Visually Impaired Bowls England

Newsletter. Autumn 2018

Welcome to the latest newsletter from VIBE – sent to you, on this occasion, by David Stott, VIBE Team Manager. ‘Why David Stott?’, I hear you ask. Well, because VIBE has no Secretary, no-one else has volunteered to take on the job of doing a Newsletter, and I thought it was about time the membership found out what has been going on! So, with your Committee’s approval, here is your Autumn 2018 Newsletter.

My first ‘article’ is an appeal to the whole membership – and your friends, families, Club Supporters – and anyone else who might be able to help. Visually Impaired Bowls England needs a Secretary as a matter of extreme urgency. If you, or anyone you know, can help in this regard, please get in touch with our Chairman, Mr. David Mears – via email: davidmears233@btinternet.com, Telephone 02089 059266, or post to: 33 Lanacre Avenue, Graham Park, Collindale, LONDON NW9 5FN.

CHAIRMAN’S CHAT. A lot has happened since our previous newsletter. There have been several successful VIBE tournaments. You can remind yourselves of the results in the main body of the newsletter. Your committee have worked hard not only in organising these, but in raising funds for the association. They have been demonstrating their commitment to the cause by attending regular meetings.

Our Team Manager, David Stott, has kindly been taking minutes in the absence of a Secretary.

The Lions continue to provide a lot of support at competitions. Besides this I have just read that we have received a sizeable donation from Worthing Lions. We also receive fantastic support from umpires and markers some of whom come back time and again.

Our accounts are looking healthier than for some time. We are getting offers of free use of venues both for tournaments and for meetings. Through the work of your volunteers we are also getting plenty of donations. Another bowls marathon is now envisaged.

Next year sees some of you taking up the challenge of an international competition in Israel. I wish you the very best for this.

We have a new venue for our indoor triples competition next April. I hope many of you will support this. Gail will shortly send out entry forms for both the pairs and triples.

I trust you will all enjoy the coming indoor season.

David Mears.

PRESIDENT’S PROSE. Hello, my fellow bowlers. With such a glorious summer, I hope you had a great season. Although I only played a couple of games, this was to raise the profile of V. I. B. E. and secure much-needed funds for our association.

At the first event - held in Brighton - I was asked to play in a knock out Australian bowls match with players from all parts of Sussex and then I did the presentation. Players said how nice it was to receive trophies from someone who knows and plays bowls rather than a Mayor. They then thanked me for giving up my time and was promptly invited back next year! At another club near Ilfracombe we did a spider and, as it was The Queen’s birthday, a fancy-dress competition. This I judged and following tea was presented with a cheque for V.I.B.E. for £450.

Initially before the start of the season I sent out some 2000 spider badges which proved very successful raising a substantial amount for the Association with money coming in daily. As soon as a cheque or payment arrives this is then put directly into V. I. B. E.’s bank account. A receipt, letter, and a “Thank You” poster for supporting Visually Impaired Bowls England is sent to the donor. The poster has the Association's Logo which can be displayed on their club’s notice board.

Finally, at the National Triples which were held in Worthing, I presented the Presidents cup to V. I. B. E. member and Lion Peter Rixon. As usual the Lions were out in force looking after our members there. The Worthing Herald took photographs and published the story. The article will be in the Lions magazine in October.

Bernadette and I attended a Lions' funeral in Worthing in September to be told that they wanted the bank details of our Association and promptly paid in £1000. Bernadette and myself have been invited to their charter dinner and dance in November which we have accepted.

This has been a very busy year trying to attend all our tournaments and raising our Association's profile. The word V.I.B.E. is definitely getting out there.

Thank you all for your support.

Your PresidentClive Robinson.

THE COMMITTEE. Following the Annual General Meeting last April, your Committee comprises:

Chairman: David Mears; Vice-Chairman: Scott Vallance; President and Committee Member: Clive Robinson; Secretary: Vacant; Treasurer: Steve Simmons; Committee Members: Ron Homer, Kelvin Horriben, Adrian Mears, Gail Hepworth; Co-opted for fundraising: Chris Price.

