NORMALLY the bowls season would be in full swing by now, with matches coming thick and fast.

Mark Moor Bowling Club has instead had a very quiet spring lockdown, with only essential green maintenance being carried out.

Over the past couple of weeks, however, the sound of bowl gently thwacking into bowl has been heard again, as the first easing of restrictions takes place.

Under the guidance of Bowls England, the club is allowing three of the six rinks to be used - with a maximum of 12 players on the green - at any one time.

This allows physical distancing and minimises the handling of the equipment.

Most games played are either singles, pairs or triples.

Luckily, the refurbishment work in the clubhouse over the winter was more or less completed before lockdown.

The bad news is that the clubhouse is now closed, so players don’t get to enjoy it!

Mark Moor BC has been very fortunate to be awarded two grants to help towards the general maintenance of the club.

One came from Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund to help during the COVID-19 pandemic, while another was awarded by the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Fund.

Many thanks are due for this help during these difficult times.

The majority of club members have renewed their memberships this season - at a reduced rate - and the club hopes to have a good end to this season and a full fixture list next year.

New players are welcome and training can be provided for beginners; you can contact club secretary Elaine on 01278 326051 for further details.