ERDINGTON COURT BOWLS CLUB

CLUB NEWS ****

£29,000 OF NEW INVESTMENT IN THE CLUB - March 2024

Rob Robinson, Chair of the Club's Charitable Trust announced this week that the Trust has approved capital expenditure totalling £21,000 earlier this week. The bulk of this is for the bar/lounge area - which is to be topped up by a further £8,000 - accumulated by the Social Committee over a period of years, from all their hard work at their events and from other fundraising.

The expenditure is to include:

- Complete Refurbishment of the bar

- New flooring in the lounge

- Construction of new rink side display cabinets

- Permanent ground covering for the open area behind the fence at the top of the cricket pitch. This will save several thousand pounds a year in repeated clearance works - and provide several additional parking spaces.

The work will be carried out by #StacksConstructionLimited

Plans are already in hand to construct new step down rails alongside the outdoor rink.

This will follow maintenance work to be carried out by #Dales the Club's all weather greens contractor on 26th March.

The Club still has a number of other community related projects identified, for which it will be seeking grant aid, but this is seen as a massive vote of confidence in the Club in the run up to its 100th anniversary in April 2025.

This brings total investment in the Club to over £60,000 since the COVID lockdown. This is in addition to over £16.000 in grants received to support its Bowl For Health programmes and its' weekly Warm Welcome Space sessions.

The Club also agreed to hold membership subscriptions at their current level. This is to assist members to deal with their increased household bills AND with the recruitment of new members. The Club is holding a Women Can and Family Fun Day on on 25th May - and the associated advertising campaign is an important part of the Club's ambitions for the future.

The Club remain the largest in north side of Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield and South Staffs - with all the year round playing facilities.

CROWN GREEN TOURNAMENT MARCH 2024

Over 30 members of the Friday night Crown Green League turned out for an end of season tournament. There was a torrential start to the day. Thanks go to Rob Robinson for clearing pools of water off the green and stocking/manning the bar all day, and to Paul and Adrienne Vaughan for serving hot refreshments for 5 hours!

The cash prize winner was Adam Weaver and the runner up Steve Jones, a past member of our Club.

Photos can be seen on our web site by clicking this linkxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

FEBRUARY 2023

City Council Cabinet Member Councillor John Cotton with members of the Club's Warm Welcome Space - celebrating the award of a City Council grant of £2500 towards the running of the Space sessions. This follows over £1,000 pledged by the Co-op nationally and by private individuals through Crowdfunding.

The sessions are 3 times per week:

Mondays 4pm - 8pm

Wednesdays 10am - 12.30pm

Thursdays 4pm - 8pm

These sessions are also supported by #starcarsandcoaches, #TheBoldmereVegShedLimited and by #moofresh

JANUARY 2023

NEWS: Erdington Court Bowls Club receives grant to encourage locals to ‘Bowl for Health’

Erdington Court Bowls Club (ECBC) has been given a grant of £6,453 to offer bowls sessions to local individuals and groups as part of its ‘Bowl for Health’ programme – awarded through the Erdington Neighbourhood Network Scheme (ENNS) and Birmingham City Council in association with Witton Lodge Community Association.

Each session, held weekly, will last an hour, with participants paying only £2.50 which will also include a drink and biscuit at the clubhouse.

All equipment and training is supplied by ECBS, a registered charity, and no previous bowls experience is necessary to take part. The Erdington based bowls club is keen for ‘all ages and abilities’ to join in on the sport.

Club Marketing Officer and Trustee Ray Woods said: "The news of this grant was fantastic. It enables us to build on the experience of hosting a 'Bowl for Health' programme last year - and also hosting groups of special needs school students and adults.

“The sessions aim to address loneliness, isolation, and depression, and this complements our three Warm Welcome Space events each week.”

