So what’s special about 2018 at Norwest? Well, it’s our 90th birthday. Yes, Norwest Bowls Club was founded in 1928 and is still going strong today. Obviously things have changed, not least our ‘uniform’.
I’m not sure what the original miners wore and I don’t even know if ladies were permitted to join then, but some of the club’s history is still reflected in our club badge, which depicts the pit wheel, mining tools and the canary, which the miners used in the pits to detect carbon monoxide.
We don’t have a lot of information about the beginnings of Norwest, so if anyone has any photos or information on our club’s past, we’d love to hear from you.
Just give me a ring on: 01761 479310 or email: [email protected].
The image of a lot of old people in funny white outfits still persists, but over the last few years things have definitely started to change. There are still a few Norwest ladies who remember when they joined, having to have their skirts measured from the floor up, to make sure it was the right length to maintain the ‘proper’ image. Nowadays the blazer and bowls hat have given way to the fleece and baseball cap and maybe we don’t look quite as smart, but it’s a lot more comfy and much more practical, and hopefully the change will encourage more youngsters to join us.
Did you see the recent World Bowls Championships on the TV? It was great to see so many youngsters enjoying the sport, but judging by how good they were I think us oldies will have to watch our backs.
So what are we doing to celebrate our great age? Well hopefully we’re going to have a great and very successful season, with lots of new members and on the 4th of June we will be welcoming the County Patrons to come to our green for our special anniversary game, when I expect we will be cutting our birthday cake, but with our recent overhaul of the club’s fire precautions, I don’t think we’ll be having ninety candles blazing on the top !
And finally a reminder for our ladies, this year’s Spring meeting is on Tuesday, 13th March, at 2.30 p.m. It’s usually a short and very informal meeting with tea and cake afterwards, so if there are any ladies out there who’d like to come along and find out what Norwest and lawn bowls are all about, we’d love to meet you.
NH