David Stott continues as Team Manager and has volunteered to take Committee Meeting Minutes and undertake follow-up secretarial tasks – pending the appointment of a permanent Secretary. Gail Hepworth is Assistant Team Manager whilst Adrian Mears has taken on Membership Secretary and Sight Classification Officer.

Committee Meetings: The Committee continues to meet regularly to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of VIBE and that associated events / tournaments are well planned. Of particular note for members will be that a sub-committee has been set up to review and revise the rules and playing conditions for all VIBE events. Over time there have been several different versions of rules and there have been different rules applying to different events. It is felt that a single set of Rules & Conditions – covering all VIBE events would provide greater clarity. It is anticipated that the new rules will be trialled at the Indoor Pairs and Indoor Triples in 2019 before being presented to the membership for approval at the 2019 Annual General Meeting.

Sight Classifications: Please be reminded that VIBE has adopted the ‘standard’ set by the IBBA and that new sight classifications should be completed using the LogMar system. Please remember when your sight certificate becomes due for renewal that you should ask your optician / optometrist / opthalmologist to use the LogMar test – not Snellen as has been used in the past. The new forms are on the website.

TOURNAMENT ROUND-UP, RESULTS and FUTURE EVENTS.INDOOR PAIRS, NOTTINGHAM, FEBRUARY 2018. 24 visually impaired bowlers, from across the country, along with friends, helpers and spectators, descended on Nottingham IBC for an intensive weekend’s bowling. Pairs were split into two groups of six – with each pair playing all the other pairs in their group on Saturday and first thing on Sunday morning. The top four in each group went through to a seeded knock-out phase whilst the bottom two in each group contested the semi-finals and final of the ‘Plate’ competition. The eventual Plate winners being Steve Dewitt and Chris Turnbull from the Preston VI club who overcame Yeovil’s Ron Homer and Mo Perry. The round-robin Group B undefeated runaway winners – totally blind Keith Brenton of Gateshead and Pennine’s Gareth Harwood went

through their quarter-final comfortably enough and looked to be cruising to victory against the defending champions, Dave Wood and Phil Dutton from Taunton, in their semi at 9-5, playing the last end, when they suddenly dropped an unheard-of 4 and then lost the extra end on a measure. In the other semi-final, totally-blind Sarah Marshall of Berkhamstead (current B1 World Ladies’ Champion), sought a new challenge by playing as a B2 with Norfolk’s Scott Vallance but narrowly lost a low-scoring game against newcomer Daniel Ellman-Brown from Hastings and Lowestoft’s Alan Lyne.

The final – played over one-and-a-half hours (as were all the games) started as a tense, close-fought affair with just 5 shots scored over the first four ends, with the Taunton pair just ahead 3-2 before skip Lyne managed a 3 on end 5 to take the lead at 5-3. Another 3 on end six extended Ellman-Brown & Lyne’s lead and a single on the next gave them a healthy 6-shot advantage with time running out for the Taunton pair. Another single on end 8 proved decisive and Wood and Dutton relinquished their title, the final score 10-3 to Daniel Ellman-Brown (in his first VIBE indoor tournament) and Alan Lyne. The Best B1 player award went to Gateshead’s Keith Brenton.

INDOOR TRIPLES. March 2018. TAUNTON DEANE. 8 Triples arrived in a snowy and cold Taunton to contest the 2018 National Indoor Triples competition. Each team played 7 games in a round-robin format, the winners being decided on points won and shot difference.

The Runners-up this year were the Taunton ‘A’ Team of Ray Brooker, Dave Wood and Phil Dutton.

Winners: Chris Price, Mick Bourne & Lynn Bourne (Hastings).

