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We are a community based bowls club in South West Hertfordshire following all Bowls England Safeguarding policies and also offering a year round Social programme.
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See 100 Club Draw? See 2023 Club Comps? Next Social Event: Bridge/Whist thru summer
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***Membership Renewals for 2024-2025 are now due: to renew on line please Click here***
Preparing for the Coming Season
Our season opens on Wednesday 17th April and we have been busy getting the grounds, green and match admin all in place for that date. The green has been lovingly cared for though the winter by Kevin Brazier aided by our ‘Swishing’ team. The clubhouse interior has been decorated, the surrounds have been weeded and pressure washed, the gazebo re-erected and one or two have been indoors tethered to their computers getting fixtures sorted and preparing sign-up sheets for those matches. Well done to those who have contributed.
After all this hard we are looking forward to a successful and enjoyable season.
Annual Mixed Triples Gala – Bank Holiday: 27th May 2024 – Enter Now
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Our Annual Mixed Triples Gala will be held on Bank Holiday Monday 27th May 2024.
Teams that have entered previously have been sent an invitation and the entries are accepted on a first come, first served basis. However if you would like further information or to enter our Gala please click here to download the entry form, then complete and return it to the address given on the form. Becky or Janet, contact details on the form, will answer any queries you may have. The top three in 2023 were: 1st: Gerrards Happy (Gerrards Cross BC) 38 Pts; 2nd: Jane’s Boys (Townsend BC) 36 Pts – Shot difference 25 3rd: Keen on the Green (Herts BC) 36 Pts – Shot difference 23 Will your team be one of the top three and take home the prize money in 2024? |
Bowls Tasters 2024
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The COUNTDOWN is on to the START OF THE NEW BOWLS SEASON and we are delighted to offer the public FREE goes at our club playing bowls. You will see we have three major public days shown on our poster which you can attend. All you have to bring is a pair of trainers to wear on the green and we will provide everything else. To ensure your place on our public taster days please book a slot for you and your family/friends by contacting us through our website contact page by clicking here or typing the following into your web browser: https://www.berkhamstedbowlsclub.co.uk/contact/ If none of these dates suit but you’re are keen to have a go on a Pay & play basis please drop us a request though our website contact page and we will see what we can do. Come with an open mind, feel the relaxation and see what bowling can do for your mental & physical well being. |
Upcoming Club Fixtures
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Our 2024 Fixture List can now be viewed via the Fixtures & Comps tab at the top of this page; upcoming matches are below:
DATE TIME H/A OPPONENTS FORMAT SIGN UP or TEAM SELECTED |
Lee Rivers – Saturday 23rd March 2024
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Some 50 members enjoyed a very well organised Ploughman’s Supper followed by a great evenings dancing & singing along with Club Favourite singer and guitarist Lee Rivers.
For more details and to view some of the 80 or so images capturing the mood of the evening click here. Many thanks to Sheila and her team. |
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Berkhamsted Bowls Bridge Club (BBBC) Christmas Party
What a great cheerful morning was had at our annual Christmas Party for the Bowls Club bridge group.
 3 Wise men – Steve Elms, Terry Kenyon and Alan Pierce and of course Father Christmas at the bar |
 Bridge tables having fun playing bridge, imbibing in a glass of mulled wine and eating a few nibbles |
 Lesley Brown and Liz Temple (Bridge Club Managers) and their willing barman of the morning David Brown. |
A Great time had by all!! If you play bridge and would like to know more about how to get involved: Either visit the
Bridge Club web site or contact the Bridge Club Managers – Liz Temple (07956 540781) or Lesley Brown (07850 123441).
