Sixty-two teams from twenty-eight clubs will be competing in five divisions of the Shrewsbury Senior Citizens Bowling League this season.

The popular league has around 700 registered players, 360 of whom bowl weekly. The sponsor for the 18th season is Shrewsbury-based caravan, motorhome and campervan dealership Salop Leisure, which has regional sales centres in Machynlleth and Stourport-on-Severn.  

Whilst the majority of matches are played on Thursday afternoons, ten teams play their home matches on Wednesday afternoons. This season, Division 1 matches started at the end of March, and Divisions 2 to 5 started in early April.

Since last season, two teams have withdrawn, but three new teams have joined the league, bringing the total number from 61 in 2025 to 62 this year.

Member clubs span an area stretching from Llanrhaeadr y Mochnant and Oswestry in the north to Craven Arms, Bishops Castle, and Worthen and Brockton in the south.

“The league provides friendly competition and a valued social activity for retired people to enjoy every week,” said league secretary Chris Kershaw. “Having an afternoon senior citizens league enables some of the older bowlers, who don’t like bowling in the evening, to carry on playing competitively.” 

Three League Team Knock-Out competitions - the Dick Meyrick Cup for the top 16 teams, the Ron Smout Cup for the next 16 teams and the Sponsor’s Shield for the remaining teams - will all be played in 2026, with the semi-finals and finals at Meole Brace Bowling Club and Old Shrewsbury Bowling Club in early and late August.

The league’s annual singles knockout competition will be held on July 6, and the doubles on August 3, both at Meole Brace. The annual inter-league challenge match against the Mid Shropshire Senior Citizens Bowling League for the Dixon Cup will be played on September 7 at Old Shrewsbury Bowling Club.

The season culminates with a President’s Day competition for the Bill Garratt President’s Cup on Wednesday, September 9 at Meole Brace. 

Ed Glover, Head of Marketing at Salop Leisure, said the company was proud to be associated with such a successful league. 

“Many of the players in this league are caravan owners and customers of Salop Leisure who stay active and make the most of their leisure time in retirement,” he said. “Long may this very popular league and the clubs continue to prosper.” 

League officials are president, Margaret Cooper from Castlefields GWR BC, chairman, Roger Whitfield from Battlefield BC, secretary, Chris Kershaw from Meole Brace BC, treasurer, Paul Adams from Battlefield BC and deputy chairman, Martin Blizard from Meole Brace BC.