Weymouth’s Moonfleet 2000 Indoor Bowls Club Has Come of Age.
Moonfleet 2000 IBC on the Marsh in Weymouth was opened on the 20th November 2000, and on exactly the same date 21 years later it celebrated its’ coming of age birthday with a bowls match between the Founder Members and a Presidents Team from the English Indoor Bowls Association (EIBA). The EIBA President Roger Fuller was welcomed by the Bowls Club new President, Eileen Devonald-Batt and Vice President Malcolm Smith together with the Board of Directors Chairman, Trevor Andrews. The match was a keenly fought competition between the 5 rinks being played with the visitors coming out victors with a total score of 78 to 88.
The match was followed by a dinner for the Teams, Founder Members and their guests; at which the EIBA President thanked Moonfleet for the invitation and congratulated them on a superb purpose built venue. John Marriott and Mike Mead who were Founder Directors of the holding company, Fleetwey Ltd, when the club opened in 2000 gave a speech reminding everyone how the club was formed from the members of the original club at the Moonfleet Hotel, and how the funding of over one million pounds was raised and grants obtained to get the facility built. The Founder Members were also thanked for their contribution to the fund.
Before the match the President Mr Fuller presented the President and Club’s Ladies captain Jill Gwilliam with the Yetton Plate, a ladies national bowls knockout competition trophy. The Moonfleet ladies reached the national final of the 2019/20 season competition which should have been played against Ipswich in April 2020. This was delayed due to Covid and was again due to be completed in September 2021. Sadly and to the disappointment of the Moonfleet team, the Ipswich side were unable to raise a team this year and so conceded the match.
Since Covid 19 restrictions were lifted the Club Membership has grown back to over 350 and a warm welcome awaits anyone wishing to take up the game.
