Category: News
Early Spring Newsletter
To Marden Bowls Club Members from Colin Smith: Secretary
Early Spring Newsletter March 25
Hello to all, welcome to my second Newsletter, I aim to produce some up-to-date information on a regular basis during the season ahead.
Hopefully you have Wintered Well and you are looking forward to getting onto the Green in the coming months?
We had quite a successful season last year overall with many successes and some excellent results, hopefully we can carry on again this season.
Our Spring meeting to get together, is on Friday 11th April at 6.30pm to pay subs, lottery bonus ball and competition entries.
Those interested in playing in the Friday Triples and the Tuesday Weald League’s, please come along and put your name forward or just come and meet with your fellow club mates.
It has been decided to offer Free membership to all new club members for this season only, to try and increase our membership. We hope we are able to attract keen new people who will want to be involved and of course play bowls!
We have had to reduce the number of games on our fixture list for the season ahead, resulting in less opportunities for all and reduced income to the club. Having low membership numbers, we struggled to fulfil our fixture commitments last year cancelling 9 or 10 games.
Hopefully if we can increase membership, we will be able to look for more fixtures in the future.
We have had some Flyers & Posters produced to be distributed within the Marden & Staplehurst Areas, hopefully to be delivered in Mid -March; we are focusing on new builds primarily. We have some volunteers ready for action! If any member would like to help deliver or can take some to give to neighbours/friends please advise Colin. The posters will need to go into areas where they are placed in prominent positions so they can be seen by many. If you know of a location/s which suit we can provide sufficient posters.
We have provided relevant club details to all three Local Parish councils who will promote our club over the next couple of months.
Please spread the word to friends and family and share the benefits of playing our wonderful game of bowls, if we can recruit new people, it will benefit all concerned and is great for all aspects of health and wellbeing.
We have organised two Open days to attract new members in May; Saturday 10th May 2 -5pm & Sunday 18th May 11am – 2pm. Can you help and lend support? Then please let Colin know.
We are due to open the Green on Saturday 26th April. Starting @ 2pm Please come 30 minutes beforehand Please come and show your support to get the club up and ready for the new season.
We will be having a competitive roll up to get your arms & legs moving, teams will be selected on the day.
The committee including the ‘Green Team’ have again been busy during the winter period getting the club ready for the season. We cannot stress enough we need all members to support the club, this incorporates putting names down for games, helping with catering and cleaning, volunteers are urgently needed to also help with green & club maintenance, Mowing, (training given) and help with green surrounds on a Wednesday morning or alternatively simply just supporting the bar!
We have had a big tidy up within the club and at the rear of the pavilion during the winter, the Gents toilet has been redecorated & new carpeting has been laid in the club pavilion recently. New padded bench cushions have been purchased to provide a more comfortable feeling for certain parts of our bodies!
We will continue towards increasing the information available on our website throughout the season.
No bowls related news items were submitted last season for the website by our members, please remember to forward any news worthy items to John Lander.
Communications
We introduced WhatsApp last season to help George, our Captain to communicate with most members on a weekly basis to ask for help raising sufficient names for our friendly games. Overall, it worked well. George is sharing his workload in regards to club friendlies this season with Norman Burgess. They will send out the selected team’s out via WhatsApp saving people travelling to the club. Team sheets will be on the noticeboards well in advance, please put your name down as soon as possible to help our Captains.
We will still post teams on the notice board as per normal.
We ask those with a smart phone to download this free App(if you have not done so already) if you want to be included in George’s/designated Captains messages and inform the captain you wish to be added to their group list. Please let us know if you need any assistance with this?
All members will need to be aware which Committee member to reply to during the season (if you need to reply for any reason). i.e if you play in the Maidstone League (John Gardener) or Millenium League (Rob Thew).
One important note to remember; when you use a group WhatsApp, everybody within that whole group can see your communication! Please could you be especially careful about private messages. We are delighted to continue to use the existing Bowls Club App for purely social purposes, as it is good to see it is supporting the club social network.
But to help the captains, we will set up 5 new individual Apps for each of their leagues/friendlies, this will restrict the number of messages they will see and help them organise their teams more easily.
Likewise, if you wish to communicate with any of the captains PRIVATELY, please set up a separate WhatsApp message to individuals concerned.
