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AGM News

There was a good turn out of members for the AGM.  Key things agreed included:

• an increase in membership fees to £15 (£12 for pensioners)

• free membership for juniors, but a £1 charge for Sat am coaching sessions

• that the Club would formally join the Ormskirk & District Junior Bowling Initiative

Members got a chance to go up and have a look at the green and were impressed with the improvement.

Thanks to Alun for a marvelous spread - everyone really enjoyed the food.

New Pub Owners

The pub has now been taken over by new owners - two couples.  Alun & Carolyn Cromer and Tony & Diane Seddon are usually in or around the pub and will give you a warm welcome, along with the manager Gary (Gaz). The interior and the beer garden is being given a facelift and already looks much better.  With a new menu on offer, with home made dishes at reasonable prices, it is well worth paying a visit if you are in Ormskirk. The new owners want to work with us to improve the green and get more teams playing on it. They have already contributed to the new shirts that have been purchased and we look forward to a good relationship with them - so please support the pub. 

New Aughton League Team

The Committee have decided that the Monday team will be wound up and that a new team will be entered in the Aughton League on a Wednesday evening.  Only 9 players are required and the away trips won't be as long, and we avoid those troublesome bank holiday matches.  Subject to the AGM, Ian will run this team.

Photoshoot

Several members of the Club managed to make it for the Advertiser photoshoot, celebrating our lottery grant.  Also attending were those children related to Club members - Matthew Gill, Tom James and Jamie Barnes.  One Club Member who did not make it onto the picture was 'experienced bowler' Peter Mercer.  Already a star in many a newspaper editors eyes, either with a bowl in his hand or a couple shoved up his dress when starring as a Panto Dame, you would have expected Peter to be there like a shot.  And indeed he was....although Pete, in a cock-up of Pike-esque proportions, went into the Pub and then spent the next three-quarters of an hour wondering where everyone else was.  "I didn't see anyone go past the windows and it looked like the green was locked" said a dazed and confused Mercer when later interviewed!!!

Junior Bowls

New Junior bowls page provides information on the new scheme being launched by the Club

Bowling Tips for beginners

Click on the Link to see some bowling tips for beginners - further suggestions welcome.

Junior bowling a great success

The Junior bowling held at the Comrades was a great success.  All the children from Year 6 really enjoyed the event.  Following the session the Headteacher of Ormskirk C of E (Greetby Hill) wrote the following immediate letter to the Clubs and helpers involved

"Many thanks for providing the basic skills sessions to our children at the Comrades club.  The children developed a real understanding of the game and your instructors assisted the children in developing their skills quickly.  The certificates and refreshments were also gratefully received.

It was obvious that the children enjoyed themselves but I thought that you would like to know some of the comments that the children made.

"It was fun and very different from other sports I've played"

"I can dream about being a champion bowler."

"A great new experience because it was different"

"Not as tiring as other sports but I needed to concentrate more."

"very calming sport."

"Fun and exciting. I like it because we were able to compete very quickly."

"The way they taught us was very good and helped us aim more accurately very quickly."

"Easy to learn but difficult to be accurate."

"Amazing because nobody fell out over winning and losing."

It's good because you don't have to be a fast runner."

It is really good to see our children enjoying a new experience.

Many Thanks

John Rowlands"

Thanks should go to Peter Forshaw and Chris Higham who came over from Wigan to help the youngsters and also to the Comrades for hosting the event and all those who came along to help from various clubs.

Junior Bowls

If our lottery bid (due to be submitted soon) is successful the Club will be undertaking a Junior bowling initiative in conjunction with the Comrades Bowling Club and possibly other local clubs.  A successful scheme is already underway in Wigan which has involved 'taster' sessions being given to local secondary school pupils.  We hope to do this with primary and secondary school pupils.  To see what may be involved in these sessions Peter Forshaw and Chris Higham who run the Wigan scheme have kindly agreed to come over and hold a session for local schoolchildren from Ormskirk C of E Primary School at 1pm on Tuesday 19th September.  If you would like an idea of what will happen at these sessions please come along and see how it is done and what is involved.  As part of the lottery money we will have the opportunity to train people to become coaches themselves, or you may wish to just come along occasionally as more of an informal helper.  As well as sessions with schools we may start to hold training sessions for a Junior Section of the Club if there are enough interested.  To view what has been done in Wigan view the shevibowls website and look in the junior bowls section.

Hightown moving home

Hightown's new green is now in place in the village.  It is located on Sandy Lane, opposite Elmcroft Avenue.  It is likely that one of their teams will be playing there this season.

