Newsletter
BOWLS CLUB NEWS
Monday September 1, 2025
EAST PRESTON MEN’S A TEAM ARE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!
As the bowls summer season reaches its climax in our Finals Weekend this month, we want to thank you all for another fantastic outdoor season at East Preston and Kingston Bowls Club. From league triumphs to friendly roll-ups, the spirit and camaraderie on the green have been truly wonderful. We’ve celebrated victories, welcomed new members, and shared countless laughs. Your dedication is what makes this club so special. Congratulations to our new Championship team and our County Singles Champion—what a season!
Tell us what you think: we want to hear from you! Your ideas and feedback are essential to making our Club the best it can be. If you have any suggestions for improving the Club, please email us at [email protected]. Suggestions will be considered by the Management Committee.
End-of-Season Events
Our outdoor Finals Weekend is set for September 12th to 14th. Please come down and support our finalists as they compete for this year's trophies. The bar will be open, and food will be available for purchase. Please note we will be cutting the grass on the Friday and Sunday of the Finals Weekend.
Finals Schedule:
Friday, Sept. 12th: 2 pm
Saturday, Sept. 13th: 10 am & 2 pm
Sunday, Sept. 14th: 10 am & 2 pm
The Presentations and Buffet will follow on Sunday, estimated to start between 4 pm and 4:30 pm. Please remember to place your food requests on the sheet in the clubhouse.
Champions Elect: A Report on the 2025 Season
What a thrilling season it was for East Preston! The Men's A team is the well-deserved winner of the West Sussex Bowls League Division One Championship. It was a season of resilience, strategy, and dominant performances that saw us climb to the top.
The team started strong, winning their first four games. After a challenging patch in July, they bounced back with an incredible winning streak to secure the title. The championship was sealed in a dramatic penultimate match against Worthing Pavilion Bears, followed by a memorable celebration.
Highlights of the Season:
Dominant Home Form: Our home green was a fortress—we won every single home game.
True Team Effort: The success was built on consistency across all four rinks.
Resilience: The team showed incredible determination to rally after a mid-season slump and finish strong.
Congratulations to everyone on a superb and memorable season!
Sussex County Bowls Paperwork - Please have a look in the County folder on the Notice Board in the Club House. Within you will find various documents - some for completion where applicable and others for display to members on our Club Notice Board. Please read them and if you have questions contact [email protected]. There is also a covering letter in this folder explaining the member actions required for all documents. Thank you.
Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowling Association (EIBA) are exploring the potential of joining together as one organisation. Both organisations believe that merging will help them increase their capability to grow participation in bowls, support affiliated bowls clubs and generate more funding for the sport. There is an online survey is designed to ‘take the pulse’ on your initial thoughts and feelings about the potential merger. There will be other chances to engage. If you wish to take their survey please click here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/BOWLS25/?dm_i=7FNK,ABK6,2WD3ZO,1BVR7,1
Looking Ahead: The Winter Season
While the outdoor season is ending, the fun doesn't stop. Look out for your copy of the Fixture Booklet coming soon in the Club House. Our popular winter short mat bowls sessions are back in October! Thanks to our sponsors, we have two new mats to start the season. It's going to be the most fun you have ever had on a carpet!
Short Mat Season Start: Sessions begin in October.
New Teams: We have three new teams joining the Short Mat league this year: East Preston Pumas, Polecats, and Panthers.
Friendly Matches: A full schedule of friendly matches is also planned for everyone to enjoy.
New to Short Mat? We're offering free taster sessions for members throughout October. Get in touch with one of the contacts on the back page of our guide for more details.
Short Mat Competitions: Entry forms will be available and emailed out mid-September. The deadline to return forms to Fred, our Competitions Secretary, is October 7th, 2025. Printed copies will be available in the Club.
Maintenance and Volunteers A huge thank you to our Maintenance Team, Greenkeepers, and all the volunteers who have worked tirelessly to keep our club in excellent condition. We will begin maintenance work this month to prepare for next spring and will be looking for volunteers to help out. If you can spare a few hours, please speak to a member of the Management Committee.
Enjoy the rest of September! We look forward to seeing you at the Finals Weekend and throughout the winter.