Christmas Fayre: Sunday 10th December 2023
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Sunday morning 10th December saw our 2023 Christmas Fayre in the Clubhouse – superbly organised by Peter Batchelor and his team. It was an opportunity for members and their friends to get together over a drink & cakes and have a go a guessing the weight of the cake, the number of sweets in the jar, trying their luck on the Tombola and joining in the ‘generously supported’ raffle. Sarah Marshall, our blind bowling world champion, used all of her senses to win the guess the weight of the cake competition – Happy eating Sarah! Over £950 was raised for the club and the money made on the Tea stall – supplemented by a matching donation from Tony Smart- (total £74) is to be donated to The Happy Wanderers charity in Northchurch. A Big Thank You to all who came and supported this event; it is always very gratifying to event organisers when their hard work is supported like this; we know Peter was very pleased with the outcome. Finally there were three unclaimed raffle prizes: Yellow ticket – 393; Peach/Orange ticket – 10 and Blue ticket – 63. Contact Pete if you have any of these – surely the holder of Blue 63 cannot be too embarrassed to claim the prize from the L Collection! More information is on the Christmas Fayre page – click here to go there. More events are planned throughout the winter, so keep your eyes peeled for notices and sign up for these convivial events. |
Burger & Games Evening: Friday 1st December
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Friday 1st December saw a return to Friday evening Club Nights with a Burger & Games Night. Food was a choice between Burgers & Hot Dogs – thanks to Sheila & Noreen and the bar was ably manned by Linda & Brian Ralphs. It might have been a ‘social!’ occasion but the ‘at times’ raucous noise showed the competitive spirit was alive & kicking in HP4 2AL!! To view a small selection of Images from the evening click on the following : Burger & Games Evening. More events are planned throughout the winter, so keep your eyes peeled for notices and sign up for these convivial events.
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Presentation Evening @Berkhamsted Golf Club Saturday 18th November
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75 Members & guests enjoyed our clubs 38th DINNER DANCE PRESENTATION EVENING on Saturday 18th November held at Berkhamsted Golf Club. Along with splendid food we were treated to a ‘The Chase‘ sketch – featuring Kevin (he’s no Bradley Walsh!) Clarke, Chris ‘Mr Captivator‘ Gray, Louis Sear & Keiran Davis; the trophies presentations, a slideshow and music by Paul Batchelor. Prior to the evening Anne Furlong had informed the Committee that after 30-odd years of being the Club’s principal organiser of this event, she would be handing over the reins to someone younger. Kevin thanked her on behalf of the club and Becky Davis presented her with a bouquet of Flowers to loud applause. Trophies this year were presented by our President’s wife Jackie Woodhead assisted by Paul & Christine Sims. Events of the evening were captured on camera primarily by Brian Ralphs and, when necessary, by Tony Smart. The Club thanks Berkhamsted Golf Club for their excellent facilities & food and our core organisers for all the weeks of hard work making the evening yet another memorable event. To view Images from the evening click on the following: Brian Ralphs photo gallery {n.b. Please remember to use your browser window’s back arrow to exit Brian’s Gallery.} We look forward to doing it all again around the same time next year! |
Potters @ Hopton, Norfolk: 6th – 10th November – A return visit
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34 Members & friends made a return trip to Potters in Norfolk after a very enjoyable first visit in 2022. Ostensibly we were there to take part in a bowls tournament, but most took the opportunity to make full use of the all inclusive food and drinks menus and the copious activities available outside the bowls rinks – welly-wanging, archery, pickleball, kurling, quizzes, craft workshops, fitness sessions. different varieties of bingo and the excellent evening showtime entertainment . The team of Janet Hart, Kevin Clarke, Steve Burrell & Colin Shortall reached the Quarter Finals whilst our other four teams were content to enjoy themselves on the blue carpet amongst good company. More information can be seen on our Potters 2023 page by clicking here. |
Skittles Evening Friday 20th October
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We held a great Skittles Competition in October with 48 players, 3 non-players, 3 members on the bar (who were kept very busy) and 2 organising the buffet supper. A very competitive evening and lots of fun, the winners were the King Pins. Highlights of the evening were undoubtedly some members inability to keep the balls on the rink (thereby making sure that the spectators along the rink were kept on their toes) and Eric Lloyd’s ‘fast bowling’ deliveries thudding into the backboard – perhaps he thought it was the cricketing World Cup! It was great to see the clubhouse buzzing and there’s never a dull moment when our members are letting their hair down! Brian Ralphs was on hand with his camera, see his images on the Skittles page by CLICKING HERE Make sure you don’t miss the next one!!!
