This is a polite reminder to affiliated Clubs and Leagues that the the North Lancs & Fylde and BCGBA Affiliation fees are due for payment, with the deadline of 30th April 2025.
Affiliation forms can be downloaded from the NLFCBA website. Please click on the link: https://nlfcba.com/documents/
Payments can be made via BACS (Bank Transfer) or by cheque in the post to the County Financial Officer, Neil Payne. Forms can be downloaded and must be fully completed and sent with the payment. (Note: if payment is by BACS (Bank transfer), then please email the affiliation form to financeofficer.nlfcba@gmail.com
Many thanks to those Clubs and Leagues that have made payment to date.
If any Club or League has changed their Secretary recently, can you please email the County Secretary at secretary.nlfcba@gmail.com so we can update our records.
Please see below information regarding the Ribblesdale Classic 2025 which takes place during April and May at Ribblesdale Wanderers Sports Club in Clitheroe and is now a qualifying event for the end of season BCGBA Champion of Champions
COMING SOON! Starting on Saturday 12th April, one of the sports biggest events gets underway in our County, please share to your fellow members & friends. Finals Day is Sunday 25th May.
The sixth running of The Ribblesdale Classic gets underway next weekend as players from across the UK & IOM do battle for the respective titles. The action kicks off with a double header on the opening weekend as the qualifying action starts on Saturday 12th April 11am and continues on Sunday 13th April at 6pm. These are the first sessions of eight qualifying sessions to take place over April & May at Ribblesdale Wanderers Sports Club in Clitheroe.
This years competition is once again the largest of its kind. With an increased total prize money of £8000 and is the biggest of any competition with 128 entries. We are delighted to have the sports elite coming to the picturesque Ribble Valley for our event once again.
128 bowlers will do battle to try win the magnificent trophy and the first prize of £1600!!
Starting on Sunday 20th April at 2.45, The £1300 Junior Ribblesdale Classic gets underway showcasing the future of the sport. Battling it out over 2 qualifying sessions the 32 juniors are looking to win an impressive £400 first prize.
All juniors will receive merchandise from Drakes Pride. This will include a Drakes Pride Microfibre Towel, Cap, Stickers and Footer. Thanks go to Drakes Pride and Clitheroe Town Council for their support. The qualifiers will also get shirts for the finals day thanks to The Mel Evans MBE Foundation.
We have loads in store across April and May. As well as the top quality bowls action we have Bowland Brewery Towels for all competitors in The Ribblesdale Classic.
We also have a Bowland Brewery outdoor bar with range of their fantastic products for all to enjoy on Finals Day.
Why not get involved in The Ribblesdale Classic Predictor League. It’s simple each week pick two players per qualifying sessions and the more games they win the more points you get. There is also double points on Finals Day. It’s just £5 entry and a large entry so far sees a big prize pot. Whether you’re a fan or in the event why not have a go!
Want more information and want to follow this years event?
Find us on Facebook and Instagram @The Ribblesdale Classic!
Finals Day – Sunday 25th May 2.30/3.00 (Bank Holiday Weekend)
Total Prize Money – £8000
Winner £1600
Runner Up £1000
Semi Finalists £550
Quarter Finalists £325
Last 16 £175
Losing Qualifying Game £100
The winner will qualify for the BCGBA Champion of Champions
Find out who’s playing when on our social media platforms, on BWLS and Brighton Bowler.
The £1300 Junior Ribblesdale Classic
Qualifying Dates:
JQ1 – Sunday 20th April 2.15/2.45
JQ2 – Saturday 17th May 5.30/6.00
Finals Day – Final 8
(Bank Holiday) Sunday 25th May 12.00/12.30 (QF & SF)
The actual Final will take place during The Ribblesdale Classic Finals Day between the QF & SF around 6.00pm. A unique opportunity for the juniors to play infront of a large crowd!
Total Prize Money £1300
Winner £400
Runner Up £200
Semi Finalists £120
Quarter Finalists £60
Losing Qualifying Game £25
Highest Break on Finals Day £20
Juniors who win one match will receive £25
The Winner will also receive a free entry into The Ribblesdale Classic 2026.
We would like thank all our amazing sponsors, partners and supporters. Please check the out and support them where you can.
Also be sure to join us at Ribblesdale Wanderers over April & May for one of our sports biggest events. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and let all your friends and fellow members know about the event.
