New chairman elected at top Shropshire bowls league
There’s a new face in the chair of a top Shropshire bowls league as it prepares to welcome at least four new teams in the coming season, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Chris Hayward was elected chairman of the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire League at its AGM at Wellington’s Sir John Bayley Club.
The meeting marked the end of 14 years in the hot seat for Bowring stalwart Sean Round, who told his Allscott Heath successor: “I wish you all the best – you are joining a great team and I’m sure you will have as much fun as I have had.”
Every other officer was re-elected and there was a warm welcome for the accepted nomination of two-time County Merit winner Spencer Clarke to serve as a junior selector alongside Brenda Slingo.
Fixture secretary John Palmer reported early applications for new sides from Horsehay in the Dennis Lewis evening division, Shifnal in the Thursday afternoon division and Bridgnorth and the Bayley in the Saturday division.
The accounts were accepted as the burden of two presentations and consequently two lots of prize money paid out in the same financial year resulted in an £11,000 loss on 2025, treasurer Celia Miles stressing that the balance going forward was up on last year.
All but one of the rule change proposals were passed – and that Ashton Cup eligibility issue was covered by an officers’ proposal that was approved – and only two of the 28 member clubs were not represented.
But there was sad news on the night as Wrockwardine Wood secretary Louise Cotton reported the passing of club mainstay Bob Elcock, the winner of the Mid Shropshire Merit in 1965.
Preston Brockhurst
It’s not the end for a village club that has pulled out of all league bowls.
That is the defiant message from Preston Brockhurst chairperson Janet Jones in the wake of the club’s withdrawals from both the Shrewsbury Senior Citizens and Barlows Whitchurch Over-60s leagues.
“Unfortunately Preston Brockhurst are not able to get a team together this season but we are still operating as a club with 20 plus bowlers who social bowl two or three times a week,” she told county secretary Dawn Gray.
“We do not want to leave the association as I am still hoping to be able to encourage enough people to become league bowlers and get back to league bowling in the future.”
Jones has fond memories of the club near Wem being a very thriving one, but added: “Sadly we are in very different times now.”
