tony Latchford. Up to this year he was an enthusiastic bowler despite his sight issues, always keen to partake whenever he could. He certainly had a good life and was blessed with a way to recount stories of his past endeavours, having travelled in a golden time and particularly in the Far East. So far as bowls honours are concerned he was unlucky to lose out in the finals of both the Presidents Plate and Men’s Pairs in 2017. Tony will also be fondly remembered for hosting the Sunbury Bowls’ 50th anniversary celebrations in 2018 alongside his wife Janet. RIP Tony!
A past member of Sunbury Bowls has very kindly left us a legacy in her will .. a very generous £5,000. Barbara McQuade was an active player in her time, winning the Women’s Pairs alongside Ann Templeman in 2000. Playing bowls obviously did her no harm as she passed away at the ripe old age of 100! There are plans afoot for a summerhouse to be built by the green and it will hopefully bear her name in due course. RIP Barbara.
The start of October heralded the first Winter Social – a gentle game of skittles, although no one told the Surplus Firer! Pat arranged for some of her colleagues to try bowls before the season ended and hopefully they will stick around during the winter and come out firing on the bowls green come April. The next social is Cash Bingo with Neil who will be calling all the numbers on 5th November from 7:30pm.
After a weekend of spiking, scarifying and spreading the main objective was achieved and the green was put to bed for another season. In addition there was plenty of weeding, sweeping, pruning, painting, sharpening, barrowing, cleaning, drinking and lots more besides .. thanks to all.
After the last Club Night this week the green is due to be put to bed over the weekend of 28-29th. As always any help would be appreciated by the greenkeepers, so if you can spare a couple of hours or more on Saturday or Sunday please report to Dennis, anytime from 10:30am.
We still have a couple of rounds of Club Night left but the rest of the bowling activities came to a conclusion at the weekend. The annual Men v Women match was so well attended on Saturday that all six rinks were put to use with pretty much an equal number of men and women .. something to be applauded. As for the result, the honours were shared with wins on three rinks each .. which means the men remain unbeaten for the last four years! Many thanks to the organisers and helpers, particularly Dennis, our Club Captain, and Nikki.
We played the penultimate team game of the season today at Teddington but unfortunately the weather won with the game abandoned after 6 ends. Picking out the positives .. it was good experience playing on mats for the first time for some and Sunbury picked up two of the three raffle prizes!