Green News
Our next workparty is TBAdvised
Our end of season workparty on Monday 7th was a very disappointing turnout considering we asked for 14 to 16 to help as its the end of season preparations.
Seeing that members had benefitted from free permits and a well looked after green all season and it was a perfect day for it - damp leaves/sunshine/no wind and mild weather.
We had 5 volunteers who had to work harder and for longer - we didnt even have anyone to brew up for the able-bodied. Therefore we didnt get done half of what we needed to and that means those that turned up did not get the same pleasure as if there had been a good turn out - and I am quite sure that they will be thinking twice about turning up next time - that's the unfortunate response after 7 years of encouraging members to help out.
We had some regulars that couldnt make it due to commitments but we have a membership of over 60 and they play bowls most of the year so are able but not willing.
For those that came and put in a long hard shift I must say - thanks for sticking at it and that you did a great job and to those regulars (who can be seen in the many photos below ) who are not well I hope that you recover soon.
from left to right
Kevan Latham/Joe Counsell/Kevin Harwood/Peter Clinton/o/o picture Johnny Mort
Although the green is in good condition generally, it does need more attention and it looks like we will be paying contractors to do the work that we could have done yesterday.
posted 17th August 2024 - kev
Our workparty on 16th August to keep facilities in good order was a success even though we had 5 volunteers who were available on the day.
Although we did not complete all we had planned everyone worked really hard and put in a great shift.
Jobs done:
We cleaned out the liquid feeder machine and the lawnmower/cleared the green of worm casts and tree seeds/ filled in the scores of bird peckings on the bowling green and reseeded them/mowed the verges/cleaned the kitchen, clubhouse and toilets / emptied the bins/ litter picked around the club facilities/watered the planters/weeded all the edges around the green and swept the paths/swept all the gutter boxes /tidied the equipment shed/cleaned all the benches.
We all had a break with a cuppa and a chat and a laugh.
Really big thanks to those below for giving of your time and energy for the club. (left to right)
Kevan Latham/Johnny Mort/Rosalyn Wilcock/Steve Crook/Dave Tadd(o/o photo)
Jobs to do:-strim the verges/clean gutter box fascias / clean the benches of droppings/ litter picking in the park /empty the bins around the green /lightly scarify the green.
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posted 30th July -kev
Workparty on 29th july went really well with 10 volunteers turning up on a lovely hot morning in order to keep the green and surrounds in good shape - We managed to lightly feed the green with liquid feed/cleared a lot of the paths of weeds/mowed and strimmed the verges/cleared the gutters of debris/cleaned the benches of droppings/watered the planters around the green and did litter picking in the park.
We had a chat/a cuppa and biscuits at half time and caught up with what's going on.
You can join our workparty whatsapp group by texting Kev on 07505320612
We had a couple of new recruits to the volunteer group too - so thanks for joining with us, and thanks to all our volunteers for the their time and effort making our facilities really nice, and helping to save everyone council permit charges.
Our volunteers top from left :- Steve Crook/Phil Dandy/Joe Counsell/Colin Gidman/Peter Smith/Kevin Harwood.
bottom from left :- Barrie Howarth/Rosalyn Wilcock/Dave Tadd/Kevan Latham o/o photo
posted 2nd July- Kev
On 1st July we cut and strimmed the bowling green verges , 3/4 of the paths and bushes, weeded the verge perimeter that we couldn't finish last week, and tidied up the French boules pitch
Although the weather forecast was rain it didn't really arrive until we had finished.
Remarkable that in 7 years of looking after our facilities we have only been rained off once.
We had 5 club volunteers that put in a good shift working hard to keep our facilities up to standard, so that they are pleasant and easy to manage - saving the club some £150. Let's hope that their muscles and joints have benefitted from it - although on the day we all had achy parts.
At half time we had a chat and a laugh whilst having a rest with a cuppa, biscuits and crisps.
A big thank you to the volunteers that managed to make it on the day - from left to right Colin Gidman/Barrie Howarth/Kevin Harwood/ Peter Clinton/Kevan o/o picture.
updated 22nd June 2024 - kev
Our workparty Friday 21st June
Although we have quite a few in our whatsapp volunteer group we would do with a few more to make up for these sort of days - text Kev on 07505320612 in order to join our group to help occasionally, so that our facilities are kept how you like them.
