News
The groups for both Victory Shield and 3-2-1 for 2024 Season have been made and sent to clubs by Bob.
They are as follows: Victory Shield Group A:- Featherstone, North Greenford, Springfield, West Ealing Group B:- Brentham "A", Brentham "B", West London (All group games to be played by August 1st) 3-2-1 (Hayes withdrew since last season. West Ealing will now have a second team) Division 1: West Ealing "A", Brentham "A", Springfield, Featherstone Division 2: North Greenford, West London, Brentham "B", West Ealing "B" From Bob worleyThank you very much for taking part in the E&D competitions. We are now reading the semi-finals. You can see the present situation on http://edba.weebly.com/ and clicking on competitions (thanks to Rob Green for that). I will be contacting people in more detail later on. Rob will also be contacting people about the Plate.
If you have played at Brentham you will know that we have 2 rinks out of action so really, we cannot run a semi-finals day on Sunday 12 the September in the normal way. I discussed this with Rob and we think that we can do the following; We should play the semi-finals on other E&D Club Greens any time that suits you or at the Brentham Green on the 12th or days preceding it. That day is given to E&D for semi-finals as it is in the Brentham diary. Obviously if the teams are from the same club, they can play on their own green. The Challenger (first named) should make the contact with the opposition, agree on a day and time. If the game is on your green then arrange it. If you agree to play it at Brentham, then text Eddie Hilton on 07729636183 (don’t phone) or email on [email protected]. If you wish to play it on other greens then contact the clubs involved. In all cases, when you have agreed a time, date and venue, you should contact me about the arrangements you make. I hope that is agreeable to you all. The finals will be held a week later at the West Ealing Club. Cheers Bob Following recent results, all issues in the 3-2-1 are resolved.
With one match still to be played in Division 1, Ealing Central United have been crowned champions. Meanwhile, 2018 champions Springfield find themselves relegated. In Division 2, West Ealing are champions ahead of new boys Hounslow Conservatives. After two very tight semi finals, the two finalists for this year's Victory Shield are known.
Featherstone repeated their 2019 semi final win over Ealing Central, this time 36-32, with rink scores of 17-16 and 19-16. The other semi-final was even tighter. When play stopped, Springfield were ahead of West Ealing on both scoreboards 16-14 and 19-17. However, in this latter game Springfield had played with only three players, resulting in the customary deduction of 25% of their score. This meant the win went to West Ealing 31-30. Featherstone and West Ealing now meet at Ealing Central this Saturday (14th August) at 10:00. Featherstone are looking for their third VS title in four (active) seasons, whilst West Ealing are hoping to raise the Shield for the first time since 2015. Competitions for 2021 have been drawn and distributed to Club Secretaries.
The competition pages of this website will have the various competitions added over the next few days. Officers for 2021
In the absence of an AGM, all officers have agreed to continue their duties for the forthcoming season. Competitions Competitions will be played in the traditional format, rather than the "cut-down" versions adopted for this year by Bowls England Victory Shield The draw for the Victory Shield 2021 is as follows: Group A: Featherstone, North Greenford and Springfield Group B: Brentham, Ealing Central, Isleworth and West Ealing ** [Winners and runners-up qualify for semi-finals] (** It should be noted that Isleworth remain unsure about their status. Clubs should endevour to arrange fixtures with them, until further information is available). When arranging games, it should be noted that, owing to Bowls England and therefore Middlesex revising their calendars, it is likely that July will be quite congested. These group games MUST be played by Sunday 1st August. Please advise the Victory Shield Secretary (Rob Green) of your fixtures once arranged. Semi Finals on Sunday 8th August Final on Saturday 14th August Games to be played in the traditional format (21-ends) 321 Leagues These will pick up the structure that would have happened in 2020: Division 1: Featherstone, Isleworth, Ealing Central, Springfield, Brentham Division 2: North Greenford, West Ealing, West London, Pitshanger, Hounslow Conservatives. Please advise the 321 Secretary (Rob Green) of your fixtures once arranged. Games to be played in the traditional format. Monday Night League This competition will not take place in 2021, but will return in 2022. E&D 75th Jubilee Match (v Middx CBA) News on this is imminent. Watch this space. (From Bob Worley, E&DBA President and Secretary)