Pictured are: Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington and

For the full story read Erdington Local:

http://www.erdingtonlocal.com/news-erdington-court-bowls.../

December 2022

THE END OF THE ROAD FOR SANTA

A great end to 3 weeks of frantic competition in the indoor arena at the Club involving over 30 members - in the 'Road To Santa' sponsored by our great friends at #starcarsandcoaches

Winner was Jean Clements, runner up Andrew Mennis and organiser, Captain Shirley Watts pictured below.

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December 2022

WARM WELCOME SPACE LAUNCHED AT CLUB

This is now open as follows:

Mondays: 4pm - 9pm

Wednesdays: 10am - 1.00 pm

Thursdays: 4pm - 9pm

There are games and light refreshments available and the tv will be on.

Our Charitable Trust has provided some modest start-up funding. We have also had donations - both financial and in kind from members

Sponsors Star Cars and Coaches are providing free taxis home at night (subject to conditions). Moofresh have provided free milk and local company The Boldmere Veg Shed Limited, free vegetables which members have turned into home made soup.

5,000 leaflets have been distributed door to door locally with the help of a local Goosemoor Road resident - and the reaction on the streets has been very positive towards the Club from people, many of whom did not know the Club even existed.

The launch has provoked wide media and online interest with very positive comments received. This included a visit from two French journalists based in London. They interviewed me (rent a quote!) about why Warm Spaces were being set up in Birmingham and elsewhere - and had previously visited a space in Nechells.

Pictured here are:

Juliette Demas from the Liberation Newspaper and Emeline Vin from Radio France Internationale.

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David Ballantyne is one of our members and the local organiser of the annual British Legion Poppy Appeal. Each year, he and his fellow volunteers raise over £70,000. This includes a lot of standing in cold supermarket doorways.

You can help David and the Legion by calling in at our Club on Wednesday mornings 10am - 12.30pm to get your poppies.

Rear of Bowling Green Close B23 5QU

#poppyappeal #britishlegion #bowlsbash #bowlsnearme #bowlsgreatbarr #bowlsbirmingham #bowlsclub #bowlsgreatbarr #leisure #familyfun #bowls #leisure

#timetospare #mentalwellbeing #crowngreenbowls #erdington #suttoncoldfield #erdingtoncourtbowlsclub

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Erdington Court are in high gear as the outdoor season bowls on - ahead of the Birmingham 22 Commonwealth Games.

Their top men's team in the Birmingham - wide Birmingham Bowling Association (BBA) leads the way in their attempt to win a six successive league title -

winning 9 out of 10 matches played already this season. The Court are the only Club to have 3 teams playing at this level - with a squad of over 30 players to draw from.

Meanwhile, Allen Onion, Phil Bond ,Rob Robinson and Richard Brittan have reached the semi finals of the Warwickshire Senior Fours - a title they won last year. See picture below.

Fellow Court member Antony Gould has reached the finals of the Warwickshire Unbadged Singles.

The Club has also been hosting a number of national initiatives for Bowls England such as 'Pay to Play' and Community-based Fun Bowls - with over 100 special needs young people and adults visiting the Club in just the last week

The Club will shortly launch its pay to play option for £5 per hour and will be holding a series of fun bowls events for young and not so young alike..

MAY 2022

FIRST CLUB OPEN DAY FOR 3 YEARS

A host of VIP's attended Erdington Court Bowls Club recent Jubilee Open Day.

The event was the first of its kind in 3 years since COVID-19 arrived.

The Club welcomed visitors to its 4 rink full size indoor arena and its 6 rink all weather outdoor green.

Johnson's Skoda of Birmingham held a display of some of their new cars.

Councillor Ian Ward Leader of Birmingham City Council held discussions with Club Officers on the part that Bowls is playing in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The Club has been on the site for nearly 100 years and is the largest facility of its kind in North Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield and South Staffs. its has over 150 members.

