MELTON & DISTRICT INDOOR BOWLS CLUB LTD - Melton & District Indoor Bowls Club Ltd

MELTON & DISTRICT INDOOR BOWLS CLUB LTD
                     Bowling Green, Leicester Road, Melton Mowbray, LE13 0LR

                         Newsletter – April 2022

March was a very busy month with many leagues and competitions – both inside the Club
and at National level - drawing to a close. You may have noticed the large number of final-
round matches that were using Melton as the neutral venue. It was a chance to see some
of the County’s better players from other Clubs in action.
It is obvious that we are again getting an increased number of members having to self-
isolate. Local infection rates remain high. The Club is to resume fogging around the rinks
and lounge, and we will continue to provide plenty of hand sanitiser. Please tell us if the
rinks become ‘stuffy’. We will ask that you practice adequate spacing on the rinks and in the
changing and locker rooms, and you have that personal choice of wearing a mask in
crowded areas that cause you any concern. As ever we will, and have to, comply with the
guidance issued by the EIBA in order to remain open.
The Summer season is almost upon us, signalled by the arrival of the Club’s four-day
closure, 7-10 April inclusive, whilst we host the English Short Mat Finals. Again, our ability
to allow our own members to spectate will be very limited due to the large numbers of Short
Mat players arriving each day with their own supporters.
We have heard that last year’s wet Summer has deterred some of the outdoor bowlers from
electing to play as much outdoors this Summer. As ever, we will be open and we will be
pleased to see them coming into the Club to enjoy the cool of the air-conditioning on those
sweltering days. We will continue with the current daily schedule of rink sessions until such
time that we notice a significant drop-off of bookings (due to holidays being taken), and then
we may opt to reduce the opening hours in the afternoons.
We also need to do some maintenance and investigative work inside the building during the
Summer, which will require us to block off certain parts of the lounge and rinks for short
periods for Health & Safety reasons. We will signpost these dates and restrictions on the A-
frames as you come in, and on the website.
The Club is working hard to minimise the impact of the massive energy price increases that
we are all now facing both at home and in the Club. We are investigating the possibility of
increasing the size and efficiency of our solar panel arrays, and the use of batteries to store
some of those benefits. We will be looking at the simple things too – like switching off the
hall lights when the rinks are not in use, and reviewing the settings for both heating and air
conditioning controls.
On the subject of costs, a number of league matches have been cancelled and the
necessary payment of rink fees has not been made. The Rules are clear, if a match is
cancelled then the defaulting team has to pay all related rink fees, if it is cancelled by
mutual agreement then each team is responsible for their share of the rink fees. At
the end of this season, we currently have £420 in outstanding rink fees, and we now
have no option but to contact the various team captains to recover this money.

AGM’s and Presentation Evening
The Company AGM, followed by the Club AGM, has been fixed for Tuesday, 12 April starting
at 19.00. There are a number of BMC posts up for election. Details of the posts are on the
Foyer noticeboard and the nomination forms are available from Pat Wright. Any contested
posts will be subject to a vote at the meeting.
The Presentation Evening for the Winter Season Competitions and Leagues is proposed for
19 April - to be confirmed. Watch the A-frames and website for notices.

Plea to our Smokers
It has been noticed that a number of our frequent smokers are
leaving the rinks for a mid-match smoke outside - but are not
changing their shoes. Please do not wear your bowling shoes
outside the building. The Club is now able to supply overshoes
which will be available at the main exit to the Clubhouse to prevent
grit being carried back onto the playing carpet in the future.

Red Rink Tokens

There are still a number of the old, red rink tokens floating around our bedside drawers and
trouser pockets. The Board has decided it had to remove this liability on the Accounts. These
red tokens will no longer be valid from Saturday, 30 April. No refunds will be given.

Rink Tables

We are having problems once again because players are moving to the rinkside tables
before the previous session has completed their matches. Please do not go to your
rink seating before the previous session has finished and moved away
from the rinkside. Please wait in the bar lounge.

Rink Ditch Markers

Shortly we will be deploying a set of yellow bowls markers, so that you can identify both
home and away live bowls in the ditch. Once distributed, the YELLOW marker will be for the
JACK. The red and white markers can be used for the home and away live bowls
respectively.

Changing Rooms

Our Changing Rooms are now back to full use. You are requested to return to the practice
of leaving your coats, bowls bags or cases in the secure Changing Rooms and not under
the chairs at the rinkside.

