*******19-APR-21*******

 

Dear Skittlers

 

We hope this finds you and your families safe and well.

 

We’ve recently sent an email out to all team contacts with a view to finding out how teams feel about resuming skittles in the coming winter season. We’re asking those contacts to speak with their team members for their input. As we all know the Prime Minister has set out a ‘road-map’ for coming out of the current situation and it may be that come September we will be able to start thinking about playing skittles once more. We want to do our best to support our loyal venues who’ve been going through such a tough time lately as without them we won’t be able to play our game at all.

 

However, in order for us to play it will still depend on where we are in relation to social distancing and whether our venues are able to accommodate us. As Covid-19 will not have disappeared we will probably not be able to just go back to playing skittles as we once did without a second thought to our health and those around us. Some of our players may decide that even though they’ve had a vaccine they no longer wish to go out and be in a confined space with a lot of people, especially during the winter months. That will be a matter of personal preference. We will also have to be prepared to put our games ‘on hold’ if the situation arises where restrictions are re-instated.

 

We’ve asked the team contacts to speak with their members to find out how many really want to take part during the coming winter (2021-2022). We’ve also asked them to contact the venue where they’d like to play their home games and to find out if they can be accommodated on their preferred ‘home’ night of play.

 

Just to get us playing again it may be that we’ll have to reduce the number of team members who can play on a given night. We may also have to forego cup games and just play a shortened league season, perhaps playing on a different night to that which we were used to playing on. As we’ve always said we don’t have a crystal ball and we have no idea how long Covid-19 and any restrictions will be with us, so we will have to learn as we go along.

 

We are aware that depending on their circumstances some venues may not be open again until at least 17 May and so we’ve asked for all feedback by the end of May. Then as a committee we can discuss the answers received and plan accordingly.

 

With kind regards,

Mary

EDSL League Secretary and on behalf of your Committee

 

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

****24-Sep-20****

 

Dear Skittlers

 

We hope that everyone and their loved ones are well.

 

On 22-SEP-20 the Prime Minister announced further restrictions in the on-going fight against Covid-19.

 

In July we had thought of maybe running a mini-league in the spring, but given the current situation this is just not feasible. It can come as no surprise to you today to learn that the EDSL season 2020-2021 will not be taking place under any circumstances.

 

There is no governing body for skittles and there are no specific Government guidelines available for skittle leagues up and down the country. We have to rely on our own common-sense. Just consider how many people handle the same set of balls, which are hitting the same set of pins, which a sticker-up has to replace in position and return the balls for another bowler to do the same, and the game is played in an indoor setting. Our aim has to be the safety of everyone concerned.

 

Some of our venues may consider playing skittles if they are allowed to under Govt guidelines. If they feel that they can organise in-house competitions under their own stewardship then we will provide any information we are supplied with on this website.

 

We can only hope that our venues can survive to be there for us when we are able to resume playing. You can help them by using the venues – in line with Govt guidelines. As we’ve said all along, we don’t have a crystal ball. We sincerely hope to be able to resume league skittles at some time, but it may be a long way off.

 

Please everyone, take care. Please stay alert, help to control the virus, and help to save lives. We wish everyone continued good health and we will be in touch with your nominated representatives as soon as we are able to do so.

 

With kind regards,

Mary

EDSL League Secretary and on behalf of your Committee

 

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

**** 31-Jul-20 ****

 

Dear Skittlers

 

We hope this message finds everyone and their loved ones well.

 

Recently the Government set out a timetable for further easing of lockdown restrictions and an ambition to remove social distancing measures completely by November. Assuming infection and transmission rates remained low, further changes were planned from 1 August, but just today those changes have been put back to 15 August. The virus has not gone away and we all still have a responsibility to keep each other safe. 

 

Normally our season would run from September through to April/May. The purpose of this note is to alert everyone that your committee has no intention of starting a new season this side of Christmas, and may be not even in the spring. Everything depends on the management of the virus and it will only be when the Government announces that social distancing can be completely relaxed and people from multiple households can freely meet again indoors to play the pub sports we all know and love. 

 

When we reach that point, and assuming that your chosen alley is available, we will use the information on the form that teams completed at the start of the null & void 2019-20 season. We know that some teams change their captains regularly, so if any of your contact details change then please let me know as soon as possible.