Main Sponsors & Partners of The Ribblesdale Classic 2025:
Bowland Brewery, Home Eco Group, Farnsworths Fresh Foods , Clitheroe Town Council, Alpha Graphic Machinery UK Ltd
Sponsors, Partners and Supporters of The Ribblesdale Classic & The Junior Ribblesdale Classic
RPF Commericals & RPF Truck Hire, Studio Eleven, Kepak Home of Rustlers, Harrisons Engineering Lancashire Ltd, Ellenby Construction, Grange Valley Amusements, The Grass Doctor, DW Electrical (David Watters), Bowls Buddies, Well Bowled, Isle of Man Bowls Festival, Mel Evans MBE Foundation, Fort Vale Foundation, Jon Metters, Bob Horrocks & Members of Ribblesdale Wanderers.
Why not come along and watch the top quality action? On any of our qualifying sessions it’s free entry! Or join us on our Finals Day where we have loads planned for players and spectators on Sunday 25th May.
Champion of League Champions 2025 – Saturday 5th April at St. Andrews Cricket & Bowling Club, Burnley
Simon Coupe became a 4th time winner of North Lancs and Fylde County Bowling Association Champion of Champions. He beat Jonathan Lacey 21-20 in a superb final. Thanks to St.Andrews for hosting and everyone who helped out. Excellent day of bowling in the sunshine.
Quarter Final Results:
Jonathan Lacey 21 Callum Danson 5 Andy White 21 Whelan 15 Alan Davies 21 Eamon Hernen 20 Simon Coupe 21 Scott Taylor 11
Semi-Finals
Jonathan Lacey 21 Andy White 19 Simon Coupe 21 Alan Davies 7
Final
Simon Coupe 21 Jonathan Lacey 20
Left- 2025 Champion of Champions Winner Simon Coupe with President Brian Swift. Right- Runner-Up Jonathan Lacey
Its now time to register your club for this years’ Bowls Big Weekend, 23rd – 26th May 2025
By participating, your Club can attract new members, raise awareness, and strengthen its ties with the local community.
All Clubs that register will receive a full marketing pack (in early April) to help you promote your event within your local area and on social media.
When you’re registering, select ‘BCGBA’ for Governing Body and then start typing your Club name BEFORE selecting your County. Doing that ensures that your Club appears on the affiliated list.
Places are still available for teams to enter this seasons ‘County League’. The aim of the league is to develop club bowling across the five district regions of our County: Fylde, Preston, Lancaster, Blackburn and East Lancs.
Part of the appeal of this league is the opportunity to play against new players, and on new greens. Open to new and experienced bowlers, open age, teams can be made up of male and female bowlers.
The general structure will be as follows:
6 players per team playing singles matches
6 teams per division, playing a standard home and away format through the season (April to September)
Games will be played fortnightly, with teams only having one away fixture per month
All matches to be played on Friday evenings
Promotion and relegation across divisions
If any team is interested in joining the league for the 2025 season, please email secretary.nlfcba@gmail.com
League and Match rules can be viewed on the NLFCBA website
The BCGBA AGM and Rules Revision Meeting was held yesterday, at Winnington Park, Cheshire, with the key outcomes being summarised below:
• The National Development Strategy was approved with an overwhelming majority. This will see the introduction of a £1 per player, per Club ‘Annual Development Fee’ being introduced. This money, which will be ringfenced, will go directly to expenditure highlighted within the BCGBA National Development Strategy, to support grassroots Clubs to grow and develop. The ‘Annual Development Fee’ will be for a minimum of 3 years, and will be reported on annually.
• Clarification within the Laws of the Sport that any bowl travelling over a footer must be returned.
• Introduction of a maximum weight of a bowl. This has been set at 3lb.
• Clarification within the Laws of the Sport that a disturbed bowl should be treated the same as a disturbed jack (as per existing law).
• Nicotine inhalers have been added to the list of devices that cannot be used on the green during play (unless there is a medical exemption).
• Clarification that players will not be allowed to play in bare or stocking feet.
• A proposal to add practice for Ladies County matches was not carried.
• The 18-23 Open Championship has been amended to 18-25.
• Changes to the structure of the World Club Team Championship were approved. This amends the group structure to round-robin matches for the qualifying rounds. As part of this, the competition name has been changed to the BCGBA Club Team Championship.
Full details will be circulated, in due course, to all Association Secretaries.
North Lancs & Fylde County Bowling Association 