CYD Croquet Club News

 

Weekly News No. 3- 2026

 

Hi there CYD Croqueters -                               - We now have 50 playing members who have paid their annual fee so far…..But…..Where are the other 20 who intend joining?

You must be paid up to attend the AGM at the Community Centre Room 1 at 1.50 pm on Wednesday 29th April!!??

 

We promised the membership at last year's AGM that we would bring forward a new Constitution for the club since ours was old fashioned and unwieldy.

The history of our constitution started when our founding members some 13 years ago, who mostly came from Llanfairfechan Croquet Club, simply adopted a similar document to that in place at Llanfairfechan, with name changes 'to protect the innocent'?? Since then it has basically been expanded by myself adding lots of stuff to do with policies which shouldn't really sit in a constitution but we had nowhere else suitable for them to live.

We are very fortunate to have some members far more experienced in these quasi legal matters than me, Alison and Roy, and I am delighted to give you all a copy of the new constitution which we will put to membership for adoption at the AGM.

Alison has been responsible for the drafting, aided and abetted by Roy and my old cobbled version of a constitution.

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We still have some more work to do in committee to sort out where we put our working policies, but they also need to be modernised and held on the website.

The constitution will be permanently held on our website for any viewer to see and you can download and print the proposed -  from this news release, by highlighting the whole constitution and printing it off yourselves or downloading it from the word document link at the top of the page. 

This new constitution will be put to the AGM on April 29th, where we need a 2/3 majority of paid-up members present to adopt same.

Then over the next few months we can ensure all our policies and procedures are reviewed by the Committee and fit for purpose as we move into a new and exciting chapter of the Club, building our new Community pavilion. The policies and procedures are the responsibility of our Committee and do not need AGM approval.

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THE SHERATON CUP

If you haven’t already heard, Helen Walker won the ‘Sheraton Cup’ beating me on the Golden Hoop in her semi-final and Jeff in the final! She was behind me for the first 11 hoops before drawing level at 6-6 before she played her ‘Coup de grass!’ and it was unlucky 13 ‘poor moi!’  She followed that victory by leading Jeff a merry dance teasing him to draw level at 6-6 before sticking a dagger in the back of his hoop 13!!! I totally blame Jeff for giving her extra lessons and coaching.

The grandstand erupted in tears of joy whilst Chairman Roy invited host Michael Smee who with great pleasure crowned Helen the worthy winner and presented her with the trophy!!

Take a look at the photos and Jeff's version of events:- see  -  Sheraton Cup

 

SOCIAL SUNDAY

Do we have a volunteer for next Sunday afternoon’s golf doubles drop-in?

 

LISTS ON THE NOTICE BOARDS

Lists for players in the Dukes Trophy on 30th April and the First Round Robin on 13th May are currently on the notice boards. First come, first served for playing slots.

 

That’s the news for now folks. Next bulletin next weekend.

Cheers    John Sec

 

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Easter Sunday 5th April 2026

 

​Please pay your membership fee if you haven’t done so already!

Membership fees are due on or after Wednesday 1st April as well! 2026 Membership Fees:-Membership fees are due in early April, (not before for Bacs payments) and must be paid before the AGM which is in the CYD Community Centre on Wednesday April 29th. The 2026 playing fees agreed by your management committee are £110 for club members to be registered with Croq E; £100 for members paying their Croq E fee through another club (eg Llanfairfechan); £70 for Country members including their Croq E registration or £60 for Country members already paying their Croq E fee elsewhere. Young players of school age, college students and those who seek assistance with the fees, should raise the matter with a committee member

.Payment can be made in cash using our envelope and post-box system in the club house or preferably electronically by Bacs, to Craig Y Don Croquet Club; dated 1st April 2026; HSBC account number 31747339; sort code 40-30-07. Please make sure you write your name and amount you are paying on the outside of the envelope and your name plus the reference CYD Croq. in the Bacs reference system.

If you are paying by cash please post the envelope in the club post-box from now.

 

Thanks to our working party members on the lawn and garden lead by Dave Burke, croquet play at Craig Y don Club started on the afternoon of March 31st. The drop-in Wednesday, 1st April, saw 20 + club members on all four half lawns having fun and fresh air at long last, after an awfully long, cold, damp, dark, windy winter! Hopefully Easter Sunday afternoon will be dry enough to allow another gang to get going on the first drop-in Sunday of the season. (Would members please let me now if they are prepared to take charge of these Wednesday and/or Sunday afternoons, and if so if they could tell me the dates they are available.)

