Open Day
Twenty-seven people came to have a go at bowls in the lovely sunshine. We were especially pleased to be able to help one local boy complete his homework, which was to try a new sport. Everyone got the gist very quickly and quite a few have arranged to come back for coaching or another session.
Report by Debbie

Afternoon Tea and Butterflies
Well done everyone for a brilliant afternoon. We raised a good sum for Royal Surrey Hospital charity and our club funds including £75.10 on guess the weight of the cake won by Clive (within 0.2 kg). There was also additional donations specifically for the Hospital! Well done to all our fantastic volunteers for their dedication to duty. It’s your support that makes the club what it is. 

A special mention and big thank you must go to Helen for all the supply of china, tablecloths and cutlery, plus her invaluable knowledge of catering for a large number of people at an afternoon tea! I couldn’t have even envisaged running such an event without her. 

We also have to thank Sarah for her brilliant creative butterfly workshop which we all thoroughly enjoyed. She made it all look so easy and we managed to make a fantastic swarm of butterflies which I hope you will all get to see soon. This event also raised £30 and for those of you who missed it, watch this space.

Thanks again all of you.

Barbara

The green was formally opened on Easter Sunday afternoon by our President, David F. Those members who didn’t have a family clash enjoyed an hour of bowling to get their hand in and then adjourned for tea and cake with the visitors who had joined us for the beginning of the new outdoor season.

Good luck to all those bowling competitively in leagues and competitions this year.

Mike and Derek have finished the refurbishment on one side of the ditches. It turned out to be a more taxing job than they initially thought with flints and stones needing digging out before the new plastic fence posts could be installed. As Mike told Debbie, “We have 30-year-old brains but bodies a lot older”.

We all agree the new ditch edge is a vast improvement on the wavy and unsafe bank we had before.

A huge thank you to you both.

On Saturday 22nd March the weather forecast was much better than predicted and 15 members turned up to help paint the sheds, ditch-boards and wooden frame and posts as well as start on the weeding and planting up of the flower borders.

Thanks to Mike for organising the work- party, Tony D for the wonderful breakfast and Lesly for making the tea and coffee. Those who missed out this time due to bowling indoors will be able to help when we have our next work party to get the clubhouse sorted and the ditch liners etc. back in place later in April.

Our series of indoor friendlies continues with wins against Camberley IBC and Burpham. Both matches were played in a very good spirit. There is one indoor fixture left with Castle Green, where we will be playing in mixed teams and enjoying a post-match meal.

Still some work to do but the Green was looking good in the sunshine after a winter cut. The bank repair will be underway very soon and we hope to be opening the green on 20^th April.

Christmas Cake Decorating
For the third year in a row Barbara and David invited us to decorate our Christmas cakes together, learning new techniques and sampling cake and coffee. We all know now how to make edible silver paint from gin and silver lustre powder. This year we chose from several designs with robins with stockings, trees in the snow, a present filled sleigh, candy-canes, candles with Christmas roses and a mouse featuring on the cakes. Barbara had bagged up all the correct coloured icing for each design and David raised the tables so we could work in comfort. The more complicated designs were challenging but each of us left with cakes to be proud of. Thank you to Barbara and David for hosting.

Match Reports
A new indoor fixture saw us playing Auriol Outdoor Club at King George Field. Merrow lost (43-51) but all the players enjoyed their game and meal and we hope to repeat the fixture next year.

Ruth captained her first indoor fixture at Mole Valley where we almost stole a win (59-62), winning on three of the four rinks.

There are three more indoor fixtures in the new year so sign up on BIAS if you want to play.

A superb effort on Saturday!

Well done to everyone who helped, with special thanks to Barbara and her team for the organisation.

Donations can be brought to the Village Hall on Friday (1st November) from 8.30pm to 10pm or Saturday morning before 8.30am.

This year we returned to Sutton Green Golf Course for our presentation lunch, enjoying a lovely meal and company including our friends from Castle Green. Awards were presented by our Competition Secretary and Chair as you can see in the photos taken by Andy K and David O. The afternoon was rounded off by the raffle (organised by Joan and Lesley) but drawn by Ken and Andy in their usual inimitable style. Many thanks to Joan and Allen for organising this for us all. Report by Debbie

The outdoor season has finished but we have plenty to keep you busy during the Winter.

We held our first Merrow All Weather Unicorn Race Meeting on October 5^th and invited punters from local bowls clubs to join us for seven themed races including our own take on the Grand National. Great fun was had by all, although one of our members was rather bemused by the evening and spent their time trying to determine if the Unicorns were biased (they weren’t!). The funds raised will go towards improving the club. Many thanks to Barbara and Steve for organising this. Special mention to Harrison for his sterling efforts as acting jockey for the first six races and marshalling the owners for the final race of the evening.