Sponsor steps up to support Ellesmere Bowling Club in advance of big weekend garden party

Ellesmere Bowling Club, in Church Hill, is holding its celebratory Garden Party on Sunday, August 6, and will be fundraising for its flood lamp appeal.

The club needs to find £6,000 for new floodlights on the top green and £9,000 for a new irrigation system.

House builder Shropshire Homes has announced that it is sponsoring the 'prestigious event'.

Rebecca Hayward, marketing executive, at Shropshire Homes, said: “It is an honour for Shropshire Homes to sponsor such a prestigious event and support the local community in fundraising for their bowling club flood lamp appeal.

"We are new to the Ellesmere development but are fast becoming acquainted with what a wonderful community it is.”

The land was owned by the Bridgewater Estate and long after the castle there was demolished they decided to create a club house and crown green bowling green on the motte of the castle in 1698.

At this time this was only for the landed aristocracy and their friends.

This all changed when Lord Brownlow sold the land to local people in 1956, who then formed the current Ellesmere Bowling Club, which has been run by its members as a non-profit organisation.

Today, Ellesmere Bowling club is an important hub of the Community, with more than 80 members, with ages ranging from nine years old upwards to 90, and from all walks of life, bakers, teachers, painters, factory workers, Engineers and of course retired persons.

Ellesmere’s bowling green is said to be the one oldest Crown Green in the country.

The Bowling green was purchased from Lord Brownlow by local residents on May 16, 1956 for £500, to be run by the members as a community asset. Since then the club has always been run by an elected committee headed by The Mayor of the Green, a title used rather than Chairman.

The garden party on Sunday, August 6 at 2pm at the club’s top green, is open to all members of the public who are invited to bring a picnic.

Tickets are priced at £12.50 each with children under 16 allowed in for free.

They are available from Linda Arthan at larthan@icloud.com or Ismay's and Moolah in Ellesmere.