September 2025
Congratulations to the Ladies’ Section for winning the Shield this year. They beat the second-place club (Bradworthy) by just one point thanks to a better point-difference in their games. Both teams won 7 and lost 3 of their games.
Congratulations and commiserations to Iris and Alan. Having won the Section 4 County matches for Mixed Pairs, they had to travel to Topsham for Finals day to play against the winners from other County sections. Their semi-final was played in the morning against a Plymouth side, and they won, 15 -13. The final took place in the afternoon, against Plymstock, who sadly beat them. It was a great achievement by Iris and Alan, Well Done!
Club Finals Weekend 23rd – 25th August 2025
This year’s knockout finals took place over a hot and sunny August Bank Holiday weekend. The dry weather this season has made the green ‘challenging’ with woods taking unexpected lines on occasions! And, unfortunately a couple of matches were abandoned when the heat and sun proved too much. Once again Alan organised the weekend, arranging matches so that players in more than one final could spread out their competitions.
The final matches were the Ladies’ and Men’s Championships, watched by an appreciative audience of club members and visitors. The prizes were presented to the winners by Alan Mathias, Roger Pedrick and Viv Kirkland. The first awards were given by Jim Hosgood to the top three teams in our new evening Triples League. He has provided the winners’ cup and generously gave all twelve of the winning teams’ members smaller cups for them to keep, to mark the first year of the competition. Another new award this year was provided by Jean Hutchings, in memory of her late husband, for the Most Improved Male Player. (The Ladies have been giving a similar award for some years at their Christmas Lunch to the Most Improved Lady Player — winner to be announced later…)
The day concluded with a huge raffle and very tasty buffet.
Our thanks go to Alan for organising the competitions and this weekend’s programme, to members who have volunteered as markers throughout the knockout sessions and this weekend, to Angie, Jenny, Megan and Maria for providing the buffet and to everyone who made teas and coffees, manned the bar and cleared up afterwards.
And one for Viv K in appreciation of her hard work for the club, and the hours spent on Saturday mornings introducing new players to the sport — many of whom are now club members.
L-R: Ken, Charlie, Geoff and Nigel
For a complete list of winners, click here for the Winners Page
August 2025
Okehampton Simmons Pub & Club Competitions
At the end of August, the Pub and Club competitions came to their conclusions, with the team of DIY winning both the Knock Out Shield and the League. The team named Dodgers were runners up in both competitions, and the London Ladies were awarded the wooden spoon for bottom spot in the league. The object of these competitions is to raise money for Charities, as well as for players to learn the game of Bowls. All non-club players pay a green fee which goes into the Charity fund.
August 2025
Okehampton Simmons Triple League
The final table shows it was a close-fought competition between the top three teams and every team earning at least two bonus points* for a win of 10 or more points ahead of the opposition.
Congratulations to Team D, ‘The Ditch Dodgers’ (Nigel Penna, Geoff Voaden, Ken Curzons and Charlie Bond) on winning the first of this friendly, evening mixed triples league.
The competition has been played with good-humoured camaraderie, a great chance to play in a friendly league, and to play against other club members, who we may not not usually meet in matches.
Let’s do it again next year!
Thanks go to Alan Mathias, for setting up and organising the league, and to Alison for her work on keeping the scores, and league table up to date.
| Tm | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| D | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 234 | 105 | *33 |
| A | 11 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 237 | 147 | *28 |
| C | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 214 | 154 | *25 |
| G | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 187 | 152 | *18 |
| I | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 188 | 173 | *15 |
| B | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 201 | 221 | *14 |
| K | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 180 | 200 | *14 |
| F | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 137 | 184 | *14 |
| M | 11 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 161 | 212 | *9 |
| L | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 144 | 207 | *8 |
| J | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 163 | 227 | *8 |
| E | 11 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 142 | 202 | *4 |
August 2025
New Junior Woods
After a generous donation from the Rotary, Round Table and Lions, the Club has been able to purchase two sets of Junior Woods.
