——————— SAFE BOWLS COUNTY 04/10/21
Dear members,
We are delighted to have finally secured our Safe County status after many months of work. This covers us to be able to invite other counties to Oxford & District for ICC games and also to host our many County and National Competitions there.
Thanks to Ros our Safeguarding Officer and Gareth for the tireless work on getting this over the line.
Many Thanks
Your Committee
Dear members,
We are delighted to have finally secured our Safe County status after many months of work. This covers us to be able to invite other counties to Oxford & District for ICC games and also to host our many County and National Competitions there.
Thanks to Ros our Safeguarding Officer and Gareth for the tireless work on getting this over the line.
Many Thanks
Your Committee
——————— GENERAL UPDATES 01/09/21
LEAGUES, COMPETITIONS, ICC & FINALS DAY
Dear members,
Leagues
As previously announced, we will be running a league program and these will be Triples leagues with a minimum of 8 players per team. We have had a very positive response and the fixtures are now published on the website pages and to team Captains and Club Correspondents.
Team captains have until 24th September to rearrange fixtures. Any changes need to be agreed by both team captains. The captain requesting the change must notify the Competitions Secretary once agreement has been made. The revised fixture list will then be reissued. After this date any arrangement has to follow rule 12.
Competitions
Dates of competitions have been arranged and the entry forms are with each club correspondent and team captain.
Inter County Championship (ICC)
Following the decision to enter 2 teams into ICC we have been notified of the draw.
The Premier team will play against West Sussex, Dorset and Avon.
The A team will play against Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and West Midlands.
Availability has been requested by Kevin Pickworth, ICC Manager.
There will be a squad day at Oxford & District IBC on Sunday 3rd October.
Finals Day
Finally, Finals day has been arranged to coincide with the ICC squad day on Sunday 3rd October. We hope to see as many of you there as possible. The Draw for Finals day / schedule of play is below.
Many Thanks
Your Committee
LEAGUES, COMPETITIONS, ICC & FINALS DAY
Dear members,
Leagues
As previously announced, we will be running a league program and these will be Triples leagues with a minimum of 8 players per team. We have had a very positive response and the fixtures are now published on the website pages and to team Captains and Club Correspondents.
Team captains have until 24th September to rearrange fixtures. Any changes need to be agreed by both team captains. The captain requesting the change must notify the Competitions Secretary once agreement has been made. The revised fixture list will then be reissued. After this date any arrangement has to follow rule 12.
Competitions
Dates of competitions have been arranged and the entry forms are with each club correspondent and team captain.
Inter County Championship (ICC)
Following the decision to enter 2 teams into ICC we have been notified of the draw.
The Premier team will play against West Sussex, Dorset and Avon.
The A team will play against Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and West Midlands.
Availability has been requested by Kevin Pickworth, ICC Manager.
There will be a squad day at Oxford & District IBC on Sunday 3rd October.
Finals Day
Finally, Finals day has been arranged to coincide with the ICC squad day on Sunday 3rd October. We hope to see as many of you there as possible. The Draw for Finals day / schedule of play is below.
Many Thanks
Your Committee
——————— Return to Bowls 31/07/21
Dear members, following a very productive Committee meeting on Monday, I am pleased to be able to illustrate our plans for returning to bowls with you as follows.
Membership
As Covid restrictions have been removed, it’s time to look towards the future and a return to short mat bowls. We cannot do this without registered clubs and members however. You will shortly receive your registration information which should be returned to Les Woodward by 20th August 2021.
We have agreed that in order to register, we will be asking for the usual £6 affiliation fee, and just £4 per member which covers the ESMBA registration. We hope that this will help clubs encourage members back, but are equally realistic that some may choose not to. In this event, we are hopeful that these cost cuts will allow as many clubs to enter as possible.
Leagues
We will be running a league program and these will be Triples leagues with a minimum of 8 players per team, as illustrated in the registration paperwork. This allows for some form of safe distancing whilst encouraging as many members and teams back.
Safety Protocols
Whilst we cannot insist on each club achieving safe bowls status, we are insisting on the basics of equipment cleaning, sanitiser being available at all times and the wearing of masks shall be of personal choice, which should provide people moving between clubs some reassurance until these practices can officially be stood down. As transmission from hand to face is unlikely in the act of moving bowls and marking, these practices will be permitted.
The committee asks that each club familiarises themselves with the ESMBA Covid Awareness Guidance Checklist which can be found on our website and looks to adopt as many of these practices as possible. A link to the checklist is here:
https://osmba.weebly.com/coronavirus-statement.html
For additional reassurance of returning members, we also recommend that each club considers achieving Safe Bowls Status in the event that the country does end up going backwards, which would permit play in line with updated guidance, if and when it happens. You should direct any questions to our County Safeguarding Officer, Ros Howarth.
