Well here we are, the 100^th anniversary year of our great Association and I cannot really find adequate words to express how thrilled, delighted and honoured I am to be President during this historic year.

I thank everybody who has encouraged me along the way, my Club Northfleet B.C. for putting forward my nomination and their subsequent unconditional support, the Officers of the Association who cajoled me in the first place, and many others.

The achievement of any Association such as ours to exist and flourish for 100 years speaks volumes for the calibre of its Officers and the support of its members. The history of the Association is well documented and a précis by Leon King, based on a much more in depth work by Dick Snell which can be seen on the website, is included in this Centenary Year Book. I am very proud to have played a small part in that history over the last 30 years and now, as your President, it is incumbent upon me to uphold the standards set by my predecessors and ensure that the high regard that the Kent County Bowling Association has in the bowling world, continues.

Our Centenary Sub-Committee has been very busy compiling a programme of events to mark this special year which, on paper, looks to be quite hectic. May I thank all the clubs who have made this possible by making their facilities available. Our neighbours, Middlesex and Surrey, are also celebrating their Centenaries and each of us will host a celebratory match. In order to accommodate my wish to embrace all Clubs in the celebrations, something of a logistical nightmare, a special event has been arranged in each Division to which every club will have the opportunity to send a representative. Small beer, I know, and how I wish we could include more, but unfortunately it is not possible.  I am also looking forward to the President & Council match programme and visiting those clubs who are celebrating their own special anniversary. To end the season we have a celebratory Centenary Presentation Luncheon at the Ramada Hotel, Hollingbourne.

During his Presidential year, Alan Easterbrook supported a charity, the Papworth Hospital Trust, which was close to his heart. I had not given any thought to supporting a charity during my year until I was approached by Matt Lonie, our current Singles Champion who was born with Cystic Fibrosis and has undergone heart and lung transplantation. In September he intends to do ‘The Three Peaks Challenge’ in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis charity. I had no hesitation in agreeing to support his efforts and I hope you will all join me.

Inevitably, people are going to say ‘wouldn’t it be nice to win the Middleton Cup in our Centenary Year’. Of course it would, and there is no reason why we should not, but above all it is my wish that everyone who is a member of this great County of ours, win or lose, takes this one off opportunity to enjoy its’ Centenary.  

Mick Bannister

President