On the day we all managed to put in a good morning and make a difference to the rampant borders overhanging the pathways, the verges around the green and the flower tubs whilst cleaning the clubhouse.
We had 5 club members putting in a great shift, so a big thank you to them in saving the club some £150.
In the photo below we have John Mort/ Dave Tadd / Virginia Bannister/ Sandra Doel / Milo/ [sat on a bench made for 3] Kevan Latham(o/o photo )
May 2024
Thanks for giving your time and effort
brian gidman/dave tadd/rosalyn wilcock/barrie howarth/joe counsell/kevin harwood/kevan latham 0/0 photo
february 2024
Thanks for giving your time and effort
rosalyn wilcock/malcolm austin/phil dandy/paul pover/joe counsell/peter clinton/dave tadd/barrie howarth/kevin harwood/audrey holt/norman jones/kevan latham 0/0 photo
xmas party 2023
thank you party to all club members who helped to keep the teams, club running and club facilities in good shape in 2023
december 2023
Thanks for giving your time and effort
norman jones/joe counsell/phil doel/barrie howarth/paul pover/rosalyn wilcock/kevin harwood/ray forrest /kevan latham o/o photo
november 2023
Thanks for giving your time and effort
norman jones/dave tadd/rosalyn wilcock/peter clinton/kevin harwood/joe counsell/dave tadd/kevan latham o/o photo
october 2023
Thanks for giving your time and effort
malcolm austin/norman jones/phil doel/barrie howarth/dave tadd/kevin harwood/ray forrest /kevan latham o/o photo
March 2022 workparty
Thanks for giving your tim and efforts
Norman Jones/Kevin Harwood/Johnny Mort/Rosalyn Wilcock/Barrie Howarth/Phil Dandy/Terry Judge/Ray Fogg
January 2022
Thanks to Barrie Howarth/Terry Judge/ Paul Pover/Gordon Butler/Ray Fogg /Kevan Latham o/o photo for helping to fix vandalised equipment shed with new roof - saving £500
year 2021 work done shown below
22nd December - Kev
All our volunteers met up on the 17th December at Astley Bridge Conny Club for a free Festive party to celebrate all their hard work during the year - giving of their time and efforts free so that the club members and the community could have a better clubhouse and bowling green and a much better place to come and enjoy a game of bowls in better surroundings with good company and also enabling all the members and community to reduced or even have no council permit fees for bowling -well done and thank you to everyone involved in this community action group.
The party was funded by Forever Manchester and Bolton CVS - so thank you to them for making this celebration possible - everyone enjoyed the day - what a great start to the Christmas festivities.
posted 22nd November 2021- kev
Our workparty team today was Rosalyn Wilcock/Ray Fogg/Paul Pover/Norman Jones /Kevan Latham - thanks for turning out on a lovely sunny day and completing phase 2 of the shed roof repair -which was the acrow propping ( thanks to Gordon King for the loan of 2 adjustable props) and reshaping the shed roof after the vandals had been jumping on it causing it to leak.
Phase 3 is the making of a new roof and phase 4 is the putting it in place - dates to be advised.
The photo shows everyone involved with Kev taking the photo - Paul is seen attempting a pole dance around one of the props - seeing is believing.
Our workparty on the 19th November 2021 comprised Barrie Howarth/Malcolm Austin/Dave Tadd/Barry Winrow/Kevan Latham 
- thanks for turning out on a lovely sunny day and making the green and surrounds really special.
We have had some complimentary comments from passers bye and club members on how really smart the club and green looks.
posted 8th April 2021- kev
Yesterday saw the tidying up of the jobs started last week.
Johnny Mort completed the painting of the benches - they look great now
Kevan + Kevin Harwood+Denver Smith made the new Fench Boules Rink - great for some good banter as a foresome.
Norman tidied the surrounds - looking good
updated 5th April 2021 - kev
Also - thanks to Audrey Holt and Rosalyn Wilcock for their green fingers in filling the pots with plants during the week in order to make the surrounds pleasant and colourful.
