He’s progressed further in the National Over 60’s Singles (I know, he doesn’t look like an Over 60!) by winning his match v Peter A at Century last night

Good luck to the boys this morning.

Supporters very welcome to cheer them on!

The Middlesex League match v The Lawns on Sunday 17th December has been postponed.
It opens up a good opportunity to get some early rounds of the club competitions in rather than Christmas shopping!

Interesting combination … to a certain degree!

1,  Karen says the deadline for signing up to the Christmas Dinner on Saturday 16th December is this coming Wednesday 13th December.

£20 per head; 3:00 pm start.  Please sign up at the Club or let Karen know.  Her contact details are on the Members’ page under competition entrants.

2.  Sarah sent an email:-

Five Stars for Cambridge Park

On Tuesday, masterminded by Karen, the club achieved the top rating for food hygiene.

Karen has worked extremely hard to ensure the club achieved this award not least fourteen hours of on-line training.

It could not have been achieved without the cooperation and understanding of all our members so thank you.

The inspection is very detailed focusing on how hygienically the food is handled, how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored.

The physical condition of the business, including cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, pest control and other facilities.

How the business manages keeping food safe, looking at processes. training and systems to ensure good hygiene is

maintained.

This may go some way to explain all the signage and paperwork.

Thank you Karen for keeping our members and visitors safe.

We are all looking forward to the Christmas Dinner on 16th December. Volunteers very much needed especially for the washing up.

Well after a flurry of posts and successes from Potters, we’ve come down with a bang this week!

Duncan & Dawn were pulverised by Dave P & John D in the National Open Pairs.  It was like playing against a double machine playing at 98%.  We barely got a look in edgeways and on the rare occasion we did, Dave sneaked in or pushed the jack back to his bowls.  Very demoralising!  However, we do hope that Dave & John go on to get to the National Finals!

We fared slightly better in the L&SC Mixed Pairs but came up against a pair from Bounds Green who were on top form.  They didn’t need our help by taking the jack through and watching it slip in adjacent to their nearest bowl!  Oh, boo!

Kevin and his band of merry men put up a really good fight against Bounds Green last night in the L&SC Single Rink competition going into the final end 22-22 only to go down 22-24.  Terrific effort but still must have been disappointing – like going out in the semi-final of Masterchef.

Still, 16 of the chaps are out in force v Ilford & District on Saturday 9th December in the Denny Plate.  Two rinks home, two away.  Your support at both venues is very much appreciated.  Match starts at 10:00

At the Middlesex AGM this morning, Scott was presented with a Certification of Recognition for the work and coaching he has put in with Ruils.
Brilliant and a well-deserved award, Scott.

After another cracking week here at Potters, the tourists are heading home this morning.
We managed to get two teams – Dave P, Ann H, Gary & Terry P as well as Tina, Mike, Laurence & Dawn through to the last 16.
Dawn’s team were drawn against an interesting very chatty team in the Bowlers Bar Green. The Italian skip thought he should hug every player before we started. Different. Dawn’s team got off to a good start being 12-0 at the half way point, then the Italian managed to get a decent running bowl in and picked up a 3 then a 2. However, thanks to Tina’s lead drawing skills, we stayed on top and progressed to the quarter final.
Meanwhile, Dave’s team came up against a four from Darlington. They weren’t the speediest players on the green – slow on the mat, which is difficult if you’re used to getting a move on. Holding 2 on the 7th end (8 ends and max of 60 min playing time for these matches)  but 1 shot down in the match, they had a team discussion about the best shot to play, checking watches. Whilst this happened, the umpire announced time was up and no further jacks could be delivered and Dave’s opposition took the end and the match. Our team thought there was another 3 mins to play, which is plenty of time to put a jack up, but it didn’t happen and they went out. Disappointing when it had been so close and to leave the green feeling a trifle aggrieved.
Dawn’s team went on to play the same team on the rink where they had just beaten Dave’s team. That was a shame for Dawn’s team as the Bowlers Bar Green plays very differently to the International Arena.
However we did not complain. If you’re good enough to get to the quarterfinals, you should just be able to learn to adapt to your rink. Unfortunately, we didn’t adapt as quickly as we needed to, so although Tina & Laurence played well, we were out bowled.
if you don’t play well enough, you don’t win. Simple.

Cerys took our photo for the next edition of Bowls International

The Darlington team then went on to win the semi and are playing early this morning in the final v Gedling.

The new Potters Christmas Show started with a very soothing classic Christmas song (appears in Home Alone) with the cast beautifully decked out in Victorian costume  and followed with traditional Christmas Carols

Laurence found it very soothing    …

The CP Table Football Tournament still hasn’t been completed so Laurence is hoping the last couple of games will be finished before we depart for home bowled out, quizzed out, swum out, sauna-d out, talked out, fed out, drunk out, free-from-washing-up out and late-nighted out!
Adjusting to London life will take a few days!

Tina might find it a bit easier having won the main prize on the Thursday Night Bingo flyer.
Wow-wee!!  A first bingo win for CP tourists!

Thanks to Laurence for organising the table tennis and kerling but a really big thank you to Mike C and his side-kick Bob for getting this Annual Potters Tour up and running so smoothly. Both are slightly greyer than they were in February when they started collecting the £50 deposits, as it’s really hard work especially with a group of over 50 people.
We really appreciate it.
Thank you very much indeed.
Safe journey home everyone. We’ll catch up with you all when the leagues start again on Monday.

Club Indoor Competitions 2023-24 drawn 24 11 23

Thanks to Dave Reddington, the Club Indoor Competition Draws have now been uploaded to Competition tab.
Thanks, Dave.

A good start to the day with the CP Table Football tournament with 22 participants.
Several photos on our FB page.

We then followed with a successful league with 7 wins, 2 losses and 2 rinks playing in the afternoon.

A relaxed afternoon mulling over the morning matches discussing what we would do for the next one.
Sarah B headed off for a swim and several quizzes. Dick, Di & Cliff tried out the badminton whilst the rest of us were getting another cup of tea.
Then Marie, Sarah H, Ann B, Jacqui & Dawn headed up to the skills training session led by Andy Thomson and Greg Harlow.
It turns out were cut good at “tap & lay” shots as Jacqui, Marie and Dawn were awarded Gold Medals for successfully executing the shot on both forehand and backhand!
We then headed off to the CP Kerling Tournament which involved 34 players in pairs, which was won by Val & Janice despite Ewy & Barry L’s best efforts to dislodge the girls’ stones.

Sarah, Kevin, Gary, Maureen & Dawn had a go on the golf target banners then we headed off to the rear of the Bowlers Bar green to watch Ray, Ranjani, Guest & Andy K and Tricia, Sarah, Jacqui & Ann B in their 3rd league matches whilst we enjoyed light beverages.
the support helped as Andy’s team won by 15 shots and Ann’s girls left us on the edge of our seats going into the final end 10-10 and then securing a 1 shot win.
Dinner was in order after that and we piled into the International Arena to watch Tina play lead for Andy Thomson’s Four in the Celebrity Exhibition Match v Greg Harlow’s Four. Hope the link works. Andy’s team won!
IMG_0961

Having played in previous years, it is great fun but makes you feel very exposed. One rink and lots of spectators. The CP tourists were out in full force cheering Tina on. She did really well especially as she was up against a young international leading for Greg’s team.
The evening’s entertainment carried on with a Variety Show with the Atlas Music Band providing live music for the singers. They are outstanding.