LETTERS CONTINUED
Readers are reminded that the views expressed in the le8ers pages of the Gaze8e are those of the authors only, and not those of their clubs, unless specifically indicated.
GLOBAL WARMING AND CROQUET
Should the 7tle be Global Warning? My view is not based on any science which comes from somewhere like the Met Office, but on a conversa7on I had with Pete. Pete had been our contrac7ng mower of lawns for 30 years and I asked if there had been any significant changes during his 7me with us. A'er a short period of thought, which is always accompanied by the use of the index finger and thumb forming a “v” to stroke the point of the chin, he said "yes". He informed me that in recent years he started to mow the lawns three weeks earlier and reduced mowing about three weeks later than when he first started with us. One hopes therefore that a commi8ee somewhere within Croquet England is giving this some serious thought? Do "hot" countries play in the morning and late a'ernoon only? Floodlights powered by solar energy? Does Duncan Hector have anything to say on the subject?
Should the grant/loan systems give priority to rainwater collec7on in "wet" 7mes? What about indoor courts or ar7ficial surfaces? Water sta7ons around the courts? Can the shop supply Croquet England water flasks? Should there be more encouragement for shorter forms of the game? I o'en hear the "shorter" argument in favour of GC. I wonder if climate change might be a subconscious factor? Tournament play to be on courts with longer‐cut grass? I understand that tennis balls are 6% heavier and grass tennis courts are “slower”. I remember si9ng in an outdoor café in Singapore which had a mis7ng system to keep customers cool. Klim Seabright, Cheltenham Croquet Club
THE WORLD CROQUET FEDERATION (WCF) ARE RECRUITING FOR A NEW SECRETARY‐GENERAL, A NEW TREASURER AND NEW MEMBERS OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
By Ian Lines Chair of Interna0onal Commi1ee
Debbie Lines has advised that she does not intend to do a second term as Secretary‐General and that she will therefore re7re on 31st December 2025. Croquet England would like to thank her for her hard work over the past 5 years. The WCF Management Commi8ee are looking for a replacement to start on 1st September 2025, so that there is a four‐month hand‐over period. Furthermore, five members of the current Management Commi8ee, including the Treasurer, finish their terms at the end of this year, and not all of them have indicated they wish to stand for a second term. In par7cular, the current Treasurer has indicated that he will not be standing again. With Debbie leaving, the Management Commi8ee will have no UK based representa7ves. Croquet England would therefore like to encourage English or UK based candidates to come forward. We think it is important that the WCF Management Commi8ee includes representa7ves from our region from 2026 onward. We encourage candidates to talk to those familiar with the WCF and how it operates, before applying for any of the above roles. Both Debbie Lines and the current members of
the Management Commi8ee are all more than happy to respond to queries. To find out more about the Secretary‐General role and how to apply, please visit: h8ps://worldcroquet.org/recruitment‐of‐ new‐secretary‐general/. Applica7ons and enquiries should be sent to secretary@worldcroquet.org by 15th July 2025. Nomina7ons for the other roles on the Management Commi8ee should be made via Croquet England, who will put forward one or more candidates later in the year, when applica7ons open. To express an interest, please contact Ian Lines, current Chair of the Croquet England Interna7onal Commi8ee. Email: ian.lines@croquetengland.org.uk. The WCF is the governing body for the sport of croquet. The WCF organises and runs all the World and European Championships and also administers the sport, so it maintains and oversees the Rankings (GC and AC), the GC Rules and AC Laws, the Refereeing Regula7ons etc. If interested in ge9ng involved, we recommend reading the WCF’s Business Plan: h8ps://worldcroquet.org/wcf‐business/business‐plans/ and also some previous ‘Annual Management Commi8ee Reports’, which can be found here: h8ps://worldcroquet.org/wcf‐ business/management‐commi8ee/.
www.croquetengland.org.uk | 9
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