Welcome to our Club News summary page.
[ updated 3rd April 2024 - kev ]
Please click 'HERE' for details about
joining our club. in 2024
(Council permits paid by club - see below)
Anyone interested in joining in a social group on Fridays from lunchtime onwards.
- please text Malcolm Austin on: 07720 287460 as he is forming a whatsapp group for any members wanting to have a social roll on the green.
3rd April update on Jimmy Johnstone - kev
Hi everyone -
Jimmy's wife, Doreen, has asked me to inform everyone that Jimmy's funeral is on Friday 19th April 2pm West chapel Overdale.
The cortege will be leaving 'Funeral Care' on Crompton way at 1.30 and will be passing by our club on its way to Overdale - so please be at our clubhouse gates by 1.20 to give Jimmy a great send off.
The reception afterwards is at Bar lane club.
The ordering of food has now been made for the
Bar lane reception.
We took Doreen some flowers last week and had a chat to express our club's feelings for her - she is pleased that we had a lovely memorial competition for Jimmy on the 29th and thanked us.
posted 30th March 2024 - committee
Please note !
Please click > Jimmy Johnstone for details of his memorial competition on 29th March
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Really sad news on Thursday 7th March - Jimmy Johnstone passed away suddenly - Doreen contacted us last night to break the news and let club members know asap.
We will keep you informed here and on whatsapp AB group as we know more.
Our thoughts are with his family and R.I.P. Jimmy
The photo to the right shows Jimmy as part of the team winning the Vets cup in 2014 - sadly you can also see other club characters who have passed away since then : Dave Thornborough in front , 'practical joker' Ernie Bembridge at the back and 'teapot' Jack Smith holding the cup.
click 'HERE' for members thoughts/condolences of Jimmy
updated 30th March 2024 - kev
Click 'HERE' for details/photos for all the early bird comps played this March
Posted 10th March - kev
Hi everyone - we are hosting a 'Federation National League' bowling match at our club on Sunday 12th May - the teams being Bolton B v Airedale 'B' starting at 12noon - can we please have a few members to help out in the clubhouse and supporters for our Bolton team.
We will have 2 homers playing for Bolton -- Johnny Mort and Mark Bradshaw - will be a good entertaining match.
bowls for sale - just in - click 'HERE' for details
11th March 2024 - Kev
Lovely sunny weather greeted our keen volunteers on Monday 4th March to get the facilities ship shape -
Then again on Monday 11th March whe
n we had a good morning to try and finish off the jobs we needed to do to get the club ship-shape for the new season.please click 'HERE' for details and photos.
posted 2nd March 2024
All the team fixtures are out now so click 'HERE' for your team
27th February 2024 - kev
Brilliant news- just heard from Bolton's Fund (administered by Bolton CVS) that we have been awarded a grant for £2,000 for specialist work on our green to keep it in great shape 
this year - a really big thank you to them for this award which helps us to keep providing a community park facility that gives help to all our volunteers and pleasure / exercise and a social meeting point to all in our community. - thank you so much.
update 27 feb 2024 - kev
Brilliant workparty turnout on Monday 26th Feb.
For details/photos click 'HERE'
posted 21st feb.2024 - kev
There were quite a number of Conny AGM resolutions on wednesday night
- please click 'HERE' for details
9th Feb.2024
Our green will open on Saturday 30th March after the early bird comps (see below)
updated 17 Feb 2024 - committee
Great news for our club :
After years of trying to attract/develop teams at our club we have 2 ready made teams coming to our club from Bar lane.
They are Bar Lane in the municipal league and will play on Monday nights. and
Bar Lane mixed in the mills league and will play on Friday nights
The club rules of play and charges will apply exactly as our own teams and they come as members of our club and we all welcome them.
A number of the team members are already members of our club.
I am sure that once the teams settle in and some of their players meet with us in the March comps then we will all be thinking of joining each others teams as reserves or players.
Makes sense seeing that we have all paid our memberships and the council permits are being paid out of our club finances.
'Roll on' the bowling season.
Feb.7th - committee
We had our AGM on 7th February 2024 and the abbreviated minutes of it can be found by clicking on 'meetings/contacts page'
Summary of membership and playing charges are as follows --
1)£12 membership fee per player.
