Thriving club gearing up for next hundred years

Hawkesworth, with Sue also going on to play for England.

In 1998, the club celebrated 75 years with the men and ladies playing their respective county sides, although the highlight was a match which combined all of the governing bodies both nationally and at county level against Bridport. All teams included either current or past presidents playing against the Bridport rinks and the English Bowling Association rink also included the secretary of the World Bowls Board.

In more recent years the club continued its success in team and individual competitions throughout the county with the Ladies side regularly featuring at the National finals in Leamington.

Since the millennium, the club has undergone changes from the dress code to the structural aspect of the club. In a move to become more modern and steer away from the perceived stuffiness of bowls the club, like most in the area, were one of the first to adopt a lightweight sports top as the club shirt, moving away from the traditional shirt and tie which was the standard dress code for all bowlers. Aided by grants and the tireless work and fundraising of members, a new modern clubhouse was opened on the west elevation of the green, which now houses both men’s and ladies’ changing rooms, a large kitchen and bar, and a large community area to host social functions. Please see bridportbowlingclub.org.uk for details of membership and information on their anniversary celebrations.

Dorchester and District Angling Society’s juniors have had a busy schedule of competitions and events in May, with the fourth round of the 2023 DDAS Junior Championship taking place at Revels Fishery.

A beautiful day greeted the seven participating juniors on Dead Tree Lake, although thunderstorms on the previous day could easily have changed fishing conditions overnight, and it is the time of year when species like carp will start to think about spawning rather than eating. There were far fewer silverfish caught during the match than predicted, and patience was rewarded for those fishing the feeder. The winner was the everconsistent Austin Scott-Kennedy with 20lbs 11ozs, including a belting carp of 9lbs 9ozs, which moved Austin to the top of the leaderboard in the competition. Second place went to Josiah WellsParkes with small feeder-caught carp of 14lbs 6ozs, and taking his first podium on only his fourth fishing trip, was Caoimhin D'Errico with 13lbs exactly