Well done to Ange, Scott, Ann & Terry, Jane, Gordon, Jacquie and Marie for all their help at the Christmas Lunch/Party yesterday.

The new caterers – Terry (not M!) and Paul – did a great job and the meal was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The atmosphere was jolly and Christmassy and we all felt well and truly fed and contented as Ange and Scott tried to drum up some karaoke-ers!  Not a lot of luck there, but stand up bingo was just about managed.

Good to see Corale, Brian N, Kevin, Ginn, Bernard & Joan amongst those on the ‘dance floor’ – I use the term loosely!  I think we have a long way to go to get to anywhere near Strictly beginners’ standard but if we all enjoyed it, that is all that matters for now.

The raffle went with a good swing with a few people being drawn for more than one prize.  Good for them!  The little extras on the table were well received.  Someone, I’m guessing Ann M, spent a lot of time tying up favours in little cellophane bags.  Thank you.

What a brilliant effort from everyone today.  Three good wins and the fourth would have got there if they’d had to play the final two ends. The total was 98-54.

Top rink 35-9  Tricia, Frances, Ann B & Teresa – wow!

The Havering club had 8 rinks and was quite a bit longer than Cambridge Park.  Playing alongside us at Havering were Century IBC in the Denny Plate, but unfortunately Middlesex came off as second.

The win today puts us into the final 16 in the country and we play on 8th January and, before you all start emailing, yes, we do have a calendar clash.

Our next opponents are either Folkestone or Royal Tunbridge Wells.  Their result isn’t up yet.

 

Come along and give our girls some support in the Yetton Plate (3rd round) v Havering.  10.00 am start.

Next Saturday (18th), the boys will be out in force v Watford in the London & Southern Counties Challenge Shield.   They would like your support too!

Christmas Lunch tomorrow (12th) for those who have booked is 12.30 pm for 1.00 pm sit down.  Christmas is coming … and it’s not only the goose who is getting fat or is it just me?!

Good choice by Peter J of “Miracle on 34th Street” for a Christmas movie.

As promised, we’re back on bowls news today.

The ladies venture forth into the next round of the Yetton Plate.  New opponents to CP members – Havering, based near Romford.  The two away rinks have an early start from Cambridge Park!

Home:

Sarah, Ann D, Lucy & Jean

Tricia, Frances, Ann B & Teresa

Away:

Ange, Corale, Joan & Ann H

Tina, Audrey, Marie & Dawn

Greys with club shirts

Havering IBC:  Harrow Lodge, Hornchurch Road, Hornchurch, RM11 1JU.

Reserve:  Katharine

Although Havering is a bit of a journey for supporters, the home teams would very much like to see you throughout the morning.  The bar will be open from 11.30 am until 1.30 pm-ish if you would like a drink between watching the ladies and heading off to do Christmas shopping!

For players and supporters, please wear a face covering when you enter/exit and move around the clubhouse whether at Cambridge Park or any other away venue.   The EIBA has now sent out more guidance yesterday afternoon saying face coverings are mandatory from Friday 10th December for 6 weeks, although the situation will be reviewed again after 3 weeks.  When bowling or seated, the covering is not required.  Thanks.

 

Fingers crossed we’ll be able to raise a glass or two on Sunday at the Christmas lunch as a celebration of a win.
Sunday will also be an opportunity to raise a glass to absent friends and family. Some of you may know that Terry Macey lost his Mum last weekend. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how old your Mum was, it is still very hard to take in. We send Terry, Ann and family our love and deepest condolences.

Hot on the heels of a brilliant week away, the organiser baton has been handed over to Mike Cooper for 2022!

There is a sign up sheet at the Club if you are interested in going.  There is also a booking form you can download here

211204 – Potters Booking Form 2022

The basic price for next year is £519 per person + £5 cancellation protection.  Supplements are then added to all hotel rooms and bungalow plus accommodation.  After that group discounts are applied and this varies on the type of accommodation.  Mike has reserved 43 places, which should entitle us to two free places.  This can reduce the balance per person by an additional £5-10 or so.

To give a short explanation on accommodation, each group is allocated a set amount of hotel rooms, bunglow plus and single bungalows.  It is not a case of first-come first-served with hotel rooms!  Each group is allowed 10% of the total group number in single accommodation and if there are more than the 10% there is an additional supplement payable – providing there is single accommodation available.  (After four tours, we have yet to be allocated a single hotel room – there are only about 3 in total!)

The cost covers an all-inclusive break with all sports, entertainment during the day and evening, entry into the bowls competition, 3+ meals per day and all drinks from tea and coffee to beers, wines and some spirits.  (Cointreau, Grey Goose vodka, Red Bull and the like are not included.)  You also have to buy your own bingo tickets and the prizes, certainly by the end of the week, are tip top!  Laurence organises CP table tennis and kerling competitions.  There is a spa, crazy golf, pitch and putt golf, a swimming pool, snooker room, climbing wall, segway, badminton, ten pin bowling, coaching sessions by Greg Harlow  etc. etc. etc.

We will book a coach which we think will be around £45 per person, but the cost also depends on how many go on it and how much the price increases over this year!

Booking forms need to be returned to Mike by 20th January latest, together with £50 deposit per person – either by cheque to Cambridge Park Indoor Bowls Club, by cash, or online to Cambridge Park Indoor Bowls Club – bank details on the booking form.

If you want to know a bit more, ask Mike or any of the tourists from the last four years we have been.

We received an email with some updated guidelines from the EIBA, which we will implement at the club.

Please could you wear a face covering when entering/moving around/exiting the club.  If you are bowling or drinking/eating, it’s fine to leave the covering off.  This will help all of us help all our members to try and prevent any infection spreading.  We are not aware of anyone who has been in the club in the last week or so having been tested positive, and it would be really good to keep it that way.

There are only a few matches between now and Christmas and these will be played in greys, as suggested by the EIBA.

If  you haven’t had your second dose or booster, it’s a good idea to get it done.  However, we cannot force you into being vaccinated, as we know you have a personal choice.

Be alert when you’re out and about too.  You are all important to us!

Thanks