2)members purchase own keys for gate.
3)Council permit fees subsidised by our club (none to pay)
4)£3 per player for all home and away and cup matches go to our club finances.
5)We pay league fees for all teams.
6)Free tea and coffee for matches.
7)Clubhouse/kitchen to be left in clean condition after matches.
7)Social play is free for members.
8)non members pay £1 to play social games.
9)anyone with a council permit can play for free
Any queries please get in touch with
Kev 07505320612
posted 16th february 2024
Hi members - your committee is looking at ways of continuing subsidising all of the council permit fees every year from now, so that bowling charges are easily affordable and will encourage everyone to socialise and play bowls as often as they would like for virtually nothing - without the need to purchase a permit from the council.
These low charges are dependent on keeping our teams intact/ encouraging teams to play at Astley Bridge park and also about raising funds and volunteers to maintain our facilities.
What can each of you do?
1] please keep in touch with your team mates and chat about it.
2] consider joining our volunteer group
3]consider joining our committee as we need folk to organise friendly competitions
4] how about trying to recruit new members to the club - where our permit subscriptions are zero and all our teams would benefit from extra players
5] Think if you can raise a team for either the district/ mills or turton leagues - as our green is only utilised one night per week
contact Kev on 07505320612 for a chat if you can help
17th January 2024 - committee
If you would like to be part of the club's ' WHATSAPP ' group you can be by: texting 'add me to AB group' to Kevan on 07505320612
updated 10th march -kev
French Boules Group
Hi members - if you are interested in French Boules
text/whatsapp Kev on 07505320612 -
photos below show marquee and members playing boules
posted 20th Dcember 2023 - kev
Hi club volunteers - great turnout on 19th December for volunteers xmas party - click 'HERE' for report and photos
posted 11th December 2023
Thanks to all the volunteers who turned out for a litter and twig picking squad on Monday 11th December for an hour or so on the
pathways/bushes and park.
Click 'HERE' for report and bigger photo
posted 27th Nov - kev
There was a workparty Monday 27th Nov'
Please click 'HERE' for photo/details of how it went
11th November 2023 - kev
Hi All - The Conny league presentation night was on Friday 10th Nov. - for details/information/ photos please click 'HERE'
9th november 2023
hi All -The vets presentation night was on Wednesday 8th Nov. - for details/information and photos of our clubs cups and trophies won in 2023 please click 'HERE'
30th October - kev
Thanks to
Malcolm Austin/Norman Jones/Milo (our mascot) Phil Doel/Barrie Howarth/Dave Tadd/Kevin Harwood/Ray Forrest/ Kevan Latham who made the workparty on 23rd October.
You all made a big difference and kept fit at the same time.
This work has saved the club and council some £300 in keeping our facilities well maintained. For more info and larger photo please click 'HERE'
25th September - kev
Hi everyone .
Today's ( 25th sept.) workparty was a great success - Thanks to everyone who turned up as they worked hard to complete 90% of the remaining work.
So thanks to Barrie Howarth/Joe counsell/Ray forrest/Kevin harwood/rosalyn wilcock/kevan latham/Peter Clinton/Phil Doel/ Sandra Doel /Malcolm Austin/ Norman Jones/ for turning up and putting in a great shift on a lovely sunny day.
[ click ''here'' for full report/bigger photo ]
Also:
Many thanks to the other volunteers who worked hard to get a reasonable amount done on the 11th September - we had
2 welcome new faces being Andy Scully +Ray Forrest/then our regulars :- Barrie Howarth/Audrey Holt /Rosalyn Wilcock/Kevin Harwood/Paul Pover/Kevan Latham.
Thanks for giving your time and effort - and we had good weather too.
19th sept. 2023 - kev
Another cup for Astley Bridge Club
Johny Mort won the A section Merit cup on Saturday 16th September against a really strong field of players from all the top vets teams in Bolton.
The knockout competition was played on Darbishire park on a warm and sunny day.
