Monday 11th July at Oakley BC.
If you have never been to Oakley, you have missed a real treat. It is in the middle of the countryside and only reachable through narrow twisting lanes, but once there it is well worth the effort to see the club in the Colman Estate (Colman’s mustard). There is a big car park, a big bowls green and a smart clubhouse and changing rooms. However, that is not all, you walk across to the Colman house, where the club have the use of lounge bar and kitchen and a function room.
Fabulous Buffet
We ate a buffet lunch followed by homemade cakes in the lounge accompanied by five deer heads on the walls and the raucous callings of the peacocks outside. We were very kindly allowed to look round the private gardens too and buy superb mint chocolates made from mint grown on the estate.
Teams ready to play on a very hot day
Introducing the team
With hats and sun block on we played our match, 18 ends, one on the first two ends and no threes up. Too hot to have a long game. Bad ends, good ends, laughter, moans, losses and wins we managed and returned for a well-earned drink in the bar.
Post-match refreshments
In the function room we ate a full ham and chicken salad and a strawberry sweet, prepared by a special team of ladies. Thank you. Spencer Kerley, Oakley President, thanked the members in the catering team, behind the bar and the green keepers for all their help on this auspicious day. He gave a brief history of the estate’s clock tower, which is the same as that at Hampton Court, and then awarded top rink prizes.
Kath Lloyd gave a short account of the foundation and the aim of the Friends and then handed out homemade preserves as prizes for the top rinks on both sides. Next, it was with great pleasure Kath presented a framed certificate to Spencer to mark his 50 years of bowling. A fine achievement of bowling for club and county, in many friendly and competitive matches, and holding many club and county offices, including presidency for both. Well done Spencer!
-
- a welcome to everyone from Spencer & Kath
-
- Lots to talk about at dinner
-
- Kath tells us of Spencer’s bowling experiences over the years
-
- Top Rink for Friends
-
- Top Rink for Oakley
-
- Oakley 22: Kath presenting Spencer with a memento of the day
-
- Thank you for a lovely meal: Sandra, Virginia, Marilyn, Lesley, Carolyn & Valerie
-
- A lovely buffet provided by Barbara, Lesley & Diane
-
- John – the very busy barman
Thank you for a splendid day Oakley; can we come back to celebrate Spencer’s 60 years of bowling?
Kath Lloyd