Inter County Championship (ICC)
We have decided to enter 2 teams into ICC based on initial interest from previous squad members. Should anyone be interested in taking part in ICC, which is trialling a new format, please contact us.
AGM
We are trying to find a venue to hold an AGM in September. Keep your eyes peeled for more information.
ESMBA Nationals
The Nationals have been confirmed to be taking place between 16th & 19th September at Melton Mowbray IBC. Les Woodward will be contacting al qualifiers to confirm that they will be attending very shortly. As a pre cursor to this, we are trying to put on a pre Nationals Mat on Mat practice on Friday 3rd September for qualifiers to have an additional roll up. This is subject to the venue being available, and may also serve as a pre ICC squad evening.
Finals Day
Finally, and again subject to venue availability- we are trying to hold the delayed finals day at the end of September, which will hopefully tie into a delegates meeting to discuss the wider state of play where Short Mat Bowls in Oxfordshire is concerned.
I do hope that as many of our membership return. If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the committee directly atosmbawebmaster@gmail.com.
Many Thanks
Dave Wiggins
Chairman
Dear members, following a very productive Committee meeting on Monday, I am pleased to be able to illustrate our plans for returning to bowls with you as follows.
Membership
As Covid restrictions have been removed, it’s time to look towards the future and a return to short mat bowls. We cannot do this without registered clubs and members however. You will shortly receive your registration information which should be returned to Les Woodward by 20th August 2021.
We have agreed that in order to register, we will be asking for the usual £6 affiliation fee, and just £4 per member which covers the ESMBA registration. We hope that this will help clubs encourage members back, but are equally realistic that some may choose not to. In this event, we are hopeful that these cost cuts will allow as many clubs to enter as possible.
Leagues
We will be running a league program and these will be Triples leagues with a minimum of 8 players per team, as illustrated in the registration paperwork. This allows for some form of safe distancing whilst encouraging as many members and teams back.
Safety Protocols
Whilst we cannot insist on each club achieving safe bowls status, we are insisting on the basics of equipment cleaning, sanitiser being available at all times and the wearing of masks shall be of personal choice, which should provide people moving between clubs some reassurance until these practices can officially be stood down. As transmission from hand to face is unlikely in the act of moving bowls and marking, these practices will be permitted.
The committee asks that each club familiarises themselves with the ESMBA Covid Awareness Guidance Checklist which can be found on our website and looks to adopt as many of these practices as possible. A link to the checklist is here:
https://osmba.weebly.com/coronavirus-statement.html
For additional reassurance of returning members, we also recommend that each club considers achieving Safe Bowls Status in the event that the country does end up going backwards, which would permit play in line with updated guidance, if and when it happens. You should direct any questions to our County Safeguarding Officer, Ros Howarth.
Inter County Championship (ICC)
We have decided to enter 2 teams into ICC based on initial interest from previous squad members. Should anyone be interested in taking part in ICC, which is trialling a new format, please contact us.
AGM
We are trying to find a venue to hold an AGM in September. Keep your eyes peeled for more information.
ESMBA Nationals
The Nationals have been confirmed to be taking place between 16th & 19th September at Melton Mowbray IBC. Les Woodward will be contacting al qualifiers to confirm that they will be attending very shortly. As a pre cursor to this, we are trying to put on a pre Nationals Mat on Mat practice on Friday 3rd September for qualifiers to have an additional roll up. This is subject to the venue being available, and may also serve as a pre ICC squad evening.
Finals Day
Finally, and again subject to venue availability- we are trying to hold the delayed finals day at the end of September, which will hopefully tie into a delegates meeting to discuss the wider state of play where Short Mat Bowls in Oxfordshire is concerned.
I do hope that as many of our membership return. If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the committee directly atosmbawebmaster@gmail.com.
Many Thanks
Dave Wiggins
Chairman
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18/03/18 World Fours Champions. (L-R) Chris Willies (West Mids), Dom Reed (Essex), Alan Jones (West Mids) & Gareth Davies (Wootton)
29/04/18 - Cancer Research UK Charity Fours Winners. (L-R) Eve Hodgson, Julian Bradbury, Les Woodward & Dave Wiggins who won on shot difference from Drayton.
13/03/2018 Lakeside Pairs Winners
- June Hyde & Bryn Jones (Drayton)
Harwell SMBC sporting their new shirts at a Club Competition 11/02/18. Vionne Thornhill the winner with Meta Wiggins the Runner Up
