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The concept of a Bowls Club at Wortwell first surfaced in 1974, when the Founder Members decided that a Bowls Club would enhance the Health and Wellbeing of People in the locality in a friendly, supportive, social environment.
This History of the Club was written by Mr Eddie Gaffney (sadly deceased in August 2009) for the Wortwell Village Appraisal Book of 2002
It would be difficult to mention all the individuals who gave donations or who helped to work on the green, but I do know that for the first two years all members lived, slept and thought of almost nothing else but raising money and getting the green ready. Our first members are listed at the end of this article.
The year 1974 - some of us were playing bowls at Shotford and being younger and keener we decided to get a club going in Wortwell. In 1975 members met to arrange fundraising meetings and to find a suitable site and all the work, which was necessary to created a good bowling green began.
We approached South Norfolk District Council, formerly known as Depwade Rural District Council, who we knew had land surplus to their requirements, they agreed to sell but stated it would have to be purchased by the Parish Council. The Bowls Club paid £500, the Parish Council paid £653.21 plus a grant. The title of the land is in the name of the Parish Council who hold the land in trust for itself and the Bowls Club. The proportion of ownership has never been determined.
Fund raising - the Bowls Club paid for all the work done and all he materials used to construct the green. Money was raised by organising dances, a 24 hour sponsored bowls match, gymkhanas, whist drives, 50-50 auctions, Christmas bazaars, jumble sales, coffee evenings, fetes, clay pigeon shoots, mid-summer madness on the river, bingo and waste paper was collected round the village every Saturday morning and sold to waste paper products in Harleston. Sometimes the van collecting the paper caused hold-ups to the Saturday traffic, especially in the summer, as there was no by-pass in those days. The Club had to raise enough money to prepare the land, including drainage, purchase topsoil, wire fencing and wooden surrounds, seeding, fertilizer, water supply, sewage, toilets, etc in addition to the £500 for the purchase of the land. At least £10,000 was raised in the first two to three years.
The first clubhouse was a caravan, sheds were built to house equipment. In 1982 a redundant mobile classroom was bought for £400 from Suffolk County Council. Planning permission for its erection was granted by South Norfolk District Council. This mobile was used until the new Community Centre was built.
Creating the green from a ploughed field began in 1978. firstly, the land had to be prepared and this work was undertaken by Mr Day, of Fressingfield. Members carried out all work, after this, and it included removing stones in the soil, adding topsoil, which was bought in especially for the purpose. Each square yard had to be measured with string so that the exact amount of topsoil, peat , and seed could be used. It was necessary to get all this work completed by the end of September so much of the work was done by the light of 'tilly' lamps. The children of the village helped for which the club were very grateful. The green had to be protected so £1000 was spent on the erection of special fencing.
The official opening of the green was on the 3rd may 1980 and was performed by Mr George Denny of Harleston, who was a past President of the Norfolk E.B.A. A match played by invited members from local clubs followed the opening ceremony.
The Wortwell Club has played in the Shotford Indoor Inter-club League and has won this for ten consecutive years. In 1981 Wortwell won the Yare valley Howlett Trophy, and in 1992, out of 163 clubs entered, Wortwell won the Fermoy Cup. In 1987 Robert Hadingham won the under 25's County Singles competition.
Fund raising is still necessary. Mr and Mrs Inwards, and Mrs K Colbourn donated trophies and these are normally played for each year. Once a year we organise a tournament and each team pays an entrance fee and the winner of the tournament is presented with the Eddie Gaffney Trophy. Goodswens garage have sponsored this for several years and of late Mr Billy Gapp has also sponsored this event. This tournament is one of our main sources of income.
The Founder members of the Wortwell Bowls Club were : -
Mr and Mrs N Haddingham
Mr and Mrs E Gaffney
Mr and Mrs P Inwards
Mr and Mrs W Lee
Mrs J Broughton
Anyone wishing to join Wortwell Bowls Club will be most welcome.
However, the original ethos of Healthy exercise, Friendly support, and a great Membership continues to make Wortwell Bowls Club
"Probably the friendliest Bowls Club in Norfolk"
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