More recently, it was chosen by the Bowls Development Alliance to be a 'Hub Club' for the Midlands area. It is being used to host a number of events to support local crown green and flat green Clubs. In June, it will be used to train ambassadors for the flat green bowls competitions at Leamington which form part of the Commonwealth Games.

Pictures:

Birmingham City Council Leader Ian Ward gets some tips from Club Instructor Colin Heath

Conservative Opposition Leader Robert Alden with Vicki Evans from the Bowls Development Alliance and fellow Erdington Councillor Gareth Moore

Birmingham City Council Leader Ian Ward, Club Secretary Les Barrett, Chair Rob Robinson and Kingstanding Councillor Des Hughes

Mike Linney from the Boldmere Veg Shed Limited with Erdington MP Paulette Hamilton

Matthew Broomhead Local Distributor for Utility Warehouse and Club Sponsor with Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council.

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APRIL 2022

CLUB HOSTS RESEARCH FOR NATIONAL 'PAY AND PLAY' SCHEME

Volunteers drawn from Erdington and Sutton Coldfield said they had a great day at our Bowls Club - helping to trial a new approach to playing.

We were the hosts for a day of research held by one of the national governing bodies for bowls, Bowls England.

A team of officials from Bowls England were at Erdington Court test marketing new formats for playing bowls. This format called 'Pay and Play' is aimed at potential bowlers who have limited time during the day and at week ends. It encourages them to play when and if they are able, for the payment of an hourly fee - similar to tenpin bowling. Observers were also on hand from the Birmingham 22 Games Bowls Committee.

To help the officials, were a team of 10 women and men volunteers in total from Erdington and Sutton Coldfield who had never played before. They had the opportunity to play on the Court's all weather outdoor rinks before providing feedback to Bowls England while sampling home made cakes!

The Court's Marketing Officer Ray Woods said,

"We are a Midlands Area Hub Club for the Bowls Development Association - which together with bodies like Bowls England, is helping to revitalise bowls following the COVID epidemic, and with an expectation that the Birmingham 22 Commonwealth Games will increase interest in the sport, as curling did during the Winter Olympics. I would like to thank all the officials and volunteers who chose Erdington Court to host this very important event..

All the volunteers that I spoke to said what a great time they had at the Club. The feedback they provided will be used for a national launch of the scheme."

Bowls England is based at Leamington, where players from all over the Commonwealth will be coming to play in a few weeks time. It may come as a surprise to some that the average age of these players will be 33!

PICTURE: l2r VOLUNTEERS PAULINE WILLIAMS, MARGARET BALLANTYNE AND JANET MARSH WITH (CENTRE) LAURA BLATHERWICK EVENTS ORGANISER FOR BOWLS ENGLANDA host of VIP's attended Erdington Court Bowls Club recent Jubilee Open Day.

MAY 2022

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 2 YEARS, WE WERE JOINED BY THE VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE FROM SUTTON SUPPORT SERVICES

Staff and clients from Sutton Support Services were keen to return to the indoor arena at Erdington Court Bowls Club. The service is based at Wylde Green.

During their visit they also made a donation to the Club's Charity Of the Season, the 'Cancer Support Centre' in Sutton Coldfield.

Ray Woods, Marketing Officer and Trustee at the Club said,

"It was wonderful to welcome back the very special people from Sutton Support Services. They are a delight to have here. We were also very grateful for the donations that they made to our charity appeal. We are looking forward to welcoming them each week as life post Covid returns to something approaching normality. The group has challenged me to play with them next time! We welcome links with other community based organisations whether it is lounge based or actively playing."

Support Services Manager David Knowles added

" It is great to be back. Bowls is such an inclusive game and is great for physical activity and eye and hand co-ordination. It also brings out the members' competitive instincts. The facilities for the disabled at the Club mean that everyone can take part."

