The wait to celebrate the League’s 2022 season is nearly over.

And for one member club, tomorrow’s annual presentation dinner will end an 85 year to be crowned Mid Shropshire champions again.

Horsehay were founder members and the second club to win the League in 1934, repeating the feat in 1937.

But the major honour has eluded them since then . . .  until now that is!

The ‘Hoss’ pipped Wrockwardine Wood A to the first division title by the narrowest margin in all seven divisions – just one point – after scoring a 10-3 home win over Hadley USC A on the final night of the fixtures last September.

But it was still a good season for the Wrockites as they topped division six and also the Dennis Lewis Thursday Division.

Bridgnorth enjoyed a title double too after topping divisions three and five while Shifnal A were clear second division champions and Ashton Cup winners Newport C finished top of the pile in the fourth division.

And tomorrow night will also see Shrewsbury village club Hadnall rewarded for entering the League’s main team knockout, the Harris Cup, for the first time as skipper Andy Marshall will receive the historic trophy.

Parking in the right place for the League’s presentation dinner on Saturday 21st January is vital for the success of the evening – and for car owners to avoid a fine!

Drivers MUST enter the West Stand @ TUFC site off Haybridge Road by Wellington Fire Station – using sat nav TF1 2NW – and then take a left turn to get to the football club’s big car park. DO NOT DRIVE DOWN THE BANK TO PARK IN THAT SMALLER AREA!!

Having parked up, people will then need to walk down the slope to the actual entrance of the dinner venue and enter via the main doors.

The registration number of all cars parked MUST then be entered via an iPad situated just inside the entrance – where dinner organiser Marg Fletcher plans to be set up to make doubly sure letters and digits are entered correctly!!!

People can be dropped off or picked up by the main entrance, but drivers doing so need to be aware they have only a 10 MINUTE WINDOW before their vehicle is clocked for a fine.

The other key thing for the 170 plus attending is that everything on the night is CASH ONLY and that the meal will be served is earlier than usual at 6.30pm

All club secretaries have been set a map to show exactly where to access the site and where to park. So if anyone has any doubts at all, please contact your club sec and get a copy of the map!

It’s the League’s 2023 annual presentation dinner on Saturday 21^st January to celebrate the 2002 season.

The doors at The West Sand @ TUFC will open at 5.30pm and the meal will be served by the caterers at 6.30.

All PAYMENTS on the night are CASH ONLY and last orders at the bar will be at 11.30pm before the function ends at 12 midnight.

Wrockwardine Wood will have the biggest club representation with 32 people attending, closely followed by second division champions Shifnal with 25.

There are 4 guests of honour – Mike & Linda Potter, June Lewis and Brenda Slingo.

There will be 1 game of Irish Bingo and it will be £1 for those wishing to take part, with half the proceeds going to the winner.

That game will be played before the 1 speaker for the evening – County & League President Mike Potter – who will propose a toast to the Mid Shropshire League.

There’s a flood of club annual general meetings in the countdown to the League’s AGM on Monday 30th January.

They start on Sunday 15th January as Hadley USC get the bowls rolling with theirs at 6pm in the conservatory in the main building, one of the club’s aims b being  to launch a second Friday team.

And they are followed by Madeley CC BC who have their AGM on Friday 20th January, at 7.30pm in the Cricket Club. Secretary Terry French said: “We run indoor bowls in the winter and new members are most welcome.”

The annual gathering of village club Chelmarsh is on Wednesday 25^th January starting at 7pm in the Sports & Social Club.

Two clubs with first division teams then have AGM nights on Friday 27^th January – Sinclair and Trench – and both starting at 7.30pm with potential new members urged to attend.

Reigning League champions Horsehay then wait until after the MSBL AGM to have their annual meeting on Tuesday 7^th February inb the village hall.

Other clubs who wish to publicise their 2023 annual meetings on the League’s website should email general secretary Malcolm Fletcher with details.

The League’s AGM may not be until Monday 30th January, but a number of member clubs are already busy preparing for their annual meetings.

Hadley USC get the bowls rolling with theirs on Sunday 15^th January at 6pm in the conservatory in the main building.

And they are followed by Sinclair who have their AGM on Friday 27^th January 27, at 7.30pm at their Ketley base, secretary Kevin Hall adding:  “New members will be most welcome.”

Hadley’s meeting comes with new secretary Rob Burroughs sensing a new feeling of optimism as the club looks forward to launching a new big money open competition just before the 2023 league season starts.

“Everything is fine with regards to the social club and we are looking forward to the season ahead and hopefully pushing for a return to the Premier League,” said Rob, who is also minute secretary of the MSBL.

“We have one team in Mid Shropshire division one and are hoping to enter another team on a Friday in division three (as well as having a side in the Monday divsions).”

Clubs who wish to publicise their 2023 annual meetings on the League’s website should email general secretary Malcolm Fletcher with details.

It’s nearly time to wish goodbye to 2022 and say hello to 2023 and the officers of the League would like to wish all of its clubs, bowlers and their families the very best wishes for the New Year.

It’s a busy start to 2023 in Mid Shropshire land with the finals of the £1,300 Edgmond Winter Shield on Monday (11am start), the return of the League’s annual presentation dinner on Saturday 21^st January and then the AGM on Monday the 30^th.

