It seems only like yesterday when we last had an AGM as we had one in March 2007. We decided then that it would make more sense to hold our AGM in the same calendar year of that year’s competitions. There was also some understandable questioning of the need for so many EGMs, so the League’s Constitution was amended to make it clear that an EGM would only be held if the issue was urgent and could not wait until the next AGM. When I look back I note that there have been three EGMs in my time as Chairman, representing one in each constitutional year. Some will say that is too many.

It has been another eventful playing season much disrupted by the weather. I shall not forget the night of Tuesday June 19^th, when Le Royal Oak’s match against Bewdley PC was abandoned because of torrential, monsoon like rain, and not being able to get home until 1.00 am because of the floods in Alveley! More scheduled matches than ever had to be abandoned and completed at a later date. To cope with this situation there is a proposal on the AGM Agenda to ensure that no League matches will be outstanding after the Tuesday following the end of the season’s scheduled matches.

The Boules Competitions in 2007 were keenly fought yet again. Kinver Con Club came out top of Division 1 as usual. Come on, it is time another team knocked them off their perch. The Taverners had a good season by winning the Team K/O and coming second in Division1. Bewdley PC recovered well from an early exit from the Team K/O Competition to win the Plate. Well done to the Longlanders who won the Division 2 competition and so bounce back to Division 1. Congratulations to Footloose the runners up in Division 2 who also get promotion. Well done to John Hawkes of the Kinver Cons, the losing finalist in the 2005 Singles K/O competition who went one better to become the 2007 Champion. Congratulations to Messrs. Ricketts & Read of Bewdley PC at winning the Doubles K/O competition (haven’t they won it before?). It was refreshing to see a different team win the Triples K/O competition. So it is well done to Ian, Peter and Ron from the Lakes. I was especially pleased to see that despite his battle against ill health Ian Cartwright is still a fine player and worthy of being a champion with his mates. Karen & Keith (Snowy) of The Taverners retained the Barbara Parkes Memorial Trophy and are becoming regular visitors for prize meals at the Royal Oak, Alveley!

I much regret to say that the League has yet again suffered the sad loss of a long-time member, Colin Evans of Bewdley PC, last July who is sorely missed.

It is again time to thank and praise our Secretary, Roy Chapman, and Fixtures Secretary, Bob Hill who do so much towards the running of the League which could collapse without them. I do hope they will stand for these offices again for their boots will be very hard to fill. Also a word of praise for our PRO, Adrian Voysey who has maintained and recently upgraded our web site that he previously set up for us. I believe that it is a superb advertisement for our League. Only last week my wife Stella went into a chemist shop in Kidderminster where a young girl assistant recognised her. She happened to be our late Barbara Parkes’ grand daughter who had been browsing the web and came across our site and was touched to see that Grandma was still remembered by her boules friends in Alveley by running her Memorial Trophy at the Royal Oak. Our honorary Vice- President and current Vice-Chairman, Mac Turner has been supportive in the background. After being Chairman for two and a half years I will be happy to stand down and give experienced Mac the opportunity to be Chairman again. Also our thanks go to Sheila Turner for being our Auditor.

My time as Chairman has been a period when the Constitution and Playing Rules have been modified (some may say turned upside down!) to clarify ambiguities and remove anomalies. Indeed, there is a proposal on the AGM Agenda to raise once again the controversial issue on whether or not a shortage of players for a schedule match due to holidays or business commitments should be recognised as special circumstances allowing the date of a fixture to be changed.

Last but not least is yourselves for playing your part in making the League such an enjoyable leisure/sporting activity. Hopefully all our current teams will be enthusiastically challenging for trophies next year and look out for The Oaks, a second team from the Royal Oak, Alveley, that will enter the 2008 competitions.