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Club Competitions Finals 8th/9th/10th September
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The weekend above saw the culmination of our 2023 Club Competitions programme with 17 matches taking place. Owing to the intensive heat on Saturday afternoon, one match was postponed until Monday(11th Sep). Spectators, enjoying the sunshine more than the players!, were treated to some excellent bowling. The Finals results and Roll of Honour are available by clicking here. Congratulations to the Winners; to the Runners Up – Better fortune next time
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Watford & District Vets League – Division 1 Champions
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Our ‘Red’ Veterans Squad has completed a meteoric rise from joining the Watford & District Veterans League in the bottom division four years ago to become the 2023 Division 1 Champions.
The squad (pictured left) enjoyed a celebratory ‘Fish & Chip’ supper in the Clubhouse on the evening of Friday 15th September, no doubt washed down with a ‘few’ samples of strong beverages! Congratulations; we look forward to the title retention in 2024!!! |
World Blind Bowling Championships – Our Sarah Marshall (with her Director Linda Ralphs) is the Ladies B2 Singles WORLD CHAMPION!!!!
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Our members, Sarah Marshall and her Director Linda Ralphs, are part of the England team competing in the World Blind Bowling Championships being held at the Club Tweed Bowling Club, on the Gold Coast, Australia. This competition runs until March 16th; Sarah is in Category B2 and is now WORLD CHAMPION!!! They are ‘Our Golden Girls on the Gold Coast!’
Huge congrats to her and all of ‘Team Sarah’ from everyone at Berkhamsted. We are extremely proud of you and look forward to celebrating with you when you arrive home. With her partner Ron Homer, Sarah also won the Bronze medal for England in the B2 Mixed Pairs Competition. You can see the results to date by clicking here. There was live streaming of this competition between March 12 & March 15 provided by the Gold Coast Tweed District Bowling Association (https://gctbowls.org.au/) and Sarah’s final singles game was streamed live in the early hours of Wednesday 15th March on Facebook.com/goldcoasttweedbowls and on their web-site www.gctbowls.org.au/live-streaming. Brian Ralphs was extremely busy with his camera during this competition; you can view his album of 184 images by clicking here (Remember to use your web browsers return button to exit his album!) |
100 Club Draw – April 2024
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1st prize – Marcia Dunstone (5);2nd prize – Joan Luther (178);3rd prize – Eric Lloyd (92);***Congratulations to the three lucky members***One ticket costs £12 for the year, i.e. £1 a month, and your collective participation raises approximately £1,000 each year for club funds, while the other half is paid out in prize money. Further info, or to purchase extra tickets please contact Jackie Healy (07752 479336). |
Bowls England – Keep up to date
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Information on Bowls England activities and initiatives can be obtained from their web site www.bowlsengland.com or by subscribing to their YouTube channel which they have launched as part of its commitment to inform and entertain its members. This provides Bowls England with a ‘one-stop shop’ for all its multimedia content where you will find the ‘Extra End’ Podcast, ‘Keep Active’ videos and other audio-visual content. To view this channel, or to subscribe to receive notification when any new content is uploaded, click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjtPZ9KqcGZA1L0fHqxfMeg |
Social Events
Next Social EventBridge & Whist will be continuing through the summer on Tuesday & Wednesday mornings respectively.For Bridge: contact either Liz Temple (07956 540781) or Lesley Brown (07850 123441) For Whist: contact Sheila Bell (07530 246890) To return to the top of this page |
WINTER PROGRAMME 2024/25WILL BE POSTED HERE WHEN KNOWN
Then either Sign Up on the Clubhouse Noticeboard or contact Sheila Bell directly via sheila_sorley@hotmail.co.uk or 01442 866463 or 07530 246890To return to the top of this page |