League President Mike Potter can expect a warm reception at the 2022 Mid Shropshire AGM tonight (TUES) – just 24 hours after stepping back into the county spotlight.

He was made County President for the second time in front of a packed house at Wem USC for the SCGBA AGM, and here’s the speech that nominated him:

Madam President, ladies & gentleman,

It is a real honour to formally nominate Mike Potter to serve for a second time as County President in 2022, once again representing the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire League.

The pandemic has meant that he has had to wait two years to step up to the figurehead role again but I know that, having watched at close quarters how he tackled his first year as President in 2015, Mike will give first class service to the county.

He’s already doing that as the association’s competition secretary, a role that has only served to widen his sphere of his influence in the sport he loves in Shropshire.

For Mike is a man who lives and breathes bowls, having been widely recognised as Shropshire’s top referee for many years after a pretty impressive playing career on greens all over the county.

He took up the game in 1979 and has played for Corporation (winning their averages for four years in a row), Minsterley in division one of the Shrewsbury League, then GWR, Donnington Wood (where he served for 3 years as club secretary), Wrockwardine Wood, Edgmond in the Whitchurch League, Coddon and is now at home at Trench.

His best claims to fame as a bowler are winning the Clare Cup for the best newcomer at the County Handicap in 1984 and then triumphing in the Mid Shropshire Merit in 2006 – a remarkable feat for a third division bowler.

Sadly, in 2009, Mike was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and playing is no longer easy for him. But Mike bears the illness with great bravery and is simply not prepared to let it stop him from participating in the game that is his life.

If Mike Potter deserved to be County President in 2015, then the Mid Shropshire League feels he is even more deserving now – given his continuing and outstanding services to crown green bowls in Shropshire.

Mike is pictured with Rob Roden, then with Bowring, who won the County Merit in his first spell as President in 2015 at Allscott

The 2022 AGM has all the makings of being one of the most important meetings in the League’s 90-year history.

There are crucial votes to be made and new officers to elect on Tuesday 8^th March at Wellington’s Sir John Bayley Club, starting at 7pm.

Delegates will have the final say on whether Friday night fixtures this year stay at 12-a-side or become 10-a-side – and then if  registered 8s are cut to 6s to give more flexibility and if bowlers are allowed to double up in matches.

A straw poll taken at the League’s February meeting by the 19 clubs represented showed that the players per team vote at the AGM is likely to be very close – and with one vote per club and the majority deciding, attendance on Tuesday will be vital.

Following the votes at the AGM, clubs will have until midnight on Saturday 12th March, to inform the fixture secretary who succeeds Ric Hudson how many teams they will be entering on Fridays, Mondays and in the Dennis Lewis Thursday Division.

And it looks likely that another vote will be needed to decide who takes over the fixtures with Bylet stalwart John Palmer keen to follow his late father Jim into a key role with the League, while current minutes secretary Rob Burroughs and county delegate Martin Gaut are making a joint bid.

Former fixture secretary and chairman Steve Wall is willing to stand as vice-chairman as Dave Evans stands down, the Trench man having played a key role in working out a budget for the 2021 Covid-curtailed season which ended with the League making a £436 profit.

AGM AGENDA

1  Chairman’s opening address – followed by Apologies & In Memoria

2  Minutes of the 2021 AGM

3  Matters arising

4  President’s Report

5  General Secretary’s Report

5  Treasurer’s Report (accounts circulated with agenda)

6  Auditor’s Observations

7  Fixture Secretary’s Report

8  Competition Secretary’s Report

9  Proposals for Rule Changes (see pages 3 to 7)

10 Honoraria for 2022 – any increase to be based on CPI in September and approved at October executive

11 Election of Officers (see page 2)

12 Any Other Business – at the discretion of the chairman 

Note: Each club is entitled to one vote. All decisions shall be by a simple majority. Clubs not represented at the AGM will be fined £5 as per Management rule 6 (e).

LIFE MEMBERSHIPS CEREMONY

Due to issues with availability of all 3 recipients – Keith Pessall, Angela Gaut and Colin Rudrum – this ceremony will be held after the October executive meeting. And all 3 have been kept updated.

The League is delighted to announce agreeing a second new sponsorship deal in just two months.

Hot on the heels of the £100 per annum two-year deal agreed with Local Print Pros thanks to Steve Reeves, we now have Shropshire Vertidrain & Turf Services Ltd on board too.

Directors and well know bowlers, Mike Humphries and Paul Beer, are going to sponsor this year’s Mid Shropshire Senior Merit by adding £100 to boost the prize money and an additional £25 for the highest break on finals day.

Said Paul: “We would like to see some return with bowling clubs using a local business such as ours in their end of season renovations and planned maintenance work they have.

“All clubs call on volunteers so much these days and it is increasingly hard to get the helpers at the right time. We are here to help.”