Sutton Support Services provides adults with learning disabilities with the opportunity to learn new skills and activities - and is designed to encourage each person to reach their true potential, to enhance their community opportunities, life and social skills. .To know more about Sutton Support Services, you can visit their web site using this link: www.suttonsupport.org.uk

APRIL 2022

ERDINGTON COURT BOWLS CLUB TO SUPPORT THE CANCER SUPPORT CENTRE IN SUTTON COLDFIELD

The 150 members of Erdington Court Bowls Club will be raising funds for the Cancer Support Centre in Lindridge Road, which is celebrating its 21st anniversary of helping cancer patients.

Ray Woods, Marketing Officer for the Bowls Club said,

"In 2015, I was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer - which affects 8 out of 10 men. I was lucky. It was detected early - but only by accident during a routine blood test. Anyone who has had cancer will know that treatment is a long and lonely journey. Fortunately, I received free support from staff at the Cancer Support Centre and I believe that this helped my mental health and contributed to my recovery. One of our members Simon Kimberley and his wife Christine are also active supporters of the Centre - opening their garden each year to raise funds. This year, their garden and that of their neighbours in Dower Road will be open to the public on 31st July. We will also be holding a number of events at the Club to raise funds. We hope that together we can help Centre staff to recover from the downturn in donations caused by COVID. As a Club, we aim to help local charities whenever we can."

Jacqui Price Centre Manager said,

" We are delighted that Erdington Court Bowls Club will be helping us. It is the support of local organisations that helps us to help others."

You can visit the Centre's web site at suttoncancersupport.org or call staff on 0300 012 0245.

PICTURE: l2r Simon Kimberley Club Member, Chris Kimberley Secretary of the Centre's Support Group and Trevor Saadi, Chair of the Centre's Trustees.

MARCH 2022

ERDINGTON COURT END INDOOR SEASON WITH COMPETITIVE PUSH

Erdington Court continued their competitive push, despite the end of the indoor season being only a few weeks away.

At home on Sunday to Welford On Avon, their 8 strong Warwick Cup men's squad rose to the occasion - in the final round of this fours League. They won on both rinks by a grand total of 49:31.The team of Neil Ballinger, Martin Ashton, Simon Kimberley and Captain Antony Gould cruised to a 29:14 victory. It was a closer result on the second rink. Led by Allen Onion, the Court team of Will Crosby, Tim Hartland and Paul Vaughan won 20:17. This means that the Court finish runners up in this League.

The previous day, Erdington Court were away at Tamworth in a 4 rink triples match led by Indoor Captain Shirley Watts from Sutton Coldfield. Erdington's Tim Hartland led his squad to a 23:8 win, helping to secure an overall victory of 63:74. The rink honours were divided, each side winning on 2.

In the previous week, 28 members of the Club were at Potters Leisure Resort near Great Yarmouth. Their 6 teams were pitting their skills against players from 80 other teams from around the Country. The Court team comprising Roy and Mary Webster from Wylde Green and Ken and Lorna Bournes from Erdington reached the 16th round - and were only beaten 6:5 by a team from Bedford who went on to the final.

Erdington Court will shortly launch its new annual outdoor and indoor membership scheme, which means that new players can join for only £17 per month. The Club welcomes new members and provides free coaching. It can be contacted on 07967 686230. You can also visit their web site at www.erdingtoncourtbowlsclub.org.uk and follow them on Facebook at Erdington Court Bowls Club.

February 2022

We are delighted to announce that MJB Electronic Security of Wednesbury is to sponsor Erdington Court Bowls Club.

The firm has recently installed new alarm systems, CCTV and upgraded outdoor lighting at the Club, as part of a major investment programme.

Owner Marcus Baker said,

" Erdington Court are a great Club to work with and their facilities are fantastic. We look forward to supporting them. We believe that we can also help their members to improve their own home security.

Ray Woods, Marketing Officer for the Club added,

"We take the safety and security of our members very seriously. The new features have contributed to just that.

We were really impressed with Marcus and his team. They really know what they are doing. They listened to our requirements and turned up when they said they would.

