FOR their 24th annual tour Llandrindod Wells Bowls Club & Friends returned to Bournemouth after a gap of five years.

Arriving on Saturday afternoon at their comfortable hotel, with excellent food, the social side of the tour started excellently because also staying in the hotel were a choir from near Windsor, Berkshire in fancy dress, and a great night was enjoyed by all.

On the Sunday the serious business of friendly bowling began at the inland rural setting of the village club of Fordingbridge.

The weather was cloudy, cool but dry, with friendly opponents. Club President Ken Price was captain for the day, it obviously being a tight match because Llandrindod were only leading by three shots with a couple of ends to go, which obviously finished closely, and one fussy visiting third demanding a second shot measure the final score ending 95 shots each!

Monday was a day off from bowls, with the holidaymakers able to enjoy the delights of Bournemouth and the sea air.

It was back to bowls on Tuesday, following a morning visit to the large nearby Castlepoint Shopping Centre for the shoppers, the Mid Wales bowlers travelled the short distance to Seafields and Southbourne Bowls Club for another enjoyable afternoon.

Shirley King was captain for the afternoon, with the tourists winning on four rinks, and the match by 20 shots.

Wednesday and the middle of the week brought a visit to Swanage, and after a morning “swan around”, the tourists went to the local bowling club.

Clive Barrett had the distinction of being the day’s captain in their only defeat of the week by 25 shots - 128 to 103, the visitors winning three rinks, but losing the other three more heavily.

Needless to say the hosts produced a good standard of bowling with the weather keeping dry all day.

The visitors were advised they could hold another distinction because it has been proposed that the grass surface will be dug up in favour of an all weather surface.

Varying the route back to Bournemouth the tourists went via the Swanage Ferry back to their hotel.

On Thursday the official day off from bowls the group visited the world famous National Motor Museum, Palace House and grounds at Beaulieu, for a very enjoyable day experience, on a cloudy day which turned wet later.

Friday saw the good weather on bowling days continue with a lovely sunny day, very good company, and an excellent restaurant incorporated within the club, the near seafront Argyll Bowling Club was visited.

The Welsh bowlers won 5 rinks and drew the other for a very convincing win.

On these occasions the scores are not usually mentioned, but the Argyll captain surprisingly announced a 155 to 77 win for Llandrindod.

At the Friday evening presentation and final supper, the main tour organizer Ken Price, and the social organizer Brian Jones were thanked for their work in arranging the trip, and their respective wives for their support.

During the week with fines for misdemeanours and other donations including a generous gift of £50 from one of the clubs visited, £600 was raised to be shared between Hope House Children’s Hospice and The Bracken Trust Cancer Support Centre.

This money was presented at the Radnorshire Indoor Bowls Centre before the annual challenge match between the Tourers and the Indoor Stadium team, only four days after the tourists had returned from Bournemouth.

The attached photo shows Tour Organizer Ken Price presenting the £300 donation to Ilma Marpole representing Hope House, and Brian Jones, the Social Organiser presenting £300 to Reg Cawthorne of The Bracken Trust, the last named thanked the bowlers on behalf of both charities.

In the actual match last Wednesday evening not surprisingly the outdoor bowlers lost heavily, after playing on the heavier Bournemouth greens.

Their only winning rink being that of skip Ken Price, the remaining five rinks being lost, however the event concluded a very successful bowls tour, and the end of another first class outdoor season for the Llandrdrindod club.