Mike and (right) Paul are PICUTRED presenting their cheque to League President Mike Potter at the February meeting, after the company received the sincere thanks of the League and its clubs.

And here’s a round-up from that meeting:

The League’s AGM is on Tuesday 8th March at SJBC (7pm start) when the key votes will be on 12 or 10-a-side matches on Friday nights, registered 8s or 6s and allowing bowlers to double up.

Once those decisions have been taken – and the votes look like being close so attendance at the annual meeting will be vital – clubs will have until midnight on Saturday 12th March, to inform the fixture secretary who succeeds Ric Hudson how many teams they will be entering on Fridays, Mondays and in the Dennis Lewis Thursday Division.

The aim is to return as close as possible to the pre-pandemic divisional set-up of 2019 – clubs need to bear this in mind when making their decisions – and publish this year’s fixtures well before the April meeting on Tuesday the 5^th.

But clubs will NOT be able to make any changes to their player registrations on the website until the first set of fixtures for 2022 go live.

Provided the Friday divisions remain strong in terms of numbers, the aim is to start the division 1-2-3 season on Friday 8th April

The early good news in terms of teams is that Prince of Wales Hotel plan to carry on in the Thursday Division and Wrockwardine Wood have applied to field a second team in the unique 8-a-side division named in memory of former League chairman Dennis Lewis.

On the personnel front, former fixture secretary and chairman Steve Wall is willing to stand as vice-chairman as Dave Evans stands down, but a vote will be needed to see who the clubs want to serve them with regards to the fixtures.

Bylet stalwart John Palmer has put his name forward to follow his father Jim into a key role with the League, while current minutes secretary Rob Burroughs and county delegate Martin Gaut are making a joint bid.

Other things to bear in mind . . . 2022 Club Info Sheets need completed and returned by the AGM at the latest please; orders for scorecards (£12 per 1,000 last year) and captain’s books (75p last year) are needed by at the AGM, to  be distributed at the April meeting on Tuesday the 5th

The League made a profit of £436 on 2021 – and that’s without the £42.50 the now folded Elephant & Castle have returned after the League granted that amount to all member clubs in 2020 to try and help them get through the pandemic.

There will be a poignant start to the League’s management meeting on Tuesday 22^nd February at Wellington’s Sir John Bayley Club (7.3pm).

The sad news of the passing of former League chairman Richard Chesters will be relayed to delegates – and a minute’s silence will be held in his memory and that of other bowlers lost since the last meeting ‘in person’ in December.

Richard, who was chairman in 1990, was widely known as Mr Edgmond, having been secretary of the village club since 1978. He died following a long illness on Tuesday 15^th February.

League president Mike Potter said: “Richard was one of those true gents of our game and will be sorely missed, both as a deserving and acknowledged Life Member of the Mid Shropshire League – an honour awarded in 2019 – and by his many friends of his beloved club, Edgmond.

“Our thoughts are with Richard’s family at this most difficult of times.”

The meeting is aimed at touching bases with member clubs and to let them know what is expected of them at an AGM packed with key votes on March 8 and the ‘number of teams’ deadlines that will follow.

AGENDA

1  Chairman’s remarks to open the meeting

2  Apologies & In Memoria

3  Minutes of the December Management Committee Meeting

4  Matters arising

5  General Secretary’s report

6  Correspondence

7  Fixture Secretary’s report – registering bowlers for 2022 season

8  Treasurer’s report

9  Competition Secretary’s report – all trophies won in 2019 need returning

10 Plans for 90^th Anniversary

11 2022 AGM update – including a refresh of rule change proposals (attached) & a Life Members ceremony proposal

12 Early deadlines – for Club Info Sheets & scorecard and captain’s books orders

13 County matters – executive report from 10^th Jan & AGM preview for 7^th March @ Wem USC

14 Any Other Business

15 President / chairman to close the meeting

DATE OF NEXT MEETING – League’s 2022 AGM on Tuesday 8^th March at SJBC at 7pm

Change is as good as a rest they say – and who knows what the League’s divisional structure will look like for this coming season, or how many bowlers per side will be playing in fixtures.

The big decisions will be made at the AGM on Tuesday 8^th March, which will be followed by a deadline for member clubs to let the League know how many teams they will be entering on Fridays and Mondays – and in the Dennis Lewis Thursday Division.

But one change is certain . . . the web address for Mike Beckett’s Results System is changing from bowlingresults.co.uk to bowlsresults.co.uk

All the links that I’m aware of on this site have been changed accordingly but if you have any that you’ve bookmarked, you’ll have to amend them.

Meanwhile, clubs and their bowlers continue to countdown to the 2022 campaign with their ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS, with the following dates (with venues) coming up:

Sunday 20^th February – Maddocks BC at the Social Club in the evening.

Tuesday 22nd February – Bylet BC at their clubhouse in the evening.

Thursday 24th February – Shifnal BC in the evening.