Thank you to Darbishire park bowling club for hosting the event
Well done Johnny
5th September -2023 - Kev
Our Vets A team today sealed the Division A championship by beating Horwich Public Hall by 11 points to 1
Most of the team is shown below from left to right back : Kevan Latham/Joe Counsell/Phil Dandy/Barrie Howarth (captain)/Johnny Mort/
front row left to right :Mick Fletcher/Barry Trevitt/Gordon Butler/Sean Toland
[ not in picture Mervyn Yarwood/Andy Scully/Roger Evans/ Mark Bradshaw/Billy Leigh/David Whittley]
posted 1st September 2023
Another trophy for Astley Bridge Park B.Club
The finals of the Betfred Trophy were held at Great Lever Park on Friday 1st September .
The preliminary round/s were held at Haslam Park last week.
The final 8 were greeted with a well tended green which ran true and was a credit to Great Lever Park Club.
The hilight of the afternoon was the semifinal between Johnny Mort and Kevan Latham (both Astley Bridge A team players) what a match that was - really superb bowling.
Kevan finally got by Johnny 15-14 and went on to win the final v Brian Chadwick and retain the cup he won last year.
posted 31st August 2023
Our Conny league team finished the season on 30th August with a great win against o/Hulton c.club 7-3 which took us to 3rd in the table .
Also they won the B section league cup on 6th August v Dunscar B - played on the Railway Club
We beat the top 2 teams in reaching the final - for full report and more photos click 'HERE'
posted 15/4/2023
In April Asda gifted us with a trolley full of bedding plants for our planter tubs - thank you very much from all who will enjoy them.
We put these in on Monday 17th April - thanks for a lovely gift Asda
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posted 15 April 2023
In March 'Forever Manchester' and in April 'Bolton CVS' granted us funding for various projects/replacements/maintenance
/equipment that will make our facilities better and make the work of our volunteers a lot easier.
Thank you to them both for helping our club maintain its facilities.
updated 23rd May 2023 - kev
A bowling social is being held every week during the season [ usually Friday @ 1 pm ] at the club and is organised by Malcolm Austin via whatsapp text - If you would like to come along and join in please give Malcolm a ring on 07720 287460 .
All members of this event can be part of a whatsapp group and will be informed of the social activities and any weekly changes by text etc.
updated 7th April 2023 - kev
Our
'random pairs' competitions on Thursday 30th March + Thursday 6th April were a great success with 52 entries and a number of spectators/supporters
Please click 'HERE' for photos and details
updated 6th August 2022 - updated more bowls - kev
Want to sell your bowls ?
You can advertise them 'here' whether a member or not - recycling is better for everyone.
updated 13th March 2022 - kev
French Boules Project 
This project has been completed now making it possible that the club has an outside activity that can be played all year round and with better outside facilities for the club.
The scheme has been funded by an award from Sports England on a 'Return to play' scheme
So a massive thank you to them.
For more details and photos click 'HERE'
updated 8th January 2024 kev
Did you know that we have a very popular website with 18707 page views last year.
- Lots of info and news on a regular basis.
- Thanks for visiting and passing the word - kev.
updated 18th February 2022 - kev
To keep folk up to speed with the latest bcgba news and information for 2022 season. - please click on the following link 
Also, I have given a link to the latest bowls videos on youtube that the BCGBA list for 2021 - one of which is from Westhoughton pro' green - this will keep you occupied on a wet day - whilst picking up tips from the pro's
If you wish to see some panel bowls all year round at the Red Lion Westhoughton [ and not a member ] it costs £2.50 per visit - click 'HERE' for full details.
updated 20th November 2022 - kev
Hello everyone - Our club will still provide sanitisers/wipes for your hands in the forthcoming season - as the covid and other germs have not gone away.
updated 27th February - kev
Great web site with lots to read about Waterloo bowls history
click https://www.bowls.co.uk/the-waterloo
updated 5th April - kev
Ever wondered how the original wooden bowls were made. Here is a great link to explain all the history in an article sent in by Rosalyn -thanks +happy reading
https://www.thesportofbowls.co.uk/bowls-articles/article-4-lignum-bowls
More Sponsorship required 
Please click 'HERE' to see how members can help. 
Banners have been supplied free 
by signtech (on Halliwell road)