 

Unfortunately, we don't have a crystal ball. We hope that all of our venues can survive until we are able to reinstate the skittles league, but until we come out the 'other side' we simply don't know. When we know it is safe to do so, we will contact your nominated representative to see if your team still wants to play in the league and we will then be able to make plans accordingly.

 

In the meantime, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all continued good health.

 

With kind regards,

Mary

EDSL League Secretary and on behalf of your Committee

 

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

** 19 May 2020 **

 

Resuming EDSL Skittles

 

Dear Skittlers

 

We hope this message finds everyone and their loved ones well.
 
When we took the decision to declare the 2019-2020 season null & void we obviously had no idea of the impact Covid-19 would have on all our lives. We used to go out to play our games and we freely mixed with our team-mates and the opposition, we picked up balls and pins that had been handled by everyone else without a second thought, although some of us cringed when we saw people licking their fingers or wiping their hands on damp cloths before picking the balls up.
 
At the time that we took the decision to stop playing we told you that all the teams who had played in the null & void season would be re-entered for the 2020-21 league season without cost. Currently we have no idea when the 'new season' will be able to start. We hear today that the Environment Secretary is hopeful that pubs will be able to reopen in July with appropriate social distancing measures in place. It will only be when the Government announces that social distancing is completely relaxed and that we can mix with multiple people from outside our homes and participate in inside team games that we, as in your committee, will be in a position to start thinking about resuming our game. 
 
When we reach that point, and assuming that your chosen alley is available, we will use the information on the form that teams completed at the start of the null & void 2019-20 season. We know that some teams change their captains regularly, so if any of your contact details change then please let me know as soon as possible. Already one team, Rowdies from Division 3, have announced their withdrawal from the league.
 
Unfortunately, we don't have a crystal ball. We hope that all of our venues can survive until we are able to re-instate the skittles league, but until we come out the 'other side' we simply don't know. When we know it is safe to do so, we will contact your nominated representative to see if your team still wants to play in the league and we will then be able to make plans accordingly.
 
In the meantime, we wish you all an enjoyable and healthy summer.
 
With kind regards and best wishes for good health,
Mary
EDSL League Secretary and on behalf on your Committee

 

 

** 15th March 2020 **

 

Important announcement concerning Covid-19

 

Dear Skittlers

The committee of the Evesham and District Skittles League has with regret taken the extraordinary decision to cease the skittles season with immediate effect.

As the national crisis with regards to Covid-19 escalates, it is now foreseeable that the final weeks of the league season (including cup competitions) are unlikely to be fully completed without significant disruption – if at all. We have a duty to you all to ensure that our competitions do not unduly place your health at risk, by requiring the completion of outstanding fixtures. There are a significant number of skittlers who will be in vulnerable groups, due to age and underlying medical conditions. Whilst this is the removal of a hugely enjoyable recreational, social and competitive activity, and we are sure there will be some disagreement in this decision – skittles is not a matter of ‘life or death’. Sadly, this virus will be.

It is our decision that the 2019/20 season is declared null and void. There will be no trophies awarded, no promotion or relegations, no completion of the cup competitions. All teams will be re-entered for the 2020/21 league season without cost.

We are very conscious that there is also a significant effect to those pubs and clubs who host us and provide facilities for skittles. Their livelihood is directly affected by this decision and we encourage you to frequent their premises if you are in good health during this difficult time.

Finally, may we wish you all and your families good health during this difficult period and pray that we can all re-engage for the AGM in the summer.

The Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registration Night (20-MAY) 

&

AGM (24-JUN)

Will not take place

As stated above all current teams will be entered into season 2020/21 at no cost.

Information about the new season will be sent out when we have news to tell you.

In the meantime we wish everyone a healthy outcome to the current situation.

 

With kind regards and best wishes to keep well,

The Committee

19-March-20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reminder regarding results:

 

All League match results to be sent to skittlesresults@gmail.com

 

The in-box is not monitored 24/7, you will receive an automated reply to confirm receipt and John will contact you if he has any queries

 

All Cup match results to be sent to cupresults@gmail.com

 

 

 

If you've any comments to make about this season's layout we'd love to hear your emailed views to skittlessecretary@gmail.com 
 
Your committee members are all individuals who've volunteered (and been elected by the delegates at an AGM) to run the league for you so please give us some feedback about how you think we're doing in running your league. And, if you can send it to us in email format it's so much easier to share amongst committee members without getting lost in translation.