21 Feb FIFTY-SECOND AGM OF ASSOCIATION

The end of the Associations 53rd year brought our 52nd Annual General Meeting reporting on the 2022 season and looking forward with optimism to 2023.

Alan Stephenson, our Treasurer gave a conservative outlook saying we should break even at the end of this financial year after several years of eratic figures due to the pandemic. Subscriptions had been increased for the first time since 2018.

The league secretary David Sykes went through the league structures for 2023 with the 6-man Monday league having an increase of 4 teams meaning 3 x 12 team divisions. The 10-man Tuesday league had lost one team bringing the number of teams competing weekly to 60. He went on to explain the difficulties in balancing up the divisions which was an association objective but also brought with it problems of relegating teams that finished several places from the bottom of the division. Although the divisions weren’t quite balanced this season he thought we would finally achieve the objective in 2024 and that the current season was far more equal than in 2022. He apologised for the issues that teams encountered on Bowlsnet whilst he was still tackling the league structure.

Steve Lee, the new Competition Secretary outlined his plans to re-invigorate the individual and pairs competitions. Entries had been in decline prior to 2020 but the pandemic exacerbated the problems. He had shortened the time between the preliminary rounds and the final and the association had adjusted the handicaps to encourage more entries. He encouraged online entries and payments which would make it easier to enter.

The keynote report was given by our new President who should have taken office today but took over several weeks ago after the resignation of Alan Hirst for health reasons. In his report he stressed the associations aims encapsulated in the year book to encourage and develop participation in our sport aiming particularly at new retirees over 60 years old. He apologised for the mistake made by the Management Committee with the first iteration of the league structure but we had acted swiftly to correct the issue and the revised format had been warmly welcomed.

Frank was pleased that we had two new younger officers joining the executive ranks with Steve Lee from Lowerhouses taking over as Competition Secretary and Shepley based John Pearman taking over as General Secretary which augured well for the future of the association.

The officers and committee for the 23/4 year were elected en bloc. The final item on the agenda was a report from Richard Armitage highlighting the progress on the recruitment front made by HBD (Huddersfield Bowls Development) having recruited and trained 10 coaches at no cost to any association and attracting a bursary from the BCGBA. Several clubs had attracted new members since the Try Bowling events held in Greenhead Park.

Much business was reported on after what had been a very busy season and there had been a lively debate on some of the issues. Everyone of the 60 or so delegates at the meeting was looking forward to another season of competitive bowling for the over 60’s in our community, and even some over 90’s!