Clarence Bowling Club president Reg Flicker has stood down after three years at the helm.

TRIBUTES were paid to retiring president Reg Flicker at Clarence Bowling Club’s president’s day, the final event of the outdoor season.

Flicker, a retired sales and marketing executive, has led the club for three years. His initiatives have included organising the largest recruitment campaign ever conducted by a bowling club and mounting presentations which earned Clarence the title of Bowls England Club of the Year in 2012, as well as runner-up the year before.

Club secretary Tony Mannion said that few people knew how much work their president had done on the club’s behalf. “In his three years of presidency, he has driven the club on to new heights, and we should all be grateful to him,” he said.

President Flicker congratulated the club on another excellent season, in which they reached the final of the North Somerset 4 Dimensions competition. In the Somerset County League, the A team had been relegated from Premier Two by just a couple of points, but he was confident that they would bounce back quickly, as they had before.

Greens manager Richard Crawford and his assistant Gerald Barlow were commended for the excellent condition of the three greens at Clarence Park.

President’s day began with a spider, then a game of friendly triples, followed by a meal, prepared by the ladies of the Clarence and Wessex clubs. The presentation took place of trophies and prizes for the club competitions, which were sponsored by the Beachlands Hotel.

Clarence’s final inter-club match of the season was, as has become the tradition, against their friends from Bridgwater, this year at Clarence. Each team won two rinks and one was drawn, but a decisive victory on one of them was enough to earn the visitors victory by just two shots.

Clarence 92, Bridgwater 94: B Rossiter, John Hayes, C Read, D Stott 20-16; J Atkins, B Cornwall, D Jackman, A Gardiner 16-16; A Bishop, J Hicks, K Marshall, B Duffy 25-18; J Loveridge, A Taylor, T Mannion, G Barlow 13-25; T Ward, M Davies, J Burgess, R Crawford 18-19.

Members of the three clubs based at Clarence Park are now preparing for the indoor and short-mat seasons, which begin this month. The short-mat section has been revitalised by its new secretary Adrian Gardiner and will be aiming for an improved performance in league matches, with 28 players having said that they want to play league bowls.

The indoor section will be aiming to go one better than last season, when they were pipped to the Weston Mixed League title in the final game. Domestic league matches start on October 14.

ASHCOMBE’S season culminated in a men’s inter-club game of bowls followed by a meal.

Over 40 men turned out and it was an enjoyable afternoon. Ashcombe have had a good season and the sunny weather was a big bonus.

WESSEX ladies held captain’s day to close the bowling season and were blessed with brilliant sunshine.

Captain Pat Hanson and president Mary Davis raised the flag and welcomed Somerset Bowls Association president Mary Sutton, guests from local clubs and members.

Following a delicious meal, trophies were presented to the winners of the club’s competitions. Captain Pat Hanson presented prizes to Maureen Milford, winner of the spider and to Verlie Edwards, winner of the bowls drive. New member Tess Langford received a consolation prize.