WESTON-SUPER-MARE OPEN SINGLES TOURNAMENT. MAY 2018. The ever-popular Weston Tournament was once again held in Clarence Park, superbly supported by the Lions and host clubs Clarence BC and Wessex Ladies’ BC.

Although entries were slightly down on recent years’, everyone enjoyed a great competition and some wonderful camaraderie. As ever, in any tournament, the ‘luck of the draw’ played its part. With over 40 entrants in the Open section, playing in two groups and a random draw, some hoped-for confrontations didn’t happen whilst other, perhaps less hoped-for encounters, did. The results were:

Lions Salver (Best non-medal-winning lady): Gail Hepworth (Metro)Open. Bronze medal: Chris Turnbull (Preston)Open. Silver medal and Lauriston Cup: Alan Lyne (Lowestoft)Open. Gold medal and Lions Cup: Gareth Harwood (Pennine) B1. Bronze medal: Keith Brenton (Gateshead)

B1. Silver medal: Amit Amin (Metro)B1. Gold medal and Lions Cup: Eric Gallacher (Metro)

Next year’s tournament will be held from 2nd to 5th May and early entry is advised. Entry forms will be available from Clive Robinson - Tel: 07891 708994 or email crobinson2009@sky.com - very soon. Alternatively, they may be down-loaded from the Clarence BC website: www.clarencebowls.org/page49.html or the VIBE website at: www.vibowlsengland.org.uk/page3.html

OUTDOOR NATIONAL PAIRS AND SINGLES. July 2018. ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA. Entries were considerably down on previous years’ – due, in no small part, to us having been obliged to move from the dates we had been promised due to a ‘double booking’ with Bowls England. The dates were also only just before the Hastings Tournament. With numbers being lower, people in most categories played each other twice and the ladies’ categories were combined into a single, mixed-category competition. Those present enjoyed a very full programme of games and the results are given in full below. We cannot omit to mention the sterling work done on our behalf by Alison Welstead who has organised our Umpires and Markers at Leamington. Alison has now retired from the job – but we still look forward to seeing her at VIBE events in the future. As ever, the Lions also helped and this year, Guide Dogs provided a gazebo to provide some much-needed shade for the dogs.

At the Open Forum, Steve Simmons presented accounts held over from the AGM (due to Steve’s absence representing England – along with Alison Yearling - at the Commonwealth Games in Australia) and members were re-assured that any refunds of expenses – or VIBE contributions to members’ team expenses for internationals – would be paid within one month of the events concerned.

David Stott – Team Manager – announced the England Team to play in Israel in May 2019: B1M Amit Amin, Director Doreen Metcalf; B2L Lynn Bourne, Director Mick Bourne; B2M Ron Homer, Director Moira Sheehan; B3L Marjorie Convey, Director David Mears; B3M Adrian Mears, Director Kelvin Horriben; B4L Liz Ward, Director Elaine Stott; B4M Mo Perry, Director Laurence Pinkus. Assistant Team Manager: Gail Hepworth. The team was selected from all those members who had expressed their interest.

Nationals’ Results can be found on the next page.CLASSN. WINNER(S) RUNNER(S)-UP

B4P Khan. GAUSE & GARETH HARWOOD

LIZ WARD & ALAN LYNE

B3P MARJORIE CONVEY & STEVE SIMMONS

CHRIS PRICE & PAUL DAVIS

B2P SARAH MARSHALL & SCOTT VALLANCE

CHRIS TURNBULL & STEVE DEWITT

B1P AMIT AMIN & ERIC GALLACHER

CURTIS VASEY & TAYLOR VASEY

LADIES SARAH MARSHALL LIZ WARD

B4M ALAN LYNE GARETH HARWOODB3M STEVE SIMMONS ADRIAN MEARSB2M CHRIS TURNBULL HARISH KUMRAIB1M ERIC GALLACHER KEITH BRENTON

VIBE NATIONALS 2018 RESULTS

President’s Cup: Peter Rixon – VIBE & Lions Club of Worthing

PLEASE CONSIDER ENTERING VIBE’S NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS IN 2019.

