THE FINAL PIECE OF THE JIGSAW

For the past year a team of 3 Club members – John Roberts, Alan Hogg and Christine Freshwater – have been involved in a project to install solar panels on the Club roof.  To achieve this they have been sourcing grant funding from a number of organisations and are pleased to report that the following awards have been made:

Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) £75,000; Sevenoaks Town Council £25,000; West Kent Rural Grants £20,000; Tarmac £20,000

The total amount required to complete the project is £180,000. The Club will be putting in £25,000 of its own money leaving £15,000 to find. Sport England have offered £7,500 but on condition that the Club Crowdfunds to raise an equivalent amount so that is where members, their families, friends and relatives come in. The Crowdfund campaign was launched on 27 November and by 5 December we had raised £2,360 from 53 supporters – a great outcome but with a way to go – many thanks to members who have already donated.

So why are we doing this and what will the benefits be for members, the Club and the wider Sevenoaks Community? The Club currently spends at least £24k on electricity and that is on a very good deal that Richard negotiated pre Covid. Putting solar panels on the roof will pretty much eradicate this bill and if all goes well we will be able to sell back some power to the grid. This saving in costs will immediately put the Club on a stronger financial footing and will allow us to be open for longer.

Many of you may not be aware that the Club is a valuable Community Asset as it is home to 15 other community organisations who use the Centre. These include mothers’ and toddlers’ music groups, pilates and slimming classes, three bridge clubs and the hockey club. The meeting rooms are used by Sevenoaks Lions, the Literary Festival, Sevenoaks Supper Club and the Seniors District Action Forum and many other organisations and individuals make use of the facilities for their personal events and functions.

Currently, because of financial constraints the Club is only open on average for 50 hours a week. How much more valuable would it be to bowlers, the wider community and working people, if it was open longer? An added bonus of this initiative is the impact on our carbon footprint – we will save 33,000 tons/ 1.26% of SDC’s carbon reduction target.

Work will be starting during December. There should be little disruption to the bowling schedule but there will be workmen around and we will lose a few parking spaces for a couple of months.

So, the final piece of the jigsaw is raising that final £7,500. Please help by circulating the link and encouraging anyone you know to help out. The details are being widely circulated to community groups so hopefully you will see it on Facebook, Instagram etc.

There are some great rewards on offer – if you donate a certain amount you can claim a reward – from coffee and cake through to a voucher from the jewellers at the top of the town – Christmas is coming!

That campaign is underway – if you can offer your support please do so at

https://crowdfunder.co.uk/p/sibc

Thank you.

Sevenoaks 1 Bromley 3
55 shots to 81

This National competition is intended for a Club’s second team but the rules allow for four ladies, who played in the Yetton Trophy, for a Club’s first team, to play in the Yetton which helps raising a team slightly easier. It also gives the opportunity for our newer bowlers to gain experience.

The only Sevenoaks success came from Dianne Wills, Brenda Bennett and Sue Hogg who had a 22-14 win. More news in the next edition of Wickers World.
Brenda.

Afternoon Quiz with Tea and Cakes. Your ‘Question Master’ is Audrey Franks. 2 for 2.30. £7.50 per person. Teams of 6. Open to members, family and friends.

Only a few places left for the CHRISTMAS DINNER so be quick. The evening includes entertainment by Natalie Ward.

£32.00 per head. 6 for 6.30. Click on (MENU) view it.

Five level 2 and 3 Kent Coaches kindly gave their time to organise an entertaining day for Sevenoaks bowlers. Forehands and backhands were videoed followed by delivery analysis, an interesting experience watching yourself bowl. Other sessions also included reading the head, measuring, purposeful practice including bowling to a jack teetering on the edge of the ditch and gentle bowling to a very short length cricket wicket! All good fun. Members were grateful for the patience and good humour of the Coaches and hopefully all learned a lot.

During a fairly long day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. players and coaches were sustained with a tasty lunch prepared by Joan Moffat.

Next Skills Day – FRIDAY 21st NOVEMBER 2025

OYSTER 12 SEVENOAKS LADIES 4
118 shots to 79

The Ladies made the trip to Whitstable on Wednesday and came home with four points thanks to victories from rinks skipped by Captain Lynn Thomson and Mel Bridges.

We almost managed another win. Ann Munro’s rink was level with one end left to play but the opposition proved too good.

The Ladies were very busy over the weekend with important National Competitions on both Friday and Saturday, plus the friendly game on Sunday.

SEVENOAKS 12 – WHITE OAK 4

Last weekend the Ladies played in the first round of the National Yetton Trophy against near neighbours The Angel, Tonbridge. This is a 21-ends rinks game with two rinks playing at home and two away.

The two home rinks skipped by Anne Welch and Jane Taylor were doing well up to the half way stage, Anne 7-7 and Jane 6-8. However the Angel ladies slowly pulled away going on to convincing wins 11-20 and 11-23.

At Tonbridge, Ann Munro’s rink suffered a heavy 13-30 but Jenny Barnes, Mel Bridges, Joan Moffatt and skip Sue Wallis kept the flag flying for Sevenoaks putting in a very good performance. The Sevenoaks ladies opened up a 9-5 lead after five ends and maintained an advantage throughout going on win 23-19.

The afternoon started promisingly with Sevenoaks gradually drawing ahead of Oyster and at one stage leading by some 25 shots.  Unfortunately however the wheels then started to fall off and Oyster began slowly catching up.  With 2 ends to go Sevenoaks were still leading narrowly on points and winning rinks but 2 rinks, including the Captain’s rink, then went down on the final end.  Although Sevenoaks achieved a moral victory of 105-100 shots we only won 2 rinks and therefore shared the points 8 each.  Honours even after a most enjoyable afternoon.

Congratulations to our highest rink of Tony Garvey, David Charles and Ken Burton and thank you to all those who played.

Richard