13th May 2026 A warm welcome was received on our visit to Oxford City & County for a celebration match whilst in the area. President & Captain Mick made us feel very welcome and the game was played in the usual good humour and sportsmanship. The weather was quite changeable with 2 heavy downpours making the green a little heavy at times but we managed to find it on most rinks. Despite winning 3 rinks and…
Tuesday 12th May We arrived at Kidlington on a cool but dry day. Warm clothing was the order of the day. The ladies in the kitchen had prepared an array of filled rolls which we could add to with onion, tomato or sweet pickle. Very tasty indeed. I already knew club President Chris Cox so it was good to catch up on old times. We started proceedings with a Spider for a large bottle of…
Monday May 11th 2026. With winter finally behind us, this was the first Friends’ game of 2026. With 27 fixtures scheduled across the country, it marks the start of a busy spell — including three matches in the Oxford area. The Abingdon green looked and played beautifully, and their electronic scoreboard kept us all well informed throughout the afternoon. After the game we enjoyed an excellent two‑course dinner, followed by a short and very engaging…
Friends of English Bowling are very grateful to Bowls International, who now include a monthly feature from Friends in their publication. This is fantastic exposure for us — and for the many bowls clubs we’ve visited throughout the season, whether celebrating milestones or sharing interesting news from across the sport. It’s a brilliant initiative, and one we’re proud to be part of. Thank you, Bowls International, for the opportunity! In no particular order, here are…