It’s party time!

Tickets are now on sale for the big Blewbury Croquet Club event of the year… the Winter Social.

Book your tickets now for the party at the Red Lion on Wednesday, February 25th with an email to club secretary David Long (david.long@btinternet.com).

And reserve your place with a bank transfer to the club’s account, using the reference ‘2026 Social’. The account number is 04040874 and the sort code is 30-91-31.

Tickets cost £20 per person and that gets you a tasty supper of rolled shoulder of pork, coleslaw, salad, chips and a bap. Please advise on booking if you want a vegetarian option or other dietary requirement. The pub will be operating a pay bar — card payments only.

Official arrival time is from 7pm, but the pub will be open earlier. Food will be served between 7.15 & 7:30pm. A Pub Quiz will follow at around 8pm, with prizes awarded.

It’s possible to reserve a table (of up to six) for a group of friends but there should be plenty of scope to ‘match-make’ tables on the night.

David will as ever be setting the Quiz. He said: “It will be shorter this year, with more time for socialising.”

Blewbury’s hi-tech leap forward

The best croquet courts in the south will get a huge boost this week with the installation of our own remotely-controlled irrigation system.

Our ‘groundsmen’ will in future be able to use an app to start, stop and modify the Blewbury lawns from the comfort of their own homes.

And club members will be able to enjoy free access to the club’s own Wi-Fi.

Blewbury chairman Joe King has acquired the equipment needed for the Wi-Fi server and to connect the new irrigation system and digital weather station.

Joe said: “I’m expecting that when there has been no rain we can activate the irrigation to maintain good turf health and that when the lawns are at an optimum moisture level we can pause the irrigation accordingly.

“I’m so pleased that we’ve been able to advance things. Members will be able to use the club Wi-Fi, although we may encourage folks not to do so unless they really need to or we’ll burn through the 120GB on our SIM card!”

• Our pictures show where the new irrigation pipework has been laid near Court 2 and the three big tanks which will be storing our water from the borehole.

King becoming croquet royalty

Congratulations to our chairman Joe King on his being asked to step up to sit on Croquet England’s Tournament Committee.

The appointment is seen as something of an honour for Blewbury to be represented on a body which oversees the main CqE events every year.

And it will give him the opportunity to put his own influence on the sport, particularly the promotion of the Short Croquet code.

Joe said: “I believe I can take this on without compromising other commitments. I’m pleased to be able to put something back into the game on a broad scale.”

Always look on the bright side…

Members who have been kept off the lawns by the recent sub-zero temperatures need not despair… there’s a lot going on behind the scenes.

Both captain of croquet Andrew Petit and myself have started to load up fixtures on to the TeamUp calendar to ensure that there will be plenty to keep you occupied from the spring onwards.

You’re guaranteed a packed programme of competitive action in all the codes. Those who prefer friendlier games will get a shout-out from Philippa Turner or Rosemary Balsdon.

And for those who stick to social croquet… well, I hope the weather improves for you soon!

Meet the new girl