A Great Success – Our Music Night

On Sunday, 13 March, the Club held a musical social evening and we were able to use the
event to raise money for the Ukrainian appeal. A local band, “Generation Gap” entertained

an audience of 90 people with songs from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. The band also donated
their fee for the evening to the same cause. The evening included a cleverly prepared quiz
which brought much fun and laughter to the event.
The Club arranged for two ladies from the West Leicestershire Ukrainian Community to
attend the event, both wearing the Ukrainian National Dress, to receive a cheque for £900
from the Club. Some of you may know one of the ladies, she is Mrs Linda Harris who worked
with David Brown at the EIBA when he was their National Secretary. Linda's father was a
Ukrainian refugee to England following the Second World War. Linda still has family living
in the Ukraine, but since the start of the conflict she has as of yet been unable to contact
them and has no knowledge of their whereabouts.

The picture shows the Cheque being handed over by our Chairman, David Brown, to Mrs
Linda Harris and her daughter-in-law.

Don Welch Trophy
This knock-out, picked Pairs, prize tournament had to be cancelled when insufficient players
put their names down to attend. This was despite the Club moving the Sunday league
matches off the preferred date in order to attract some of our better male players to take
part. The Club has been asked to consider moving the tournament to a date just before the
Winter season starts. This might be possible, but only if sufficient interest can be
guaranteed.

Recent Match Reports
Mens Over-60 Inter-league – Melton A

David Armstrong reports that Market Harborough B chose to concede the match on 11
March. This meant that our team was not to get the chance to finish the season in style, and
(hopefully) win, to crown a magnificent effort by all who have played so well in this our first
season in the MOSIL League. Melton A should receive 2 points and a 10 shot victory
recorded. Our informants tell me that Barwell A lost both of their outstanding games, but will

still finish top on shot difference. However, Melton A have achieved promotion to
Division One by finishing joint top of the league

Mens Over-60’s National Doubles Rinks against Houghton
Rink A Trevor Main, Gez Moore, Mel Bass, Peter White (Skip). Rink B Brian Boag, Mick
Curtis, Peter Farrow, John Robinson (Skip). Reserve Dave Pick.

This match, a Quarter final pre qualifier for Finals to be held at Nottingham, was played at a
neutral venue at New Earswick on the outskirts of York. Melton opened well and by end 5,
Peter White’s rink were up 8 - 1 and John Robinson’s rink were drawing 3 - 3. Things looked
pretty even by end 10, the overall scoreboard read Melton 22 – Houghton 21. Pete White’s
rink then began to struggle with Houghton persisting with a short jack length. Although John
Robinson’s rink continued to play well, the writing was on the wall by the end 15, with Peter
White’s rink having conceded 12 shots without reply. This turn of events continued for Peter
White’s rink losing a further 11 shots by end 18.

John Robinson’s rink did achieve some reward for their efforts winning 18 - 14. However, a
shell shocked Pete White’s rink eventually lost 12 - 33. Giving Houghton a winning margin
of 30 - 47. Melton wish Houghton good fortune for the Finals to be held at Nottingham, and
can look back at their achievement of getting to a round further than ever before.

Denny Plate

Melton will meet a strong Clarrie Dunbar team (from Somerset) in the Final on the evening
of 9 April 2022, at Nottingham – we wish them all the best for this Final.

Inter-league Problems

Melton Men were to host a game against Leicester IBC on 12 March and against Barwell on
26 March. In the days before each of those matches, the other Clubs informed us that that
they were unable to assemble a team. The Ladies have had late cancellations too. More

evidence that other Clubs suffer the same issues we have seen this season with players
falling ill. We will claim the matches.

Melton District Friendly

On Sunday, 6 March, our Club hosted a friendly match between Melton and District Bowling
Association and a team led by Vice Chairman Robert Goodale from Lincs VP’S.
The local rinks made up of 2 teams from Holwell, and then single rinks from Melton & District
Indoor Bowls Club, Keyworth, Oakham and Market Overton. The Melton District rinks
coming out on top with a score of 119 to 64. The winning rink, who won by 19 shots, was
skipped by Colin Wagstaff and assisted by Bettine Broadberry, Glen Roberton and Peter
Orridge.
One of the Lincs members, taken ill on the rink during the match, was taken to hospital.
Happily, we can report that he was discharged later that evening and was able to go home.

National Finals
Just as this Newsletter is being closed, news is arriving from Nottingham on the National
Finals. The first result for us is in the Over-60’s Singles Final. John Robinson lost out 21 -
11 to Roger Barnbrook from Acle IBC in the final. It was a great game to watch with an
excellent performance by both players and with good sportsmanship throughout.

Summer Season 2022
Summer Club Opening times and weekly social session groups will remain as they
are now until at least the end of June, with the exception of Sunday mornings when, from
Sunday 17 April, the Club will not open until 11.45 for bowling unless rink bookings for the
9.30am 'slot' have been made before 5pm on the preceding Friday.