Some Clubs make the mistake of just asking sponsors for money - without thinking what they are offering in return. We look for mutual long term relationships and our sponsors are treated very much as if they were members of the Club."

MJB Electronic Security can be contacted on 0121 574 5536.

Erdington Court welcomes new members and offers free coaching for beginners. It has a 4 rink full size indoor arena and 6 all weather outside rinks. It hosts courses organised by the Bowls Development Alliance which other Clubs in the area can attend. The Club can be contacted on 07967 686230. You can also follow them on Facebook at Erdington Court Bowls Club and on Twitter @bowlsflat.

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The Club is planning a series of events to link with the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in which flat green bowls features - with matches taking place at Leamington.

2022 looks to be an exciting year for the Club, with the Bowls Development Alliance having selected Erdington Court as a 'Hub Club' for the area. More details to follow.

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THE RUN UP TO THE NEW YEAR

Boxing day Morning...

As we prepared to say goodbye to 2021, members continued to enjoy competitive play. The last event was the Boxing Day morning roll-up sponsored by Jarrod Morgan Financial Planning of Lichfield - which by tradition is held outdoors. This year was no exception despite a murky day, though attendance did take a hit. Overall winner was Mary Heath, Junior was Freya Robinson.

You can see pictures of the morning by clicking HERE

The Road To Santa Sponsored by Star Cars and Coaches

The finals of the 3 week 'Road To Santa' competition, sponsored by Yenton based Star Cars and Coaches, produced a nail biting climax - with the 3rd position drawn. Only a few points separated the top 4, with the overall winner being newcomer Mary Moore from Sutton Coldfield.

Club Marketing Officer Ray Woods said,

"With over 170 Club members, every competition is heavily subscribed. With potential new Government restrictions on the horizon, members were keen to make the most of indoor playing time. We have a great group of local sponsors who help to make events like this possible - and I would like to thank Martin Walker and his staff at Star Cars and Coaches - who despite their own challenges caused by COVID 19, have come up trumps again!"

Second in the competition was Club Captain Shirley Watts from Sutton Coldfield and joint 3rd, Phil Betts from Erdington and Colin Heath, also from Sutton Coldfield.

Joan Garner of Erdington Court Bowls Club

Joan is bowled over!

Erdington Court Bowls Club has a new lady President for the next 2 years - who is an outstanding veteran of the sport.

Joan Garner from Four Oaks has a distinguished record at the Lawn Bowls (flat green) Club - and also in the Crown Green format at Boldmere St Michael's and Moor Lane in Witton. She has been playing bowls for over 30 years

Antony Gould, Chair of Erdington Court said

"Joan has a great record of playing at all levels and formats in the sport. She has won innumerable 2 wood and 4 wood competitions and honours at our Club and at County level . Having won her County cap in 2006, she was a National Finalist in the 2 wood ladies singles in the same year and was an England Senior International in 2007. She was a Warwickshire Ladies Champion of Champions in 2004 and 2008.

She made over 100 crown green County appearances and was the County Ladies singles champion 7 times! She won singles competitions in many parts of the Country including Liverpool, Cheshire, and the Isle of Man - where she took home over £2,500 in prize money!

In 2003, she was the Ladies County Singles Champion in both Flat and Crown Green - an amazing achievement!

Joan is our own bowls super star and is very popular with Club members - her appointment as President is well deserved."

Joan told us,

" I was 'bowled over' when I was told that I was to be President of Erdington Court. This is a great Club and I want to encourage even more women to take part in this wonderful sport. Many crown green players join us for the indoor season, but there is always room for more!"

Flat green bowls features in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games - where players from all over the Commonwealth gather to compete at Leamington, the home of Bowls England.

Erdington Court's indoor arena is open for the winter and the Club welcomes new members. The Club can be contacted on 07967 686230. You can follow them on Facebook at Erdington Court Bowls Club.

