Page 87 - Phonebox Magazine August 2016

Olney Bowling Club
TA busy month
he Dennyside Match was a great success. A team of Olney bowlers played Dennyside, a team who travel around the country playing matches for charity. Our chosen charity was William’s Brighter Future Fund for Great Ormond Street Hospital. The match was won by Olney but of far more importance was that over
£2500 was raised for our charity.
Our thanks go to everyone who took part, Especially the Dennysiders, who travelled from far & wide to take part in the match.
The second big event of the month was the President’s Day. Our President, Brian Clifton, hosted a match between his invitation side and an Olney Bowling Club side in celebration of this, his 50th year as a Member.
On a lovely sunny afternoon his side, consisting of his own rink – his two sons plus a friend, rinks from Earls Barton, Stony Stratford and Newport Pagnell and a rink of County friends took to the green to face the Club side. Current Buckinghamshire County President Chris Cole skipped the Newport Pagnell rink and Senior Vice President John Lonergan skipped the Stony Stratford rink. Earls Barton represented a club who have been playing against Olney for the whole of Brian’s fty seasons.
The Olney side was lead by Club Captain Colin Millward and included fairly new bowlers as well as established players.
After the game a three course meal was enjoyed by all and each player and the helpers were presented with a slate coaster to mark the occasion.
Brian would like to thank all players and helpers who were responsible for making the day such a memorable occasion for him and his family.
Finally congratulations to our catering section who have once again been awarded ve stars. Nice to know that we are unlikely to wipe out a visiting team with food poisoning!
ONational Award for Youth Section
Olney RFC
lney RFC’s Mini and Junior Section has been shortlisted in the 2016 National Rugby Awards for Youth Section of the Year. With ve seasons of consecutive growth in numbers and over 100 volunteers, the section – sponsored
by Michael Graham estate agents – has been a success story for Olney for many years. The winner will be announced at a special ceremony at Twickenham on Thursday 1 September.
Junior rugby co-ordinator, Fraser Bull, said: “The mini and junior section at Olney RFC has grown rapidly in recent years and experienced considerable success both on and off the eld. To be recognised on the nal shortlist of six for this National Award is a fantastic acknowledgement of the hard work put in by players, coaches, parents and the club to support rugby development from ages 6 to 18.”
450 players currently participate in Olney’s Mini and Junior Section and this season has seen international successes for junior players Fraser Strachan, called into the Scotland Under 18 squad, and Lucy Attwood, who played for England Under 18 Girls team.
Across the age groups there has been huge team successes. The Under 17s team were crowned Midlands Champions, and reached the semi- nals of the National Colts Cup. The Girls U18 team hit a similar high, being the Midlands and Eastern Counties Champions and reaching the semi- nal stage of their National Cup competition.
In the younger groups, both the U14s and U16s nished second in their
leagues, and in the Mobbs Memorial Tournament the club won one age group, were runner up in another and semi- nalist and quarter- nalist in the other two age groups – showing great depth of strength across the age groups.
The Mini and Junior section at Olney RFC start training again on Sunday mornings from 4th September. Find out more on our website: www.olneyrfc.co.uk
August 2016 | Phonebox Magazine 87