The officers of the League would like to wish all bowlers, club officials, greenkeepers and helpers and all their families a very happy and healthy Christmas!

And if any bowler is looking for a slice of action over the festive period please take a look at the post in Competition News . . .

Plans for the League to launch a new Afternoon Division next year are gathering momentum.

The idea of a six-a-side division for bowlers of all ages, and played on either Tuesdays or Thursdays afternoons (1.30pm start), is the brainchild of Steve Wall, the vice-chairman of the League.

Other leagues who have matches or competitions on those afternoons have been contacted to keep them in the loop and member clubs are now starting to express their views – both at the December meeting and after it.

ALBRIGHTON feel that the proposed afternoon division for 2023 season provides a lot of opportunity for new bowlers to experience league bowling.

“Therefore we would like to register our intent to enter a team into the afternoon division . . . and we may have enough for 2 teams if we get a few more at our registration weekend in January,” said a club spokesman.

MADELEY CRICKET CLUB BC would definitely be able to put a team in a Thursday afternoon league – possibly two teams – according to secretary Terry French.

Keith Pessall has sounded out SIR JOHN BAYLEY’s senior citizens at their AGM to see if they might be interested.

EDGMOND & NEWPORT say they would prefer Thursdays while ALLSCOTT HEATH, who are admittedly lukewarm about the proposal, would prefer Tuesdays.

HIGHLEY then emailed the day after the meeting to say they would want to enter 1 team and could play on either afternoon as their green was free.

But WORFIELD bowlers have shown no interest so far.  Secretary Doug Russell said: “If this does change I will be in touch. I think the fact we are involved in leagues on Mondays (Telford Ladies), Tuesdays (Highley), Wednesdays (Seniors) and Friday (Mid Shropshire) using most of the same members means we will struggle to find enough interest.”

League fixture sec John Palmer pointed out that the Mid Shropshire Senior Citizens League had used 12 Thursday afternoons for various comps in the 2022 so space in the bowls calendar was limited . . .

Good news about Merit competitions in 2023 was among the highlights of the League’s December management committee meeting.

A plan to launch a Monday Divisions Merit – a new singles knockout for bowlers who play primarily in divisions 4-5-6 – was approved to go before the League’s AGM on January 30.

That was after delegates agreed to tweak the original proposal from League officers by combining it with some ideas put forward by Wrockwardine Wood.

And the meeting ended with a letter from Shropshire Vertidrain & Turf Services Ltd stating that they wished to continue their sponsorship of the Senior Merit next year.

St Georges duo Mike Humphries and Paul Beer, who run the company, said: “Following our initial sponsorship of the MSBL Senior Merit in 2022 and the following positive reactions and support we received, we Shropshire Vertidrain & Turf Services Ltd wish to continue our support to Mid Shropshire bowls.

“Therefore, we would like to again sponsor the MSBL Senior Merit 2023 to the sum of £100 with an additional £25 for the biggest break on finals day.

“We would also like to urge any other local companies, large or small, to support your local teams and leagues in these very testing times.

“We would also like to thank the league for their superb guidance and support during 2022 and wish all fellow bowlers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

Paul and Mike are PICTURED with 2022 Senior Merit champion Stuart Church of Sinclair after his magic day at Maddocks in July

 Less meetings and more action is the plan for the League next year.

Poor attendances at meetings held during the 2022 playing season has led   League officers to propose a new executive committee structure to be launched next year.

The idea will need to be seconded at a management committee meeting on Tuesday 6^th December at Wellington’s Sir John Bayley Club (7.30pm stdart) before it can go before the league’s AGM on January 30.

A seconder will also be needed at the meeting for a proposed new singles competition for bowlers who play primarily in divisions 4-5-6 – the Monday Divisions Merit – that is to be put before delegates for approval.

Other agenda items include progress on launching a new Afternoon Division next season and an update on trophies and bookings for the return of the annual presentation dinner on January 21.

FULL AGENDA

1  Chairman’s remarks to open the meeting

2  Apologies & In Memoria

3  Minutes of the November Management Committee Meeting

4  Matters arising

5  General Secretary’s report

6  Correspondence

7  Competition Secretary’s report – all trophies MUST be returned by this meeting

8  Treasurer’s report  

9  Fixture Secretary’s report  

10 Rule change proposals for 2023 AGM  

11 New Afternoon Division in 2023?

12 Annual Dinner update – Saturday 21^st January 2023 at The West Stand @ TUFC (enter off Haybridge Road, Wellington)

13 County matters –report of executive meeting on 21^st November at Sinclair

14 Any Other Business

15 President / chairman to close the meeting

VITAL REMINDERS

Payment for all extra bookings at the League’s annual presentation dinner MUST BE PAID FOR AT THIS MEETING (£25 adults, £15 juniors).Any club not sure of what they owe should contact organiser Margaret Fletcher on 01952-771134. This meeting is also the last chance to pre-order wine (white, red or rose) at the discounted price of £14 a bottle. Orders will then need to be paid for on the night – when it is CASH ONLY FOR EVERYTHING!

DATE OF NEXT MEETING: AGM on Monday 30^th January at SJBC at 7pm