Shropshire Crown Green Bowling Association Deputy Brenda gets her moment in the spotlight

The first Saturday annual meeting of the governing body was due to end with formal coronation of Mick Jones as county president for 2023. But county senior team selector Jones, the nomination of the Shropshire Premier League, was unable to be at Sinclair Sports & Social Club in Ketley, Telford, due to illness.

So it was Brenda Slingo who was in the spotlight as she was nominated to serve as deputy to her former mixed doubles partner Jones by the Mid Shropshire League.

“In Brenda we are putting forward someone who lives and breathes bowls – and who will serve the county for the next two years to the best of her considerable abilities,” said Mid Shropshire chairman Sean Round. “Her wholehearted efforts have kept our young bowlers organised and motivated, kept the conveyor belt going and helped to deliver two proud Shropshire junior inter-league championships triumphs in 2019 and again just last year.”

Backing came from county development officer Pauline Wilson, who told the 63 club delegates in attendance that her good friend had played 71 women’s county matches and was Shropshire Merit Ladies champion in 1984, taking up coaching and qualifying to level two when a shoulder injury stopped her playing.

Earlier, county treasurer Marie Scott – who still wants someone to take on the role permanently – reported a profit of £6,671 on the 2022 season. “This is of course encouraging news for Shropshire, but it does come with some caveats on the amounts of income which we could not have forecast,” she reported.

“There was £3,150 following a hugely successful season for our senior, veteran and junior county teams; £1,000 received in advance from our main sponsor Richard Taylor at Reclaim Tax for the 2023 season; and £1,795 from the number of fines issued.”

All rule change proposals were passed, including those to streamline the management of the organisation and cut the number of delegates on the county executive to just one each from the major affiliated evening leagues.

Webmaster Rob Burroughs is the new safeguarding officer, with county chairman Phil Scott remaining as the DBS checker, and competition secretary Mike Potter has now released a draft calendar for SCGBA events in 2023.