The ambition is to introduce young players to the sport, and to hold special coaching sessions for youngsters.
Tuesday 8th July 2025
Devon Ladies v Section 4 Ladies
Okehampton was chosen as the venue for this year’s event. Six teams representing Devon Ladies (all holders of a County Badge) played against teams from six of the Section 4 clubs (Chagford, Crediton, Morchard Bishop, North Tawton, Okehampton and Topsham).
The players enjoyed a close competition on a hot, sunny afternoon. The final result being a draw with three rinks each.
OSBC provided a buffet tea after nine ends, and the players had a welcome drink after the competition when prizes were awarded by, Rosemarie Mayne, Bowls Devon Ladies’ President.
Thanks go to everyone who helped to organise the day and contributed to making the afternoon a success.
18th May 2025
Four club members have a satisfying day at Bovey Tracey.
Congratulations, Lyn, Angie, Andy and Tony!
Sunday 4th May 2025
Mayor’s Charity Day
A fine sunny day for us to host the fourth annual Mayor’s Charity Day, this year held to raise money for Hospiscare.
Twelve teams, representing organisations from around the town and guided by club members, took part in a Triples Competition.
After two games of four ends each, we enjoyed a magnificent buffet lunch, provided by our ‘resident caterers’, who also laid on a cream tea after the afternoon’s games.
Allenton Fisher poised with the trophy which was awarded to the winning team from the Ashbury Hotel (who assured us they hadn’t been practising on their indoor rinks). Teams from the Rotary Club came second and third.
12th April 2025
New season begins
In keeping with tradition, the Mayor, Allenton Fisher, was invited to cast Sydney Simmons’ silver jack and bowl the first woods of the season.
He also officially opened the newly refurbished extension to the Clubhouse, where members can enjoy newly painted and re-carpeted, enlarged changing rooms, upgraded toilets and more storage space — the culmination of several years’ hard work from club members and professional builders.
January 2025
Invitation Friendly at Kingsley IBC, Westward Ho!
Twelve members of the club spent an enjoyable afternoon at Kingsley Indoor Bowls Club for a Friendly match. Kingsley have enviable indoor facilities and we played 18 ends of triples in a close-fought competition. The scores on each rink swung in favour of the Home and Away teams, with the final tally being 65 – 62 to Kingsley.
After the match we were provided with tea and biscuits, and several Club members won a prize in the raffle. We’d like to thank Kingsley for their hospitality, and look forward to meeting them again, at Okehampton, in September.
Presentations at the AGM 2024
The club was pleased to be able to present two local charities each with cheques for £500, money raised by the club’s Pub League over the past season.
Club President, John Mansell, presents the cheques to representatives from Hospicecare and Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
Okehampton Simmons Pub and Club League
Okehampton Simmons Bowling Club’s, Pub and Club League concluded its season at the end of August, with 9 out of the 10 League teams, playing on finals night.
The winners of the League were the Muppets, while the Legionnaires had the honour of the wooden spoon. The Knockout Cup was won by the team RAOB,
The Pub League teams have raised in excess of a £1,000.00 for charities, which will be presented at the Okehampton Simmons Bowling Club AGM in November.
Organiser Roger Pedrick thanked all club members and players who have helped throughout the season, and gave a special thank you to Okehampton Simmons Bowling Club.
League winners, the Muppets, left to right, John Donovan, Steve Cook, club captain Alan Mathias (non player), Paul Nosworthy and Martin Letchford.
The Legionnaires
The Knockout Cup winners, team RAOB, left to right, Club Captain Alan Mathias, RAOB team Ken Curson, Nigel Vaughn, Andrew Bourne and (not pictured) Martin White.
Sunday 5th May Mayor’s Charity Day
Unfortunately the sun refused to shine for the Mayor’s Charity Day, and despite playing on in pouring rain, the games outside had to be abandoned at lunchtime. However the day was enjoyed in good spirit and raised funds for the Mayor’s Charities.