Open Triples Tournament
We are planning to hold an Open Triples Tournament on Saturday23rd August, open to 24 teams, there will be great prize money for the winners and runners up. More details to follow. We are aiming to raise the club’s profile and additional funds for the club to aid finances.
Short Mat
As the winter months draw to a close, the Finals of the Short Mat competitions are being held in the pavilion on Wednesday 16th April in the afternoon. We wish all those taking part good luck.
Socials
The club have held quite a few Socials in the past, obviously Covid had an adverse effect but they do help bring the club members together and helps with the club finances! We did put up a list to gain interest to see what members would like to be organised.
For example, Quiz Night, Card or games night, Curry night, Fish & Chips supper etc.
Sadly, no suggestions were received last season. We did hold a race night in October, which was very enjoyable but sadly it was not supported by the majority of our members.
We would welcome someone to help organise and promote socials, can you could help?
If so, please contact Colin.
Finally, we do hope you enjoy the forthcoming season and you enjoy and experience some great bowls throughout. We are a community club and an asset to the local area, please spread the word wherever you can and support the club as much as possible.
I believe that’s all for now, do let me know if you have any suggestions or queries.
Kindest regards
Colin
Spring Meeting 2025
Spring Meeting in the Pavilion
Friday 11th April at 6.30pm
It will be good to catch up,
please attend if possible?
Oct Newsletter
Hope all is well?
We are holding a Race Night in the Pavilion on Friday 25th October @ 6.30pm
Please come along and support your club with a plate of food to share and some cash?
Hopefully we can attract as many members, family and indeed friends as possible
It would be really good to catch up and socialize.
Presentation Lunch This event will be held on the 11th January at the Weald of Kent Golf Club, £32.00 per person, more details will follow soon!
The club tidy up mentioned in previous emails will take place in November, we intend to tidy up areas outside and the loft and the Men’s changing room will also be de cluttered?
Please arrange to collect any personal belongings which are not in individual lockers, and hopefully there will not be anything left in unmarked lockers.
Kent County Competitions entries need to be with me by the end of October, the cost per person per entry for next season is £7.00 .
The club’s AGM date has yet to be confirmed, once the date has been set I will send out the relevant information.
Any queries, please let me know?
Kind regards
Colin
Marden Secretary
Sept Newsletter Update
The outdoor season is quickly coming to an end,we have been blessed with some better weather over the past few weeks, thank heavens!
Club Competitions are in the latter stages with the Finals being held over the weekend of 14th & 15th September.
Needless to say, your support to those in the finals would be greatly appreciated?
We had a visiting Touring side from Essex on the 21st August, a great day involving our members, we narrowly lost the game but they were very complimentary about our Green, hospitality and our refreshments, Thank you for all those who helped on the day and and those members who stepped forward to help the club in fulfilling the fixture?
We hosted the finals of the M&D Competitions yesterday at the club. The weather was on our side and some of you missed some great bowling?
Peter Collins & Rob Thew won the pairs beating Loose in a fiercely fought game coming out victorious in the end.
The pair were joined by John Gardener and Paul Hutson playing Ditton in the 4’s Final again, coming out winning quite comfortably in the end.
Well done and congratulations to all those involved.
A big thankyou to all those volunteer members who helped on a busy day for the club which brought in needed additional income to the club. Jenny, Norman & Sylvia, Peter, Rob, George and Sue Collins who worked hard days before to produce some extremely tasty cakes & scones which were enjoyed by all, just a pity some of our members missed out!
It was great to see some past members in attendance who looked to have enjoyed the day?
I will be in touch again with some important dates for your diary?
On a totally different theme, we have some 4oz Burgers available for sale packed in boxes of 4 which were donated by Iceland. If anyone is interested Please speak to a committee member Cost @£3.00.
Friday Night Triples Knockout Cup
Marden A & Marden B both reach the semi finals of the Friday Night Triples Knockout Cup to be held on Sunday morning 8th September at Maidstone BC. The final is scheduled for the afternoon. along with the 3rd & 4th Play off.
In the Quarter finals Marden A were awarded a walkover, whilst Marden B beat Bearsted by 4 shots overall.
We have been drawn against each other!
May the best team win?
All support would be appreciated.
M & D 4’s League
Marden Bowls club have won the Maidstone & District 4’s League with one game to play.
Congratulations to all the players who took part