Saturday 11th July 2026 Still in the grip of the heatwave, we arrived at Wellingborough to be greeted by Club President Terry and both Northants County Presidents Marlene and John, both members of the club. Marlene was taking the game so we got to work on the match. Due to the intense heat we decided to have a 15 minute refreshment break at 9 ends which worked well and we managed to complete a full…
Highworth Bowls Club – 90th Anniversary Match 26 June 2026 A visit to Highworth Bowls Club always guarantees a warm welcome, and their 90th anniversary celebration was no exception. Friends members travelled from nine different counties to join the occasion, and were greeted with open hospitality: the bar was flowing, fresh rolls appeared as if by magic, and packets of biscuits circulated with cheerful generosity. Conditions for the match could not have been better. It…
27th June 2026 at Fairford BC, Gloucestershire. A warm welcome was received on our visit to Fairford for a celebration match whilst in the area, the weather was hot but not as much as the previous week luckily. Captain Alan made us feel very welcome and the game was played in the usual good humour and sportsmanship that you expect to see. Despite winning 3 rinks and a valiant effort from all our players we…
Burgess Hill – Monday 22nd June 2026 We arrived at Burgess Hill in the middle of the county’s second heatwave but there was a pleasant breeze so it didn’t feel as hot as in previous matches. We had a few players drop out for various reasons so I would like to thank the Sussex Chairman and his wife, Mark & Barbara Broadway and Past president Bob Markham for helping out. There is very little parking…
Sunday 21st June 2026 Our second Sussex-area fixture took us to Popes Mead Bowling Club, tucked just west of Crawley—close enough to Gatwick that the occasional low‑flying aircraft added its own “aerodynamic challenge” to proceedings. It also happened to be Father’s Day and the longest day of the year, but neither proved an excuse for anything other than a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of bowling. With one Friends rink already short, our thanks go to Alan…
Saturday 20th June 2026 Our Sussex trio of fixtures began today at the charming Haywards Heath Bowling Club, set in the beautiful Beech Hurst Gardens. With the miniature railway circling the green and views stretching towards the South Downs, it’s hard to imagine a more delightful setting for an afternoon of bowls. We were warmly welcomed by President Jill Saunders, who shared the unfortunate news that Club Captain Jill Hatfield had broken her wrist the…
G B Britton*, Bristol East Wednesday 27th May We arrived at the club with temperatures in the high twenties. It was the third day of the heatwave but there was a slight breeze which made it much more comfortable than yesterday. Captain Wes and I decided to aim for a full game with trial ends, which we accomplished with ease. The match went well for the Friends, winning five rinks and losing the sixth by…
26/05/2026 Hot Hot Hot! 33C and rising. Kingswood & Hanham BC made us very welcome in their cool club with three fans going, but our hot bodies soon warmed it up. There is a fantastic feeling when you are meeting your extended bowls family again after the winter break and also making new friends. “The mad dogs and English men (and ladies)” ventured out with suncream and hats on and with water at end of…