Upcoming Social Events - these are now on the Club Notice Board and on the Club Website: www.epkbc.org.uk
NEXT EDITION contact the General Secretary to include any items in the next edition of this News. These newsletters will normally be published on Thursdays either monthly or weekly depending on the news available. Happy Bowling! General Secretary, East Preston and Kingston Bowls Club Email: [email protected], Website: www.epkbc.org.uk
AUGUST
LADIES TRIPLES REPORT
by Sue F (Ladies Triples Organiser)
Well, the results are in! The winning team of the ladies triples this year is none other than the Madcaps! A huge round of applause for Maureen D, Ellen D, Tricia B, Jayne W, Pat P, and Barbara S. They've been presented with the Millie Allen Shield and each of them also received a £10 Marks and Spencer gift token. What a great prize!
On the other end, the Southon Belles finished in last place, but they still got a sweet consolation prize— a bag of Jelly Babies each. The awards ceremony was followed by a wonderful cream tea. Delicious sandwiches, sausage rolls, and scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Everyone had a lovely afternoon and we are all already looking forward to next year's tournament. There's even talk of extending the season so all the teams can play each other at least twice.
A big thank you to the ladies who prepared the delicious tea, and a special shout-out to Craig for his help with updating the results on BowlR each week. Congratulations again to the Madcaps!
BOWLS CLUB NEWS
East Preston & Kingston Bowls Club Newsletter
Thursday August 7, 2025
Welcome to this week's newsletter! We've had a fantastic week on and off the green, with some great match results and upcoming social events you won't want to miss.
Just a quick reminder: don't forget about the Special General Meeting this Wednesday, August 13th, 2025, at 6:00 PM. Your attendance is important, and we look forward to seeing you there. Apologies should be sent to the General Secretary. If you need a proxy vote form please email [email protected].
Upcoming Social Events
An Evening at The Lighthouse
Get ready for a fun club dinner at our marvellous Club sponsors The Lighthouse on Sea Road, East Preston! We have a club reservation for 36 people on Friday, August 29th, at 7:00 p.m. Please come along and support this event.
To book your spot:
Add your name to the list on the notice board in the club house.
Take a Lighthouse Tapas menu and make your choices.
Pay a £10 per person deposit.
Place your menu and deposit in an envelope with your name and tapas choices written on it.
Drop the envelope into the Social Box.
Other Social Events
BINGO: Join Alan and Jan for a fun night of Bingo on Friday, August 22nd. We'll start at 7:00 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
QUIZ NIGHT: Test your knowledge at our Quiz Night on Saturday, September 20th. We'll start at 7:00 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
SHANTYMEN: Mark your calendars for a special performance by The Shantymen on Saturday, October 4th.
Match Reports
A Valiant Journey Concludes in the Semi-Finals
What an incredible run for Paul, Shelley, and Jon in the Rod McBeth Trophy! Our East Preston & Kingston mixed pairs team showed incredible skill and determination throughout the Sussex County Bowls Mixed Pairs knockout competition. Their journey, which included a dramatic last-bowl win in the quarter-finals, concluded in the semi-finals with a 13-22 loss. Well done to our semi-finalists for bringing so much pride to the club!
East Preston Achieves Crucial Victory at Tarring Priory
Our team secured a vital win in a high-stakes West Sussex Bowls League Division One clash against Tarring Priory on Saturday, August 2nd. The final score of 62 shots to 54 earned East Preston 7 points, putting us back at the top of the league table! It was a true team effort, and we thank Tarring Priory for their hospitality. Our next fixture is a home game against Bognor Regis on Saturday, August 9th. Let's keep this momentum going!
Celebrate Our Champion!
Join us this Saturday, August 9th, at 11:00 a.m. at the Clubhouse for a quick, informal get-together to give a massive round of applause to our very own Sussex County Men's Singles Champion, Jon Clear! This is a truly incredible achievement, and we'll get to see the magnificent Towner Trophy he won. Come on down and celebrate Jon's hard work and dedication with us!
NEXT EDITION contact the General Secretary to include any items in the next edition of this News. These newsletters will normally be published on Thursdays. Happy Bowling! General Secretary, East Preston and Kingston Bowls Club Email: [email protected], Website: www.epkbc.org.uk
East Preston & Kingston - 31 July 2025
Another week has flown by at East Preston and Kingston Bowls Club, and it's been a busy one both on and off the green! Our players have been showing great form recently, with some nail-biting finishes and impressive displays of skill.
Match Highlights
Last Bowl Triumph in County Mixed Pairs Quarter Finals
On Tuesday, July 29th, Shelley and Jon (stepping in for Paul) secured a dramatic last-bowl victory in the Sussex County Mixed Pairs Quarter Final against West Hoathly BC. Played at Worthing Pavilion in challenging conditions, our duo fought back from a 12-2 deficit on the 8th end to lead 18-13 by the 15th. With scores tied at 18-18 and light fading, Jon's masterful last shot, guided by Shelley, clinched the 19-18 win! This propels Shelley and Paul into the semi-finals on August 4th at Popes Mead against a team from Lindfield.
