Dartford bowls club begins centenary season

A lawn green bowling club in Kent is holding a series of special matches to mark its centenary season.

Halls Bowls Club was founded by employees of an engineering firm in Dartford in 1925.

Originally sited at Princes Road, now the home of Dartford Football Club, Halls moved to its present home in Cotten Lane in 2007.

Events being planned to mark the anniversary include a visit by the Chelsea Pensioners' bowls club.

Club secretary Jean Runeckles said membership had recently increased to 66 people.

"Recently we had an influx of 22 members from another club, including an English international," she said.

"We've already had our tour. We went to the Isle of Wight in April."

Chairman and business secretary John Cribb said members are fond of their home in Cotten Lane.

"It's enclosed so it's very peaceful, you just get a bit of traffic noise at times, and once the flowers and the fauna come out it really is pleasant," he said.

"I've always enjoyed sports, so as you get older you tend to come away from football and cricket and tennis and pick up on bowls, which is for all ages.

"It's competitive and very social, and I'd recommend it to anybody."

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