The new benches and repaired path at Coulsdon Memorial Ground

Two months into the summer season of lawn bowls and a re-opened putting green, and the Friends of Marlpit Lane Bowling Green are looking for more help, this time to offer out-of-school-hours lessons for youngsters.

Buoyed by the success of the season so far, and the demand to use the public bowls green, the Friends are keen to introduce as many youngsters from Coulsdon and further afield to a gentle game which tends to have, shall we say, a reputation for appealing to the older population.

But with lawn bowls being one of the sports to be contested at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in little more than a month, the Friends are confident that the opportunity to try the game will continue to attract many younger players to Coulsdon Memorial Ground.

And at least there will be plenty of places for spectators to take a seat and watch the action. The Friends received a £1,000 grant at the end of March towards the cost of a new park bench overlooking the bowls green.

Imagine their delight, therefore, when the Friends discovered two replacement benches had arrived and were installed, and a third bench was repaired and replaced by Croydon Council. Only the most arch of cynics would point out that this act of enlightened kindliness occurred on May 22, local election day, in a firmly Conservative ward…

The benches were installed just in time to provide much use over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The delightful scene, with new benches, in Coulsdon Memorial Ground

“The Friends are delighted and would like to convey their thanks to the council, and the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association who provided the grant, on behalf of themselves and park users,” a statement from the Friends said.

“Bowlers are not the only ones to benefit. At the same time, the damaged path was repaired, removing a trip hazard, and the benches will be in place permanently for use of all park visitors, providing a quiet place to sit away from the main park.”

The Friends of Marlpit Lane are an all-volunteer organisation who have restored the bowling green in Coulsdon Memorial Ground and keep it open to the public. If you would like to get involved, visit http://www.marlpitlanebowlinggreen.co.uk

“More volunteers are always welcome,” they say.

Coming to Croydon

• Upper Norwood Library Book Club, May 31
• Junction Road Big Lunch, June 1
• Stitch Pitch quilting workshop, Upper Norwood Library, June 2
• Croydon Tech City “summit”, June 6
• An Improvised Murder, Spread Eagle Theatre, June 7
• Old Town residents’ meeting, June 7
• Crystal Palace Transition Town annual meeting, June 11
• Old Town residents’ meeting, June 11
• Lakes Playground Action Group fun day, June 14
• Croydon Green Fair, North End, June 14
• Elm Tree Cottage garden open day, June 15
• Norwood Society Talk: The Concrete Church, June 19
• Airport House swing dance free event, June 21
• Classic Car Show at Purley Rotary Fields, June 22
• Crystal Palace Overground Festival, June 26-29
• Warnings to the Curious, Spread Eagle Theatre, June 27
• South Norwood Allotments open day, June 28
• Fragile, Spread Eagle Theatre, July 24-26
• CODA’s Midsummer Night’s Dream at Wandle Park, Jul 30-Aug 2
• Elm Tree Cottage garden open day, Aug 10
• Norwood Society Talk: War Memorials, Sep 18
• Norwood Society Talk: From Fire Station to Theatre, Oct 16
• Norwood Society Talk: Lambeth’s Archives, Nov 20

Inside Croydon: Croydon’s only independent news source, based in the heart of the borough: 72,342 average monthly page views (Jan-Mar 2014)

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