We are a small team of enthusiastic bowlers and would love to hear from anyone who is interested in giving lawn bowls a try or would like to join our friendly club
Mike Smith
President
Mike has been a valued member of Hawley for more than 20 years and thoroughly deserves being elected our President this year. He served as Men’s Captain for a number of years and is an important member of our Greenkeeping team. Without them our green would not be in the good condition we enjoy.
Mike enjoys golf and tries to play at least twice a week. He has a respectable handicap of 20. He is also an avid Liverpool FC fan, having visited Anfield on numerous occasions.
Contact me: 01276 503109
Phil Hicks
Chairman
Phil has lived and worked in the local area all his life. He worked at the same company for 44 years, where he also met his wife Margaret.
He has always played sport, initially cricket and football in his younger years. He then played golf, with some success, at Hartley Wintney Golf Club for a number of years. Then he and Margaret joined Broadmoor Bowls Club and played there until it closed. Having become hooked by the sport, they then joined Hawley in 2008 and have been members ever since.
Phil became involved with maintaining the green and machines from day one. He has also served as Club Captain, President and now Chairman.
Phil and Margaret celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary in March this year and hope to have some sort of party once restrictions are lifted.
Email me: philiphicks4@hotmail.com
Janet Guess
Secretary
Janet had no interest in participating in sport whilst at school but took up league table tennis at age 18. She played in the Guildford and Aldershot Leagues for a number of years, representing Aldershot in the Inter-town league. She also represented the South East in the National Post Office competitions.
The qualification age for veterans is much younger in table tennis than bowls and Janet played in the Worlds Vetts Championship in Manchester. Her highlight though was winning a good medal in the Vetts Mixed Doubles when playing for the British Post Office in the European Telecommunications and Post Office Championships in Poland.
Janet took up bowls three years ago and really enjoys being a member of Hawley. She has always enjoyed administration and didn’t take much persuading to take on the role of Secretary. She also takes the minutes at meetings at the Indoor Camberley Club.
Janet also enjoys trying to paint and to play bridge.
Email me: janetguess53@yahoo.co.uk
Wendy O’Brien
Treasurer
Wendy enjoyed all manner of watery activities whilst at school namely synchronised swimming, life saving and personal survival and swam competitively for the school. She is a trained swimming teacher and time keeper.
She worked at Frimley Park hospital for 15 years and then discovered lawn bowls which she finds very addictive. She loves travelling and has visited 6 continents and tries to visit at least one new country each year – apart from 2020!
Email me: wob58@hotmail.com
Stephen Brinkworth
Coaching Officer & Head Groundsman
Stephen has always been a keen sportsperson, and represented his school, University, Cadets from 7 to 19, and represented Wales at football, at under 19 level on 6 occasions. Whilst at University, also represented Welsh Universities in their “home internationals” v English, Scottish and N Irish Universities. Upon leaving Uni he played good standard top amateur football, before retiring from the game in 1985, upon moving to live in Yateley. After a short period of no sport, he decided to take up squash, and was shortly playing for his Clubs in the Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire leagues. He also represented Hampshire at over 45 level before knee injuries severely curtailed his squash activity.
On retiring from work in 2010, and having had 2 knee replacements and a major cancer operation, as soon as allowed by the medical profession, he decided to resume sport – but what? He saw an advert in the local newspaper for Hawley Bowling Club – so what was there lose? So he attended a Club roll-up on a Wednesday afternoon, and was made very welcome by everybody, and after a few short sessions, he decided that Bowls and Hawley were for him.
He has been the Men’s Captain for a number of years but have now handed over the reins so that he can concentrate on the Green keeping duties – He says he knows it sounds nerdy, but he enjoys the green maintenance, and let’s hope it continues!
He is currently one of the bowls’ coaches at the Club.
Email me: stephenbrinkworth@btinternet.com
Robin Pretty
Fxtures Secretary
Robin’s main sport from a young age was athletics – sprints and long jump – and he was lucky enough to have been selected to run for Surrey as a 16-year-old. At this time Robin also started playing table tennis at youth club. He progressed through the league divisions until making the premier in Guildford. At the grand age of 40 he was picked to play for the Surrey Vetts Team. Being of that age, he found it opened up chances to play in bigger events and he took part in two European and one World Championship .
Nowadays he enjoys working on his two old motorcycles , one of which he says is as old as he is and they leak so much oil , he could do with some in his joints!
Now he feels he has found his ideal social sport in bowls – good company and friendly banter .
Email me: robin.pretty@outlook.com
Mike Guess
Competition Secretary
Mike has always been interested in most sports, either playing or watching. At school he played cricket and also represented the school and district at football. After leaving, he continued to play Sunday league football, as well as table tennis in the Guildford, Aldershot and Civil Service leagues for a few years. in the early 80s he took up running – becoming a member at both the Finchampstead and Sandhurst Joggers run clubs and has continued to run ever since – with a marathon best of 2 hrs 53 mins.
He took up bowling and joined Hawley BC about three years ago and has been surprised not only by how much he enjoys the actual game, but also helping on the organisational side. He says It’s not an exaggeration to say that during lockdown the club has been a godsend to him.
email me: mikeguess53@yahoo.co.uk
Jan Vlok
Men’s Captain
Jan was born in Zambia but has lived in this country for a number of years. He hasn’t lost his accent though. He also hates our cold winters and tries to spend several months in South Africa during our winters.
Jan used to play competitive squash with Stephen and five years ago be talked him into taking up bowls. His only regret is that he should have taken up bowls earlier in life.
Jan has become and indispensable member of Hawley, being responsible for our lovely display of baskets and pots. He is also our BBQ King.
Email me: jan@janV.net
Monica Cowan
Ladies’ Captain
As a child Monica remembers watching her grandfather playing bowls and would come home wondering why her bowl would only go in a straight line!
Friendship, fun and friendly competition is what she loves about bowls so when the Watchetts Club closed she had no hesitation in joining Hawley. Having served in several positions on the committee at Watchetts, she was determined not to do the same at Hawley BUT has been persuaded to take on the role of Ladies’ Captain.
She has spent a lot of time living abroad and still enjoys her holidays but is now happily settled locally with husband Tom and family dog Dolly. Dolly loves to take Monica for long walks. Monica also enjoys aquarobics.
Email me: mons.c@hotmail.com
Peter Manuel
Committee Member
Peter has lived in the Blackwater area since 1966 and finished his apprenticeship as a toolmaker at the RAE in the mid 60s. He then went on to work on the railways in latter years and you may recognise him as a guard on South West Trains.
He has had varied sports interests including representing the RAE at Tug of War in national competitions. He also cycled with Camberley and Farnborough Wheelers time trialling, and is now an avid Aldershot Town FC supporter
He joined Hawley 10 years ago and has and still is enjoying many hours of bowling, gardening and socialising with members.
Email me: manpet44pm@gmail.com
Lyn Sado
Committee Member
Lyn has lived in the Blackwater area since 1966 and enjoyed playing badminton at Hawley Leisure Centre. She also walked with the Aldershot and District Rambling Club.
She took up golf when she retired and then a friend encouraged her to try bowls. She took up a beginners’ course at the Camberley Indoor Club. She found she loved the sport and also met eight good friends. They decided to stay together and joined Hawley Bowling Club. 17 years later, with new and old friends, life could not be better.
Email me: sadlyn@ntlworld.com
