Federation Leagues Ready to Go on 17th May 2021

The revised schedule of NWFed league fixtures for the 2021 season along with copies of the League Rules (as approved at the Federation Spring meeting on the 6th March), and a list of nominated team captains are now available on this website. Please go to the individual league pages from the drop down tab NWFCC Leagues.

The actual start date of the season may change if the programmes adopted by the English and Welsh Governments respectively for easing the restrictions on travelling and social gatherings change. Please ensure you are aware of and comply fully with any restrictions in place aided by the guidance issued from time to time by the Croquet Association. 

As agreed at the recent Federation Spring meeting the weekend handicap and short lawn AC and handicap GC leagues have been divided into two groups each to accommodate the matches into the shortened league season.

The grouping has been based on minimising transport and each now comprises a ‘northern’ group and a ‘southern’ group. For these three leagues all fixtures are scheduled to be completed by the end of August and any matches not played by the 20th September will be declared void.

Following the completion of the league fixtures for these three leagues the two leading teams in each league group will be invited to agree a date for an end of season play-off to determine the three overall league winners. The venues for the play-offs will be notified to the two team captains in due course and the play-off matches should be completed no later than the 3rd October 2021.

For the remaining three leagues, the B level advanced and midweek handicap AC and the level-play GC, all matches should be completed no later than the 3rd October and any matches which remain unplayed by that date will be declared void.

If for any reason you would like to change the proposed date of a league match on the draft fixture list please contact the opposing team captain directly and once a new date has been agreed let me know so that I can update the fixture list.

Please also note the following points:

* An up-to-date fixture list, league rules, match score sheets, full match results, league tables and contact details for Team Captains, can be found on this website on the individual league pages or Calendar on the home page. Due to the continuing uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, any match cancelled at short notice due to a Covid related circumstance will be treated as an emergency under League Rule 2(b) and the two team captains will have up to three weeks from the scheduled date of the match to agree a new date before the match is declared void. All AC league matches should be played in accordance with the 7th Edition of the Laws of Association Croquet as adopted by the CA with effect from the 1st March. New League Rule 24(b) requires that match score sheets for level play GC matches must present the results of individual games in the order in which they are played to comply with the requirements of the CA grading system and, unless agreed otherwise by the team captains, the default sequence of games is that shown on the NWFed match score sheet.

As always, any questions or problems please don’t hesitate to get in touch in the normal way, either by email ivan.wheatley@gmail.com or by telephone 07881581349.

Ivan Wheatley, NWFed League Manager

Executive Summary: NWFCC Spring Club Meeting by Zoom – Saturday 6^th March 2021

Chairman, Paul Rigge welcomed 19 delegates on Zoom to the Meeting in addition to 17 members on You Tube. He thanked Eugene Chang of the CA for facilitating the Meeting on the CA Account.  Minutes of the last Meetings (An SGM and an AGM) on the 14^th November were confirmed and there were no matters arising.  

League Manager, Ivan Wheatley has received entries from 49 teams for the 2021 League Season and scheduled a full programme of matches, unfortunately, these must now be re-scheduled in the light of current Covid restrictions.  He recommended the season should now start on 17 May and end in September with a revised fixture calender – this will involve playing matches more frequently in the Level Play GC, Level Play AC and Midweek AC leagues but necessitate splitting the other leagues.  Consequently the Handicap AC, Handicap GC and Short Leagues will each be split into a North and South division of 4 or 5 teams each with an ‘all play all’ format.  The annual Festival of Croquet was discussed at length and a new date of 14/15 August agreed for this year.  

Sarah Andrews, Development Officer, explained the Development Committee will have a new focus to identify future funding sources.  She has been instrumental in securing grants for Fylde and Crake Valley and is in discussions with a possible new group in the West Pennines.  David Cornes was elected as the Federation Development Officer to replace Sarah.  Jean Hargreaves, Safeguarding Officer, reminded the meeting of new documents on the website about safeguarding children and the meeting formally adopted the new Child Safeguarding Policy.  A further set of documents is in preparation relating to vulnerable adults.  Don Williamson reminded the meetingof the new rules regarding GC handicapping.  Tony Thomas, Webmaster, described some new security measures regarding email addresses on the website and only Mobile telephone numbers are now listed in contact lists.  We are looking forward to the start of the season on 29 March and appealed for photographs from clubs on the theme “Happy to be Back”,

The League Manager, Ivan Wheatley described changes to the League Rules for 2021.  His original draft last November has been amended to incorporate changes required by the recent publication of the 7^thEdition of AC Laws and changes to Tournament Regulations.  These allow for Alternate Doubles in AC matches, new procedures at the end of time limited games.  When playing Level Play GC, games must be recorded in the order of play.  

The Federation reqires a Logo and 37 designs have been submitted by members.  These are being considered by the Federation committee.

There were various Club announcements.  Several Bowdon members have won national tournaments and several of their younger players are in the National Training Programme.  Bury are expanding their Internal Tournament programme and have attracted two national tournaments in 2021.  Chester are running social events for their local hospital and hope to attract new members.  The national Apps Healey award has been awarded to Crake Valley for their recent improvents and these have been continued with improved drainage and landscaping.  Craig-y-Don have a new Mower and Lining Equipment in addition to new toilet facilities.  Culcheth have secured a further year to play at Datem Sports Club.  Fylde have been awarded a CA Grant to improve lawns and drainage.  LLanfairfechan have doubled their membership in the last year and will be hosting the national North and Mid Wales GC tournament this year.  Pendle managed to hold five ‘Covid Safe’ tournaments in 2020 and have improved their North Gate access and installed  more hard standing.  Southport hosted two prestigious national tournaments in 2020, they have 200m of plastic drainpipe for sale, ideal for use as Ball Guards.  Westmorland have re-seeded their lawns and have recruited ten new members.

The next Club Meeting will be the Federation AGM on 13^th November 2021

14 March 2021 – Draft Minutes of Meeting issued – you can read them here

North West Federation Spring Club Meeting – Sat 6 March 2021 via Zoom

The north West Federation of Croquet Clubs will be holding the annual Spring Meeting of Clubs on Saturday 6th March 2021.

The Meeting will be held via Zoom and also YouTube. In order to facilitate voting procedures, all clubs should notify the Federation Secretary, Angharrad Walters who their representative is.

The Secretary will send out details on how club representatives and voting members can join the Meeting nearer the time. However, observers can join the meeting on You Tube via this link – https://youtu.be/0JJPR8u0JVM

You can download the following documents in preparation for the Meeting:

2021 Spring Meeting Agenda
Draft Minutes of the November 2020 AGM
Draft Minutes of the November 2020 SGM
2021 NWFCC Accounts as at January
2021 Draft League Rules
2021 CA Child Safeguarding Policy Summary

At the Meeting three will also be a discussion about a proposed Federation Logo – see the entries so far submitted – HERE