Originally, we were going to have a meeting on March 7th 2021 with the AGM on Sunday April 11 but this is now impossible, due to current restrictions. I would like to ask if everyone can retain the positions they have until the end of the summer when, I hope that things are back to as normal as we can. There may well be pandemic issues along the way. I propose we have an AGM in Oct/Nov 2021 to sort things out. To remind ourselves of planned dates Victory Shield Semi Finals on Sunday 8th August Victory Shield Final on Saturday 14th August E&D Ladies 2 wood on Sunday 22nd August E&D semi at Brentham on Sunday 12 Sept Finals at West Ealing on Sunday 19th Sept Middlesex Bannerette 75th + 1 Anniversary celebrations and E&D game, This date for this is still under discussion. Rob has flagged up that the county and national competition calendar has had to be reworked for this year, The date I gave last time (July 2nd ) is no longer possible. Victory Shield IMPORTANT This is STILL difficult at the moment: Isleworth are not well placed. Terry Elliott says there is a meeting in the Spring to discuss their future. If Isleworth close, then we will have to redraw. If a redraw is necessary, then Rob and I shall have a quick meeting with some onlookers to do a redraw. Please do not arrange games yet. Competitions I think we should fill these in and do the draw after the closing date on Sunday May 9th. The entry forms have been sent to clubs. The only competition I can see at risk is the Fours but this takes place at the end of the season as entries are the fewest. 321 Leagues We can keep these leagues as they stand. If Isleworth close. then it can be accommodated in the format as it stands. Division 1: Featherstone, Isleworth, Ealing Central, Springfield, Brentham Division 2: North Greenford, West Ealing, West London, Pitshanger, Hounslow Conservatives. Monday Night League This league may be at risk because there are 8 players on the rink and we need to see how travel arrangements develop. I suggest we go ahead and just see how things work. I had an entry from Rosedale and but please confirm with Monica that you are still able to take part. Gunnersbury? The club told me in October 2019 that they would not be able to take part in competitions in 2020 as the owners wanted to redevelop the area. Since then, there has been news that a group of people want the green to stay. I did talk to a senior member of the club, but he said they could no longer take part as many members had gone to other clubs. We shall see how it progresses, but it is a shame that all this interest from the media did not take place several years ago when Gunnersbury were trying to negotiate with the owners of the sports club . Bob Added: There is a petition to allow Gunnersbury Park BC members access to the green to do essential maintenance. Please show your support for local bowlers at a club that were founder members of this Association. petitions.hounslow.gov.uk/GPBowlsClub/ (From Bob Worley, E&DBA President and Secretary)
Back in March, when we were sent into lockdown, Bowls England and Middlesex, along with many other associations took the immediate decision to cancel all competitive bowls for 2020. We, in Ealing & District decided to adopt the "wait and see" approach - with many bowlers in isolation until mid-June, we felt that we could hold off making any snap judgments until we got in to June, in the hope that things would have progressed enough to make our competitions and leagues viable. Unfortunately, with us now into June, whilst there has been some recent movement, we are still a long way from normality, with play only possible on alternate rinks with now pairs or even triples being possible. Please keep watching https://www.bowlsengland.com/coronavirus-guidance/. It is of course up to clubs how they apply the Bowls-England guidance. In addition clubhouses and changing rooms remain off-limits. For this reason, after consulting Rob and Monica, I have made the sad decision to cancel all of our normal competitions for 2020 (including Victory Shield, 321 and Monday Night League). In addition, our proposed 75th anniversary celebration match against Middlesex CBA has also had to be put off, hopefully just until next year. Whilst this is disappointing, the safety and health of our members must be our primary consideration. As a light at the end of the tunnel, if things keep progressing, we are hoping that we may be able to arrange some form of event(s) on the dates originally allocated for the Victory Shield and Competition semis and finals (9th and 15th August, 13th and 20th September). Obviously though this depends on how the situation develops. This has affected bowlers and their families within the E&D and in Middlesex CBA. It might impinge on the viability of clubs to exist next year and the future the future of bowls in this county. A second wave of infection could be catastrophic for bowls. E&DBA are saddened to receive news of the recent passing of Ray Wilkinson of Springfield as a result of Covid-19. Ray was previously a member of Perivale BC and it was during this time that he served as the 2006 President of Ealing & District BA.
The members and committee of the Association send their condolences to Ray's family at this difficult time. It is with great sadness that we report that Gunnersbury Park has been forced to close.
The club was formed in 1930 and was a founder members of E&DBA in 1945. Through their history they have won many outside honours, with E&DBA and Middlesex, along with various other associations. The loss of clubs is something we have become used to seeing (one look at the history section of this site will indicate how many have gone over the years), their loss is usually down to insufficient members. However, whilst not over-burdened with numbers, Gunnersbury Park BC had enough to continue. Their loss seems to be down to the greed of the quango that runs the park on behalf of Ealing and Hounslow councils. It is unbelievable that a park of that size cannot find the relatively small area required for a long-standing (and self-supporting it must be said) club to continue. It seems to make a mockery of the pledges of both councils to support exercise for all, irrespective of age. When will people who have this power recognise that bowls is an ideal way for people OF ALL AGES to exercise and have social interactions? E&DBA wish the Gunnersbury Park bowlers every success for the future, and hope they continue to bowl. We also hope they continue their links with E&D via their new club(s). |
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