Friends vs DBE at Kingscroft BC – 6 September 2026
Don Butcher, Captain of the Day
Kingscroft’s fine green and clubhouse
Kingscroft Bowls Club is located in the town of Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, and finding it proved to be the first challenge of the day. The entrance track sat discreetly beside a sign almost entirely hidden by trees, but after a little exploration I arrived with half an hour to spare. I was greeted by Bryan Robinson, who promptly informed me that the team sheet had changed and kindly handed me the updated version.
Group Shot (there’s always one)
Once the usual toing and froing was complete, both teams assembled outside for the customary group photograph. Unfortunately, yours truly was absent from the line‑up, having been dispatched to the changing room to collect the scorecards — a detail best left unexplored.
Friends Captain Don Butchers addressing the players
The match itself was played in excellent spirit, and at the close of play the Friends emerged victorious by 66 shots to 62. Earlier in the day I had stopped at a service centre to purchase eight small bottles of wine to use as prizes, and it was a pleasure to present the award for Disability Bowls England’s top rink to Rink 4: Jennie Sandford, Steve Pearson, Calumn Benson and skip Martin Shipley. The Friends’ top rink prize went to Rink 2, comprising Colin Bingley, Dulcie Smith, Sandra Aldridge and skip Brian Hearn.
Before concluding the afternoon, I gave a short history of the Friends and highlighted that, since our inauguration, we have donated more than £617,000 to Bowls England and Disability Bowls England — a contribution of which all members can be proud.