Bowls

Dunkirk does not have a Bowls Club at the present time, the nearest is Boughton Under Blean.

They play ''green'' bowls on the green located at South Street, also ''short-mat bowls is played in their Club House located at the green. The Green hosts full facilities including a bar plus car parking space.

All levels of competence are supported and various competitions are available for those interested.

The green is available for roll-ups from Tuesday- Sunday 2pm until dusk (excluding match days).

The Club roll-up is on Fridays 6.00pm - 8.00pm.

Address:
Rear of Parsonage Farm Cottage South Street Boughton Under Blean Faversham Kent ME13 9NA

Contact for further information
J Leek on 01227 751347 or E-mail jackiegeoff@btinternet.com

History

n I986 a group of villagers got together with the idea of forming a bowls club starting from scratch. Initially short-mat bowls, which proved to be very popular, was played in the village hall while a site for an outdoor green was sought. A piece of very neglected land attached to the George public house owned by Whitbreads was identified as a possibility and in due course a lease was signed.

All the work on the formation of the green was carried out by members who not only gave their time, but also cajoled local businesses for the hire of earthmoving equipment necessary to dispense with the 16 degree slope on which the site was situated. Once it had been levelled a drainage system was installed and after final levelling the seed was sown. Unfortunately that summer was extremely hot and dry and without any source of watering the seed failed to grow. After reseeding the following year a green began to appear and it was finally opened in I991. A clubhouse was constructed and an irrigation system was later installed. It was not long before the green began to be regarded as one of the best in the area.

Whitbreads decided to close the public house and dispose of the site and new landlords took over. Initially all went smoothly until a dispute over our rights of access for motor vehicles arose. After a few years of trying to solve the problem, which cost the club a large amount of money for legal fees, it was decided by the members that we did not have a future at this site and we reluctantly surrendered our lease. For the following two years all matches were played away from the village. Fortunately our President, a local farmer, knew of our plight and offered us a plot of land on a long lease and with a much more affordable rent. The members gave the go ahead and once the lease was in place professional bowls green constructors were engaged to construct the new green. Work started in 2010 and the new green was officially opened at the beginning of the 2012 season. Temporary buildings were put in place which so far have served their purpose admirably. The club is now going from strength to strength and all visitors are very appreciative of the standard of the green and surroundings.

On the foundation of the club all those years ago it was agreed that we would be a mixed club which at that time was quite revolutionary. Some clubs were reluctant to accept us and one club refused to correspond with us because we had a female secretary. How things have changed following the recent merger of the E.B.A. And the E.W.B.A. to form Bowls England !.