East Preston & Kingston Ladies vs. Southwick
Our Ladies faced a formidable challenge, Wednesday, July 24th, against highly skilled Southwick opposition in a home and away double rink match. It was a nail-biter! After our gallant lasses holding a lead early on, extending to 19-13 by the 10th end, Southwick mounted a significant comeback, taking the lead 28-20 by the 15th. Despite a valiant rally in the closing ends, Southwick ultimately secured the win 33-27. The narrow six-shot margin truly highlights the closeness of the match against strong opponents. Our Ladies can take immense pride in their performance!
OTHER CLUB NEWS
Thank You, David from our maintenance team! A huge thank you goes out to David for his hard work painting the shortmat blocks and fenders. This essential task gets them ready for the new season, and we all know it's shortmat season soon when David gets his brush out! Your efforts are much appreciated.
We'd also like to extend a sincere thank you Bob and the rest of our dedicated maintenance team for their continuous hard work behind the scenes. Their efforts are crucial in keeping our greens, clubhouse, and facilities in excellent condition for everyone to enjoy. Your commitment ensures our club remains a fantastic place to play and socialise!
Indoor Fixtures for shortmat are now on our Club website under the heading Fixtures and Results. We have three teams: the Pumas, Panthers and Polecats in Divisions 2 and 3. We also have plenty of friendly matches as well as casual roll ups to look forward to using our new mats. Website: www.epkbc.org.uk
Special General Meeting - don’t forget to put Wednesday, 13th August at 6 pm in the Club House in your diary. Apologies to be sent to the General Secretary.
Green Maintenance - just a heads-up from our very own dedicated green rangers Simon and Tony, the green will be closed for maintenance on the morning of Sunday, August 10th. Our external service providers will be carrying out some essential work to keep our green in top condition. We've confirmed there are no scheduled events on Bowlr for that morning. Thanks for your understanding and many thanks Simon and Tony for what you do!
Community Events Open to You at Ayton House Angmering
The Club is pleased to share information about four free and informative events taking place just up the road at Ayton House Angmering. As sponsors of the Club, Ayton House (part of Care UK) offer these events to you our members, and you can attend by contacting our General Secretary [email protected], who will liaise with Ayton House for you.
Heart Health Event
When: Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025, from 11 am
What: Meet a heart specialist from the Cardiac Rehab Team at Worthing and Southlands. Learn more about heart disease, how it affects people as they age, and prevention strategies. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about maintaining your heart health!
Veterans' Café
When: The second Monday of each month, from 11 am - 12:30 pm. The next event is Monday, August 11th, 2025.
What: Join fellow local veterans in the Ayton House café for a friendly chat and complimentary refreshments. All veterans, including partners, are welcome.
Dementia Café
When: The first Thursday of each month, from 2 pm. The next event is Thursday, August 7th, 2025.
What: If you know or care for a loved one living with dementia, this café offers support and practical advice to carers, families, and people living with dementia.
Pie and a Pint Gentleman's Club
When: The third Thursday of each month, from 12 pm - 2 pm. The next event is Thursday, August 21st, 2025.
What: Join a sociable chat with other gentlemen in the local community over a delicious pie and a cold pint. It's also an opportunity to meet their friendly team and explore their beautiful home.
NEXT EDITION contact your General Secretary to include any items in the next edition of this News. These newsletters will normally be published on Thursdays. Happy Bowling! General Secretary, East Preston and Kingston Bowls Club Email: [email protected], Website: www.epkbc.org.uk
JULY
Green Closure for Maintenance
Just a heads-up, our green will be closed for maintenance on the morning of Sunday, August 10th. Andy Butler of our external green maintenance service providers will be carrying out some essential work to keep our green in top condition.
We've confirmed there are no scheduled events on BowlsR for that morning.
Thanks for your understanding!
Southwick Park Ladies Invitation Tournament
On Tuesday 22nd July 3 teams played in the Southwick Park Ladies Invitation Tournament. It is an all day event, with each team playing 4 sessions of 8 ends. Always well organised, very friendly and good bowling, everyone had an enjoyable day.
Congratulations to Shirley Hamilton, Trish Baldwin, Sue Fordyce and Eileen Southon who were runner's up in their group, and came fourth overall. A great achievement....well done.
For photo of the winning team see the Gallery page