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Members - Old and New

Michael: is the club's longest serving member having joined over 40 years ago following in the footsteps of his father and uncle as former members.  He has, and continues to serve the club in various management roles. Being Chairman and  a trustee of the club, he also serves as a committee member at Bowls Northumberland. He is, arguably, the bowler most at Collingwood bowls wish to aspire to. 

Michael says:  "Previous to our club moving to Heaton Terrace to become an 'independent' club, we were a public park club having only male members and basically looked to play competitive team bowls.  Since moving to Heaton Terrace there has been a tremendous change in the whole feeling of the club. We now also have lady members who have been a huge influence in changing attitudes in the club to become a very social and friendly place.  Newcomers attending our free taster sessions can feel totally at ease with guidance and help from our members.  I can confidently say that we offer the local community an opportunity to come and enjoy meeting friendly people and keep them fit by playing bowls".

Millie: joined the club in March 2015 becoming our first lady member.  Millie's rear garden backs onto the bowling green - very handy when she pops out with the bacon butties. She was co-opted onto the Management Committee as a Trustee in early 2017 and plays a valuable part  in the smooth running of Collingwood.

Millie says:  "When I joined the club I had been recently widowed and I thought it would give me an opportunity to meet new people and enjoy some healthy exercise. The club has been most helpful to me, I have met lots of new friends who are certainly good company".

Matty:  lives nearby and joined the club in March 2015. He has served as both a Trustee and a member of the team selection committee for the 2017 season. Matty has become very much a part of the club not only as a popular member, but also as a 2017 trophy winner - a great achievement.

Matty says:  Because of health problems I had become a virtual recluse not doing any socialising.  On receiving a club flyer through the door in 2015 I decided to buy a set of used bowls and give the new club a go. Joining Collingwood has turned my life around, from being at a low ebb, to having a brand new beginning.  When I started I had difficulty in walking any distance and was without friends.  Now I am fitter and healthier, able to be actively involved in the bowling and with new friends.

David:  lives locally and joined the club in April 2017.  David has been registered as partially sighted for the past 21 years having also cataracts for the past 7 years - because of his condition to dangerous to operate on.

David says:  "I had been my mother's full time carer for 7 years and when she died I was looking for something to get me out and meet people. A family friend suggested I tried bowls, so early in 2017 I joined Collingwood Bowling Club. I found my fellow members great which helped me to get over my loss and relax.  After being alone for so long, I found meeting club members a great comfort and I am thoroughly enjoying playing bowls at Heaton Terrace at the club".

Maureen:  Lives nearby and joined the club in April 2015.

Maureen says:  "This is the first every sports club I have joined - It has given me confidence to meet and socialise with people.  I find the club really friendly and it has given me the opportunity to meet new friends as the club runs lots of activities for members to enjoy.  I have back problems but find that playing bowls does help and I really enjoy the coffee mornings which run during the winter months which allows us to keep in contact and enjoy a good chat"

Kate:  lives locally having joined the club in April 2015.  By the 2016 season we had sufficient members to run a ladies club championship knockout competition.  Kate was our first lady club champion in 2016, retaining her title in the 2017 season.

Kate says:  "I joined Collingwood Bowling Club after playing badminton for over 20 years and  I found that I needed to do something a little less physically demanding. It was the first year that the club opened membership to ladies and all new members were made most welcome. Everyone is so friendly and encouraging and it is now a huge part of my life. Feel that the club is a great asset to the local community and I hope to continue to enjoy membership for many years to come"

David: joined the club in May 2017. He turned up at our Saturday morning taster session, had a cup of tea and just looked around.  It is believed he was persuaded to come along by one of the club's committee members.

David says:  "Being a golfer, a keen fisherman and having a host of good friends bowling was the last thing on my mind, in fact I always understood it as a pastime for the old, and certainly not for me.  I was loaned a set of bowls and encouraged to have a go, I found it interesting and I went the following week thinking it would fulfil my commitment to give it a try. As always, it sounds trite to say the people are friendly and lovely and helpful.  But for me the attraction was, the place was filled with characters - many of them keen to involve me, certainly not the environment I expected in a bowling club.  So, my order went off to Australia for a set of bowls with the expectation they would make me one of the club's top bowlers. I shall say no more on that matter.  I do know as for Collingwood Bowling Club, I am able to list members as friends, I have dined with them, attended parties with them, attended social visits to other bowling clubs with them and I look forward to much more of it"