Numbers fear for county’s largest veterans league

Secretary Chris Kershaw expressed his concern at the AGM on the Salop Leisure Shrewsbury Senior Citizens League at Bagley BC on Monday.

“Wem Albion have confirmed that they will not be playing in the league in 2024 as they cannot form a team,” reported Kershaw.

“It’s too early to say how many teams we will have competing in 2024 but, from what I have heard, we could lose another two or three teams.”

One of those at risk is Oxon, their delegate telling the annual meeting that they were struggling to form a team for the coming season and appealing to any club with an excess of players to contact Les Jones by email at lesjones24@hotmail.co.uk

The deadline for notifying Kershaw about withdrawals or new teams entering is February 29, so that the 2024 fixture lists for the fur divisions can be published on March 1.

President Margaret Cooper gave a special thank you to Kershaw for all his hard work as secretary, fixtures/results secretary and competitions organiser last year. But there were no nominations to take over the competitions from Kershaw so that post, and that of county delegate, will remain vacant until the pre-season meeting on March 11.

Cooper, in her role as treasurer, reported a small deficit of £270 on 2023 but, with a healthy bank balance of £3,386, the league subs will remain at £25 per team this year and her proposal to pay honoraria to officers was passed unanimously.

The second joint administration of two bowling leagues in Shropshire has been given the official seal of approval.

Plans for a new body to run both the Barlows Whitchurch Over-60s and Market Drayton Senior Citizens leagues were outlined and approved at this week’s meeting of the county executive. Lack of people willing to continue to run the Drayton league is a key factor in the move, which will see the formation of a new North Shropshire Veterans Crown Green Bowling Association.

It is set for formal launch at a joint AGM and EGM of the two leagues at Tilstock BC, near Whitchurch on Tuesday, March 5 (2pm).

“Nominations for the new joint committee are required to the (Barlows) secretary (Simon Fullard) by February 15 please,” said a spokesperson.

Despite being run by one body, the two leagues will continue to be independent and any new clubs wishing to apply to the Barlows league – or current clubs wishing to put in new teams – are required to advise Fullard by February 29.

The formation of the new body follows that of the uniting of the Whitchurch and Market Drayton evening leagues as the North Shropshire CGBA at this time last year.