Shropshire bowls clubs count cost of storm and flood damage
Flood waters may have receded but a number of Shropshire affiliated bowls clubs are still counting the cost of rivers breaking their banks after three named storms in quick succession.
And county development officer Pauline Wilson has urged them to seek help, explaining: “Sport England flood damage funding is available for those affected once again.”
A Sport England spokesperson added: “Storm-damaged facilities could soon be back up and running thanks to our new Storm Relief Fund.
“Organisations with facilities – such as clubhouses, courts, pitches etc – affected by the recent storms can now apply for grants of up to £15,000 after we added an emergency storm damage option to our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Activity Fund.”
Elsewhere, Shropshire’s delegates will vote on proposals to make big changes to the way the sport of crown green bowls is governed at a meeting tomorrow.
The AGM of the British association, put back two months due to the omicron C-19 variant, goes ahead following a rules revision session at Winnington Park in Northwich.
“Probably the most important decision of the day will be the vote to allow the chief executive officer (Mark Bircumshaw) to move forward with establishing an independent board to allow the association to move forward,” said a spokesperson for the body.
“If he is given the green light, after a period of consultation with county associations, it is hoped to have the new board in place in January 2023.”
Possible rule changes to be discussed include introducing a £10 annual fee for all leagues and associations, allowing counties to appoint a ‘home’ referee in county matches up to the semi-finals and approving the same system for the allocation of places in the British Junior Merit to match those of the Senior Merit.
In other news, moves are afoot to give new life to the Shropshire Referees Society in the wake of the pandemic.
The body is key to providing the required qualified officials at top level crown green bowls matches and competition, but has not met since its last AGM in November 2019.
“Unfortunately we have lost our chairman John Coxill since then and we need to re-establish the society so we can move forward this year,” said Phil Scott, the chairman and safeguarding officer of the Shropshire association.
He’s also a qualified referee and the county delegate to the British Referees Society, but said: “I can’t call an AGM but am asking all Shropshire Referees Society members to request an AGM (via secretary Louise Cotton) so the society can move forward into 2022.
“We have things that need sorting – from collecting the 2022 fees to appointing a referees delegate to the county association.
“As for appointing referees for this coming season, we are getting thin on the ground and with a rule for home referees probably going to be passed at Saturday’ British association AGM for senior and junior county matches, it means the few refs we have will have more to do – if available.”