It was agreed at the last BMEC meeting that there will be a single set of bells for the Summer
of 18.30, 19.00, 20.30 and 21.00. This would allow start times of 18.30 or 19.00 and finishes

on the bells at 20.30 and 21.00 respectively. Competition matches would start on the bell at
any time after 18.30 and complete on conclusion of the required number of ends.

The rink booking system will show just the one evening session. Leagues and internal early-
round matches would pay just £3 (one token) whilst full matches (internal finals or
National/County matches) would pay the 'double session' fee of £4.50 to reflect their later
finish.

Winter Season 2022/23
As reported in the last Newsletter, Chuck collected the opinions of the 2021/22 Winter team
captains before the BMEC finally agreed the following;
   a) Monday afternoon Collins League – we needed to find at least two more teams.
   b) To change more evening Fours leagues to Triples (to reduce team strengths required
      and encourage more teams to reform).
   c) Add an Australian Pairs League at 16.15 on Thursday afternoons.

The March BMEC meeting moved briefly discussed the ideas for novel formats for
Competitions which would allow the creation of ‘intermediate’ skill matches, i.e. a
competition not available to players who have previously won Club Open competitions. The
BMEC will continue to review these options in more detail and announce the results next
month.

The President’s Day
On Saturday, 26 March Suzanne Hughes was relieved to be able to hold her President’s
Day despite more than a dozen players having tested positive in the week before the event,
and other members having to withdraw to reduce their risks of infection. Suzanne would like
to thank the 30 players who attended on the day – and who seemed to be having a great
time – and then contributed to the £78 made on the raffle and the £28 made from the spider.
During the meal afterwards, Suzanne awarded prizes to the winning and worst rinks, plus
some additional ‘booby’ prizes to those who achieved the four wrong biases – no names
here, but one wasn’t a surprise! Peter Kipling presented Suzanne with a presentation booklet
– the photographic diary of her Tour to York. (This is now available to view on the Club
website under ‘Documents’.)

Junior Section Finals
Congratulations to all the winners and runners up in the recent Junior Section Finals. The
list of winners and runners up this year is as follows;

Under 16 Pairs Final,                                        Under 18 Singles Final,
Winners, Izzy Pymm, Grace Wade.                              Winner, Izzy Pymm,
Runners up, Henry Partridge, Tyler King.                     Runner up, Grace Wade.
Under 18 Pairs Final,                                        Under 25 Singles Final,
Winners, Max Magee, Izzy Pymm.                               Winner, Izzy Pymm,
Runners up, Grace Wade, Zak Stevenson- Wheele.               Runner up, Alex Warrington.

Under 25 Pairs Final,
Winners, Brandon and Ethan Giblett,
Runners up, Paul and Alex Warrington.

We also include a photo of Max Magee finally receiving his trophy and pennant for winning
Leicestershire C.I.B.A. Under 16s Final that he won in 2019.

Help us to stay safe and open
If you live with or have been in contact with someone who has been identified as a
suspected or confirmed case of the Omicron variant you do not need to self-isolate
immediately, but should take a Lateral Flow Test. If you test positive, then you still
need to self-isolate and stay away until testing negative.

                    There have been questions about the Club activities that even some of
                    our more established Members do not know all the answers. Here are
                    the latest questions arising from the Suggestion boxes;

Q: Does the Club have a Facebook page? A: Yes, and it is a good place to see news of
events and members in the times between these Newsletters. News items should be given
to Mick Lawrence.

Q: I would like to help by putting adverts for the Club in my local village hall, who do I contact
to find copies of our leaflets and adverts? A: Adverts for events and recruitment days can
be obtained by contacting Mick Rawle.

Dress Code
Please remember that grey trousers are required when playing in Club leagues and
competitions (Whites in Finals). Whilst grey comes in many shades, those trousers should
be proper tailored trousers or slacks, or proper tailored shorts authorised (by the EIBA/Bowls
England) bowls sportswear. Jeans or tracksuit bottoms are not acceptable. At this time,
Black Trousers have not yet been included in the acceptable Dress Code for
competitive matches. We also ask that you do not wear denim trousers or
tracksuit/jogger bottoms at social roll-ups.

Club Donations
The Club has received a thankyou note from LOROS for the £16.75 in bar donations
collected in March 2022, and the sale of books this year has raised a superb £600 for The
Laura Centre.
If you know of a Club Member who does not have access to the internet, please ring
them and tell them about the items in this Newsletter.

When you need to buy new bowls equipment – remember
to use the deal on Club discounts by showing your
membership Card at our local bowls shop.