 

As happened last year, those members who wish to learn and/or improve their skill at Association Croquet, should attend the lawn on Monday mornings by 10.30 am, when Association croquet has the priority for the morning session. I will be taking a group on Tuesday mornings of new members and existing, who wish to follow an eight-week induction on how our club was formed, how it is run, health and safety versus perceived risks etc and basic golf skills. Basic golf skills will include playing with secondary balls, playing on the long lawn and Advantage handicapping for competitive club games. I will be taking a maximum of eight trainees, those with least experience. If you want to take part, please let me now by email in advance, johmhannah@gmail.com (The spelling of john as johm is deliberate!) This will start at 10.00 am this coming Tuesday weather permitting. Two long lawns will be laid out. To begin with, one is likely to be spare, so other club members can come and play golf doubles on a long lawn, but I may ask them to take a novice or two into their game to offer some tips, tricks and coaching!

 

As you know we are not taking part in a league this year, so the whole lawn is divided into two long lawns which make four short (1/2 sized) lawns. There is no overlap, so the lawns are slightly smaller than last year. There is a strip of lawn alongside the garden area which can be divided by eye in half providing two even smaller lawns for shooting and jump shot practice and are perfectly adequate for fun games of croquet. We have three sets of push in hoops hanging on the rafters of the clubhouse that you can use for that purpose!

 

We have a number of functions coming at us fast. Put your name down ASAP if you want to play in the open events. These are:-

 

Next Thursday 9th April, The semi-finals and final of the Sheraton Cup for winter croquet. Taking place at ‘Sheraton’, Craigside. Gathering at 10.00 am for a 10.30 am start. Refreshments are being provided. (No charge for this event)

 

This is the required notice given to you members of the club’s 2026 AGM (see draft agenda at the end of this news article) at 1.45 pm on Wednesday 29th April in room 1 of the CYD Community Centre. Refreshments will be available from the croquet clubhouse after the AGM at circa 3.30 pm. (no charge for this event)

 

Next day, Thursday 30th April. The Dukes Trophy.

A Singles, Level Play (no handicaps), One Ball, Golf Croquet, Short Lawn, Knockout Competition - with a plate prize for those knocked out in the first round. (See The Dukes Trophy 2025) All members are invited to sign up and take part on a ‘First come, First served’ basis. Cost to enter £3.00. The list to enter will be going on the notice boards at 12 noon on Tuesday 7th April.

Wednesday 13th May brings the first of our two ‘Round Robin’ competitions. Take a look at last year’s success on

-Round Robin-21st-may-2025 Cost to enter £3.00. The list to enter will be going on the notice boards by 2.00 pm on Thursday 9th April.

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Draft AGM Agenda is as follows: -

Wednesday 29th April 2026 1.45 pm for 2.00 pm start. Room 1 CYD Community Centre

1. Welcome and Apologies for Absence at 2.00 pm.

2. Minutes of the previous meeting held the 30th April 2025: -

for Approval: - Proposed by seconded by

3. Chairman's Report:-

The Chairman will give a verbal annual report of last year’s activities at the meeting which will be circulated in due course with the draft minutes.

4. The Club Constitution: -

Changes previously circulated for AGM approval.

Proposed by seconded by

5. Finance and Accounts: -

a) Financial report 2025/26

b) Scrutinised Annual Accounts 2025/26

for Approval:- Proposed by seconded by

6. The new Croquet Club Community Pavilion:-

Positional Statement and discussion led by the Chairman.

7. The CYD Croquet Club Website and Facebook Pages

Presentation and discussion

8. Election of Officers and Committee:-

Current Committee members are offered for re-election. Volunteers from the floor for co-option are welcomed to increase committee membership and experience.

9. Q&A:-

Questions must be submitted in writing to The Chair or Secretary by 5.00 pm on Friday 24th April.

10. AOB

11. Close of AGM.

12. Refreshments and Croquet.

Refreshments from the clubhouse and croquet on the lawn from 3.30 pm or earlier.

PLEASE NOTE CROQUET IS SUSPENDED WHILST THE AGM TAKES PLACE

 

 

Next News Bulletin Sunday 12th April………………Cheers John Sec

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