DETAILS OF DATES AND VENUES ON THE NEXT PAGE.

HASTINGS TOURNAMENT. July 2018. RESULTS:

Open Triples Winners: Chris Price, Paul Davis, Adrian Mears

Runners-up: Amit Amin, Constance Onwuka, Harish Kumrai

Open Pairs Winners: Philip Matthews & Bob Rossiter

Runners-up: Scott Vallance & Paul Davis

Open Singles Winner: Gail Hepworth Runner-up: Chris Price

B1 Singles Winner: Eric Gallacher Runner-up: Amit Amin

V.I.B.E. Outdoor Triples 2018Report from David Mears – V.I.B.E. Chairman

Well, it was close after the first couple of games. Somerset had narrowly lost both but Preston had won both of theirs. On Wednesday morning Somerset had woken up, winning two. There were then three teams on four points. Preston, however, then won two more games – giving them 8 points. Hastings beat Metro this morning (Thursday) to also reach four points. Somerset beat Three Counties, and Preston lost to Taunton. Therefore, Preston won (Steve Dewitt, Chris Turnbull & Tony Kimpton)- having won four out of their five games - and Somerset (Bob Rossiter, Geoff Wherry & Ron Homer) came second, with three wins out of five.

2019 EVENTSFEBRUARY 16 & 17. VIBE NATIONAL INDOOR PAIRS – NOTTINGHAM I.B.C.

APRIL 6 & 7. VIBE NATIONAL INDOOR TRIPLES – MIDGLOS I.B.C., Gloucester.

APRIL 23 – 25. UK VI INDOOR SINGLES – WEST OF SCOTLAND I.B.C., RUTHERGLEN, GLASGOW. (Team to travel on 22nd and return 26th)

MAY 2 – 5. Weston-super-Mare Open V.I. Tournament. Clarence B.C.

MAY 12 – 18. INTERNATIONAL IN ISRAEL. (VIBE Team to travel out on 10th, returning 20th)

JUNE 16 -21. V.I.B.E. NATIONAL OUTDOOR PAIRS & SINGLES. Clarence B.C., Weston-super-Mare.

JULY 14 - 19. HASTINGS V.I. TOURNAMENT.

FUNDRAISINGAlthough fundraising through David Stott’s Appeal to English bowling clubs and Clive Robinson’s VIBE Spider badges is bringing in a good response, we still need more fundraising efforts from you, the members of V.I.B.E.

V.I.B.E. not only funds our own national competitions – we also have to pay the costs of hosting the UK competitions when it’s our turn and we also try to subsidise our players and directors when they are representing England in UK and other international

tournaments. The anticipated cost, per person, for the next World Blind Championships in Australia in 2021 is in the region of £3500. The subsidy – in relation tom the total cost our team members have to pay themselves – is small and we would like to do more to help. In addition, we would very much like to fund some regional competitions so that people don’t have to travel too far.

So ….. what could you do to help support your association and national team representatives?

The answer is …….

ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF!!You could, for example, hold a coffee morning, a ‘bring & buy’, a car boot sale,

a jumble sale, a book sale, a cake sale ………... or anything else to raise a few pounds.

Whatever you can raise, no matter how small, it will all add up.

Donations can be sent to our Treasurer, Steve Simmons,

5 Alice Thompson Close, Grove Park, LONDON SE12 9PW.

Cheques should be payable to VIBE.

REMINDERFrom January 2019, the one-off membership fee will be £10.

Members who pay annually will pay £10 for 2019 and this will then cover their membership ‘for life’.

Existing Life Members are not affected.

FinallyI hope that a new Secretary might be found but, in the meantime, any

items for the next Newsletter can be sent to me at: stottvibe@aol.com or by post to:

8 Sandcroft Avenue, Uphill, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 4SS

David Stott

Team Manager