Presentation Night

The Club's annual Presentation Night was held on Saturday 3rd December in the Windmill.  Carol's famous hotpot/scouse was served and went down very well with all present. Prizes were presented to the winners and runners up in the club comps and Peter was eventually persuaded to get up and sing when the Pub karaoke began and got a rousing round of applause for his rendition of 'All Shook Up' - Elvis eat your heart out!  Shown below is the 'dream team' of Brian and Ken receiving their runners-up trophy and Peter launching into 'All Shook Up', with John appearing to be acting as backing singer.  All photos can be viewed on the 'Photo Gallery' page.

Averages published for 2005

As well as adding on the 2005 averages on the Ormskirk, Westhead and Maghull Averages pages of the website, an additional page has been produced which contains all the 2005 tables for each league as well as a new composite table which takes peoples' results from all matches played.  Next season this will be published and updated as the season progresses on the website.

Work on the green

The Green has been fully hollow-tined, scarified, re-seeded, and had top dressing and fertilizer spread.  Many thanks to Paul, Brian, Ken, Andy and John for all their hard work.  This should see the green looking better than ever next year.(30/9/05)

Waterloo

Ian and Peter went along to see the Waterloo finals day in mid September.  It was a great day out, although play was held up due to a motorway accident and the presence of the Sky TV cameras.  This meant we only saw half of the final before having to go and get our train.  I hope to be going again in 2006 so watch this space if you would like to come along. The photos below are from our jaunt and yes that is Elton Welsby on the green on the left hand side picture....looking a bit past his best now!! (30/9/05)

Taster Days

Special taster sessions have been run by the Windmill Bowling Club to show people how to play crown green bowls.  The sessionswere totally free and the Club is keen for both men and women, young and old, to just turn up on any Wednesday during the season.  Crown Green Bowls is ideal for all members of the family to play – children, parents and grandparents – so why not come along with your whole family. Special taster days will be held next year - watch this space.

There is no need to bring any equipment or special clothing other than a pair of trainers or flat soled shoes.  The Club recently bought several sets of bowls using lottery money and these are specially for beginners to use. Club members will be present to show people how to play.  The bowling green is situated to the rear of the Windmill Inn, Wigan Road, Ormskirk and people attending are asked to park in the Council car park on the other side of Wigan Road and not in the pub car park.

Wednesday night will be for informal bowling so even if you can't make the initial night please come along on any Wednesday evening - you will be made most welcome.  The Bowling Club costs very little to join, so it is a cheap way of having an enjoyable evening and meeting new friends.

The Club also has a 'beginners' team in the Maghull League which plays on a Monday night.  If you are interested in playing in a team then this is a great club to get started at.

AGM

The AGM was held in the Warden's Club, Blaguegate Lane on Tuesday 1st February, starting at 8pm.  

Presentation Night

On Saturday 27th November the Club held its first ever presentation night.  The hotpot supper proved to be one of the high points of the evening, with many going back for seconds or thirds.  The low point was the fact that the entertainment provided by our very own Peter Mercer failed to materialise, as Peter reported in sick - opening night nerves??  Never mind, Bert's dry wit and witty repartee somehow kept everyone going.  There were so many trophies to hand out that we could hardly fit into the room, and almost everyone went home with a trophy of some description.  Many thanks to Sonny and Carol for their hospitality and the wonderful hotpot.  Photos of the evening are now on the photogallery page.

We are the Champions

The Ormskirk League Mens' Team have won the 2004 'A' Division title.  A remarkable achievement given the fact that we should have been relegated from the same division last year, but for another team dropping out.  Particular mention should be made of Bert Traverse who has captained the side and to Brian Carr the Vice-Captain.  A photo of Bert with the trophy will be placed on the photogallery page. 

'(W)here and Hounds?'

What follows is the tale of a true cock-up that will not be forgotten for some time- the fateful cup game against the Hare and Hounds (5 home & 5 away) in the Westhead League Knockout Cup, on Sunday 2nd May 2004.  Thanks to Steve for the prose below...

"The away trip to the Hare and Hounds started badly and went down hill for Steve, Peter and the Predator. Steve picked Peter up at 10.20am outside the Windy armed only with an A-Z of Lancashire and the knowledge that they were
playing at the Hare and Hounds in Up Holland.  Peter knew no more than that and then threw in a curveball that they had to pick up the Pike.  Predator was enjoying a morning coffee and a fag and was quite surprised to be told that he was playing away.  However like a true pro' he soon got his tackle together and the route seemed a formality as the Pike said he new where the pub was.  An hour and a half later after trips, to Billinge and Wigan,it became clear that Predator's directions, 'the Hare and Hounds is near a main road and some houses, needed a touch more.  After negotiating Skem's roundabouts for the umpteenth time the correct Hare and Hounds was located.  Steve wished he'd carried on driving, being beaten 21-3 in about 5 minutes, Peter fared better losing to 12 or so, and to cap it all the Predator should have been at the Windy after all.  Ian rushed the Pike back to home soil but it was too late and he was left washed up on the bank.  A fine Sunday morning was had by all. "

Epilogue....we got stuffed!!!