Erdington Court Ladies Triumph Over Men

Bowls is a mixed sport and each month, the Ladies of Erdington Court Bowls Club take on the Club men in an 18 end contest, lasting over 2 hours.

The November fixture attracted over 32 Club members to the 4 rink full size indoor arena at Bowling Green Close.

Not for the first time. the ladies dominated - taking a commanding lead. By half way through the match they led 35 to 25.

Even a half time tea break could not restore the men's fortunes. Despite their sterling efforts, they were unable to claw back the deficit and ended the match well beaten 65 to 57.

Captain for the match was Phil Johnson from Erdington who congratulated the ladies (albeit through gritted teeth!).

He said,

"The victory was decisive, with the men only winning on one rink and losing on three. However, next month gives us an opportunity to even things up and give the men an early Christmas present!"

Jarrod Morgan of Jarrod Morgan Financial Planning and Reiss Matthews of Enoch Evans Sutton Coldfield

OFFICIAL RE-OPENING OF INDOOR ARENA

Jarrod Morgan of Jarrod Morgan Financial Planning in Lichfield and Reiss Matthews Partner at Enoch Evans Solicitors in Sutton Coldfield High Street were guests of honour at Erdington Court Bowls Club, on the first day of its indoor season.

Club Chair Rob Robinson thanked them and other sponsors for their support over a period of years. He said that support had been a vital ingredient in helping with an ongoing programme of investment in new facilities for members.

He also thanked Club Officers and members for their loyalty during one of the most difficult periods in the Club's history.

Club Marketing Officer Ray Woods added,

"Lockdown seems to have encouraged the public to take up new competitive sports. Bowls is a sport for all ages and was ahead of its time in being a mixed sport. Now with the Commonwealth Games on the horizon, we think that will give bowls another boost, as the Commonwealth's best bowlers head for Leamington."

The Club has between 170 and 200 members - with over 20 new applicants currently going through the Club's free coaching programme.

A FULL HOUSE!

Every rink was full at Erdington Court' s full size indoor arena - with over 30 members taking part in a 2 hour long match, comprising 18 ends.

The eventual winners overall were Lorely Edwards, Andrew Mennis, Graham Foreman and Ken Ludlow. They won their match 25:10 having remained in control throughout.

Match organiser Ray Woods said,

" Players were having to adapt from outdoor to indoor play, Despite this, the standard was very high throughout and the atmosphere remained competitive but friendly! We have a full programme over the next 6 months. We have home and away weekend games, 4 indoor leagues on week days as well as daily roll ups. In January our Club competitions begin. Our numbers have already been swelled by members of other local Clubs who want to continue to play until next Summer. Our Road To Santa competition sponsored by Yenton based Star Cars will take us up to Christmas."

Erdington Court Bowls Club end of outdoor season 2021

END OF THE OUTDOOR SEASON FOR CAPTAIN ROY

42 members participated in Court's end of season 'Captain's Day.'

It was the final match as Captain this year for Roy Webster - from Wylde Green.

Roy said,

"It was a great end to another successful season for our Club - and the weather was great. I was never short of players to choose from during the season and I thank them all for their support."

A total of 12 mixed teams played 3 games of 6 ends each - against 3 other separate teams in rotation.

The winners after nearly 3 hours of play and 18 ends, were Diane Ludlow, Michele Blakey and Captain Roy. Prior to the game, the Spider competition was won by Tom Collier.

The Court members now move indoors and the Captain for the Indoor season will be lady member, Shirley Watts from Sutton Coldfield assisted by Phil Johnson from Erdington and Ray Woods from Pype Hayes. During their season, they will be leading the Court squad in over 30 weekend games - against top indoor clubs such as Bromsgrove, Handsworth Wood, Measham (Leicestershire) Shrewsbury and Tamworth.

The Court's indoor arena re-opens on 1st October - complete with new digitally controlled fresh air ventilation and heating system and also a new playing surface and electronic score boards on each rink.

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