Volunteering 2023

Running a bowls club like ours relies on its members doing their part. With our opening now just 13 days away we need all hands on deck to ensure everything is ready.

Short term

Tuesday 18th April – final clean of clubhouse, toilets, changing rooms, chairs, benches ahead of new season

Tuesday 18th April – final green preparation ahead of new season – ditch liners, mowing, trimming, final levelling, rink markers etc

Jobs which can be done at times to suit members

Grass surrounds – mowing (with ordinary mower!) and trimming around fencing and under hedges

Weeding: along bank & planted areas & between the slabs –Seeds are blowing onto the green and crowding out some of the plants in the borders. An odd hour here and there by a few is needed!

Ongoing

Tuesday morning work crew with focus on the green (a team of 4 will also be mowing 3 times a week over the season)

Brushing Daily We have gaps on Thursday and Saturday plus volunteers are needed to cover holidays. Can you help? We have men and ladies on the brushing team!

Toilet Block Cleaning – The toilet block will be cleaned thoroughly once a week. Hot water, mops, cleaning materials all provided. Please can you let Barbara know on g.ellison1@btinternet.com if you can join the rota. The rota will allocate a name for a particular week and that person can select day/time when they want to do the cleaning. Barbara will brief all those involved.The more volunteers we have the less times they will have to clean. A reminder to all, it is our club and when you are at the green keep an eye out to ensure that all aspects of the toilet block are clean and stocked and if not do something about it.

Tuesday mornings and other times - focus on the surrounds and any care/maintenance work.

Hardcore and soil left from ditch project – the hardcore will be stacked behind the green mower shed for use in future projects and the residual soil will be moved. A mini digger and work crew will undertake this strenuous work probably once the season has started so be aware it will be a bit of mess behind the far end of the clubhouse. As part of this work new compost heaps and leaf bins will be created.

What has been happening at the green

Tuesday mornings –A skip was filled last Tuesday (4th) and builders merchants’ bags of “type 1” barrowed in to fill the spaces between the new edges and slabs. (several more bags have been barrowed in and spread over recent weeks). Boxing is being created to go over the irrigation outlets and a range of repair work undertaken.

Some of you may not be aware that there was a major leak/flood in the clubhouse during the winter. Jeannette, Jim and Gavin have been working hard to clear up including removal and cleansing of resultant mould.

Other leaks and repair jobs have arisen and here again Jim, Jeannette, Gavin, Norman, Paul B and Jim have been active.

Mowing and green treatment – steady mowing of the new turf to bring it down to the cut of the other grass and overall mowing of the green is now happening several times a week. Spiking and treatments are also being applied. These have been delayed by the wet weather and are now a big priority. A small team turn up most Tuesday mornings and at other times to do this essential work. Removing weeds and returfing small bare patches is also ongoing.

New/adjusted steps – finally and sadly we must mention Ashley. Since he joined in 2018, he put heart and soul into the club as a volunteer, player and wholehearted member. He was on the Tuesday work crew, spent hours getting weeds up between slabs, was a big presence at ladies day and all social events, helped out with juniors and on open days/Bowls Big Weekend and was always there when needed. Just weeks before he died Ashley delivered his adjusted steps back to the green having worked on them for several months to ensure they would fit over the new ditch edges.

What an example to us all! How we will miss him.