1st photo > kev+John Mort+Denver Smith+Barry Winrow+Terry Judge+Ray Fogg.
2nd photo > Rosalyn Wilcock 3rd photo > Dave Tadd
4th photo > Barrie Howarth+Kevin Harwood+Norman Jones
updated 27th March 2021 - kev
club house before painting
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monday 22nd March '21 workparty
Really good turnout for this really busy day - doing painting filling pots spreading top dressing and tidying up
Monday's crew, Barrie, Paul, Norman, Dave, Barry, Kevin.
Wednesday's workparty was a successful turnout again to finish off jobs from Monday.
Virtually all of the painting was completed by Barrie and John Mort today.
The work has really spruced up the look of the Pavilion.
Ray Fogg and Malcolm Austin emptied the last of the compost into the new tubs, which have been distributed around the green.
Kevin Harwood and Dave Tadd worked on building a lean-to canopy for our outdoor chairs.
There was work left to do, which was completed Thursday
The photo on the right shows some of our faithful volunteers from 4 years ago -still putting in a shift for the benefit of the club and community
clubhouse after painting
posted February 27th 2021 - kev
Thank you to the following for giving your time
John Mort/Terry Judge/Barrie Howarth/Malcolm Austin and his wife Elizabeth/Norman Jones/Keith Waddington/Barry Winrow/Gordon Butler/Dave Tadd/Keith again with Kevan taking the photos
Our first work party of the year was on Monday 22nd February 2021 10 till 11.30 and a we give a big thank you to our volunteers :- Barrie Howarth+Terry Judge+Dave Tadd+Johnny Mort+Paul Pover+Norman Jones+Kevan Latham (phototaker)
pre christmas - festive workparty
update 8th January 2021 -kev
Bolton's Community fund has rewarded our club with a 'festive fund' in recognition of the efforts our volunteers have put in - for looking after and improving Astley bridge park green and surrounds - saving the council thousands of pounds whilst involving the schools/community with the club - we will be back on track once the Covid is behind us - so thank you 'Bolton Fund' [administered by Bolton CVS ] for encouraging our volunteers to keep putting in the efforts needed.
photos
From left to right Gordon King / Norman Jones /Paul Pover / Malcolm Austin - thanks for the efforts you have all put in. --- and a new volunteer to keep the birds from pecking the green - Harvey [bottom of picture] -would probably help with scarifying too !!
From left to right Kevan Latham/ Barry Winrow /Paul Pover /Barrie Howarth /John Mort / Gordon Butler / Denver Smth - thanks for the efforts you have all put in. 
From left to right John Mort/ Barry Howarth /Keith Wadington / Dave Tadd / Rosalyn Wilcock - thanks for the efforts you have all put in . Also thanks to Kevin Harwood who couldn't be here for the photo-shoots.
We have a great facility/club which has been going for over 100 years - through 2 world wars /recessions and now Covid - and our successes speak for themselves - with great championship teams and individuals that have made and continue to make this club great to belong to - and that is through the folk who have helped make it and keep it great.
posted 15th March 2020 - kev
Our work party today had lovely weather and a great turn out with us completing our scarifying and seeding of the green. The scarifier with mower in tow - picking up the debris then the spreader following - laying the seed.
Good team work with plenty of exercise by all. We also cleared the paths and gutters of debris from the trees.
Although we had some machinery problems - we managed to complete for 1pm - now we have to keep our fingers crossed for the weather to help the seed to grow.
A big thank you to the following who worked hard on the day saving the club and council some £ 400. - Some new faces were a pleasure to see - thanks.
Paul Pover/Gordon Butler /Terry Judge/Denver Smith/Barrie howarth/John Mort/Ray Fogg/Audrey /Malcolm Austin and his wife Elizabeth/Norman Jones/Keith Waddington/ with Kevan taking the photos.
great teamwork below are John Mort /Terry Judge/Barrie Howarth
posted 20th January 2020 - Kev
Volunteers' party on 8th January went down a treat - 20 folk attended and had a good sociable time . A big thank you to all who came and especially our sponsors (shown in picture below) -without which we could not have put this event on.