Friday 25th February – Bowring  BC at the clubhouse, 7.30pm.

Friday 25th February – St Georges BC AGM and signing on night at the Sports & Social club, 7pm.

Friday 25th February – Trench BC AGM and signing on night at the clubhouse, 7.30pm.

Slowly, but surely, bowls clubs and their members are coming out of hibernation, hopefully in positive mood and eager to shrug off 2 years of Covid blues.

The League is certainly taking a positive approach to the forthcoming 2022 campaign, having called a meeting to touch bases with club officials on Tuesday 22^nd February ahead of what will be a vital AGM on Tuesday 8^th March.

And on the subject of ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS, the following clubs have now publicised their dates and venues:

Tuesday 15^th February – Wrockwardine Wood BC at Wrockwardine Wood & Trench Social Club (48 Gibbons Rd, Telford, TF2 7JP), starting at 7.15pm.

Wednesday 16^th February – Much Wenlock BC at the town’s Methodist Church (7pm).

Sunday 20^th February – Maddocks BC at the Social Club in the evening.

Tuesday 22nd February – Bylet BC at their clubhouse in the evening.

Thursday 24th February – Shifnal BC in the evening.

Friday 25th February – Bowring  BC at the clubhouse, 7.30pm.

Friday 25th February – St Georges BC AGM and signing on night at the Sports & Social club, 7pm.

Friday 25th February – Trench BC AGM and signing on night at the clubhouse, 7.30pm.

The local case numbers may remain stubbornly high but, with Covid restrictions now eased, the League’s officers feel it’s the right time to crack on with the countdown to the 2022 season.

That means a re-launch of ‘in person meetings’ – starting with a management meeting on Tuesday 22nd February at the Sir John Bayley Club (7.30pm), where both private rooms have been booked to give us the space for delegates to feel as safe as possible.

The aim of this meeting is to touch bases with all member clubs – and let them know what the League expects from them at the AGM in March, plus the ‘how many teams on which nights’ deadlines that will follow very soon after it.

Annual General Meeting night will be Tuesday 8^th March, again using both rooms at the Bayley but starting at 7pm. That’s when key votes on playing numbers for fixtures for the forthcoming season will be taken.

Then we’ll give clubs a little time before the ‘number of teams’ deadline.

And given that I have received interest in both posts, there may also need to be AGM votes on who succeeds Ric Hudson as fixture secretary and David Evans as vice-chairman.

But I must stress there is still time for more nominations to the general secretary – and then the clubs can decide who they want!

The meat on the bones to this plan will be given at the February meeting – and there are already lots of reasons to be positive about 2022 . . . this new website launched, sponsorship deals in the pipeline, new people interested in taking on League roles about to become vacant  and a 90^th birthday to celebrate.

We even made a small profit on last year! Floreat Mid Shropshire!

Welcome, one and all, to the League’s bright, new and more user friendly website.

Sincere thanks go to webmaster Steve Wall for his work on this project, completed in under a week. In effect the website has moved platforms from Google Sites to WordPress, but retraining the domain name of www.midshrop.co.uk

There are still tweaks to be made, including the ability to view minutes of meetings that have been passed as a true record, and other improvements officers want to see – so please bear with us.

For now though, welcome aboard and enjoy!

Just a couple of reminders . . . the League’s AGM, scheduled to have been on Monday 17^th January and in person at SJBC, has been postponed due to the latest wave of positive Covid cases.

The plan now, based on the prediction that the current spike will pass quite quickly, is to organise an ordinary management committee meeting in mid February, probably via Zoom, to touch bases with member clubs.

At this meeting we would look to set a firm date for an in person AGM, which your officers feel is vital ahead of the 2022 season given the votes on rule change proposals that have to be made.

And to finish with some good news, Molson Coors have finally confirmed that the £300 sponsorship deal, agreed for the pandemic curtailed 2021 season, will be paid at the end of the current quarter, when talks on a new deal for 2022 will begin.

I’m sure it won’t come as a big surprise but, in the light of the latest Covid wave, the League’s officers have decided to postpone the AGM that was scheduled to be on Monday 17^th January and in person at SJBC.

Officials of member clubs have already been contacted direct with this news, but the reasons to cancel became overwhelming in the last few days.

And given that clubs will be asked to vote on playing numbers for the forthcoming season at the AGM, it makes sense to put it back to the date of the normal March executive (Tuesday the 1st) – at the earliest!

The plan now, based on the prediction that this current spike in positive cases will peak and pass quite quickly, is to organise an ordinary management committee meeting in mid February, probably via Zoom, to touch bases with member clubs.

At this meeting we would look to set a firm date for an in person AGM, which your officers feel is vital ahead of the 2022 season.

I hope you all understand and agree with this move – we just know clubs cannot make important decisions without having a much better idea of how many they are going to have bowling for them this year.

Malcolm Fletcher – general secretary