Brightlingsea Bowls Club Welcome to 2012 and a season approaching that seems likely to be as busy as ever. Many members have met up at successful social events during the winter period and the carpet bowls players have met weekly to play local league and friendly matches. The green maintenance team had a difficult autumn keeping control of a disease in the grass but the green currently looks in good order and ready for bowling. A few games have been played against local indoor clubs during the close season with mixed results but enjoyable matches. Our Match Secretaries have prepared another excellent bowling programme for 2012 with usual league and friendly fixtures. This year we are welcoming the Richmond & Barnes Touring Team to play us in a mixed match and we are also pleased to be hosting two visits from the Essex County team - one to play the Essex Past Presidents Bowling Association and then to play our own Tendring Hundred & District Bowling Association. Also, we are hosting the Essex Group 1 v Essex Vice Presidents Bowling Association match and the Group 1 Ashford Cup Trial. Being asked to host these matches is a compliment to our excellent bowling green & facilities. The pre-season general meeting on Friday 13th April will be an opportunity for all members to get an update on the season, the chance to enter a team in the club Friday league and the last chance to enter club competitions for 2012. All members should have received a competition entry form with their membership renewal. We hope we have the usual ‘full house’ for the opening drive on Saturday 21st April. Enjoy your bowling season.  Welcome to the Brightlingsea Bowls Club News page.  Please return each month where you’ll find up to date new and match reports. Tendring Hundred & District Bowling Association ‘Fours Champions’ and Essex County Group 1 ‘Fours Champions’ – Tom Doherty, Mark Hemstedt, David Warren, Hank VanHanegem with Association President Brian Coyne & Vice President Jim Aird. This four, skipped by David Warren with Mark Hemstedt at three, Hank vanHanegem at two and Tom Doherty at lead (with Terry Sargent standing in at lead in round 2 of the Association Fours), had a very close and entertaining run of matches to win both of these competitions. Five Association rounds, all against formidable opposition, all went to the last end, sometimes the last wood and once an extra end. The final was one of a number of excellent Association finals supported by over 100 spectators. The  Association fours champions then met the Colchester Association champions from Royal Mail Woods B.C., to add the Essex Group 1 trophy to their successful season.