Croquet For All
For some while the idea of a Newport Croquet Club has been gestating its embryonic form in the breasts of a few enthusiastic Newport residents.
We have now secured a section of the new recreation ground in Newport and have been designated a development club by the Croquet Association. We are now in a position to formally form a club and are calling an inaugural meeting at 7pm on Thursday 21 June at the Old Maltings, High Street. Telephone Saffron Walden 40293 at which an officer of the Croquet Association will be present.
The proposed club will cater for a wide area, including that covered by your newspaper.
Croquet is an enjoyable family game and anyone interested in joining the club will be most welcome at the inaugural meeting.
J.S. Gordon.
The Old Maltings.
21 June Thursday 1984
A Bit of History June 1984
Newport Recreation Ground
By the time this issue of Newport News is published, readers who are interested in the sporting activities of the village will have seen the final preparation of the ground. Thanks to a concentrated effort over the last year, mainly by cricket club members, the mammoth task of cutting and stone picking has been completed and all that is now needed is regular maintenance and improvement of the playing surface.
During the summer the football clubs will be committed to preparing their pitches ready for the 1984/85 season and the cricket club will continue to work on the square with the hope that a special inaugural match can be played this year.
The Newport Croquet Club has now been formed and work on the greens should start very soon.
Considerable interest has been expressed for the formation of a Bowls Club, but despite a number of surveys nobody has come forward a club and serve on the committee. We think that it is essential that as many sporting activities as possible are played at the New Ground, but clubs do not just happen, people have to put themselves forward and we as a committee will offer all the help we can.
In the past Newport has tended to lose the best of it sportsmen due to lack of facilities and the original plans called for two sets of dressing rooms together with a large pavilion suitable for social events. Unfortunately due to lack of funds we only have been able to provide one set of dressing rooms.
Until we can proceed with further building, which will have to be on a voluntary labour basis, we will have to erect some temporary buildings to serve as a clubhouse. We would be pleased to hear from anybody who can help us to obtain suitable structures, such as large cheap Portacabins.
To achieve our final aim we need your help. Please support us in our fund raising activities!
Finally we would like to thank Chris Crouch and John Rutherford for the use of their equipment which has been invaluable.
