ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AT BROADWAS CROQUET CLUB AND BROADWAS SPORTS ASSOCIATION
Broadwas Sports Association is the governing body that owns the land, buildings and equipment at Stoney Ley and manages all finances. It is a Community Amateur Sports Association (CASC) registered with HMRC. It is effectively a sporting charity, so it can receive donations given under Gift Aid. It has a constitution and is represented by three Trustees and has an executive Committee which is chaired by Geoff Winkworth. David Creed-Newton is the secretary. The executive Committee sets the membership fees.
Broadwas Croquet Club organises all croquet activities and oversees all aspects of the lawns and playing equipment. It is chaired by Fran Wall with John Guy as Captain, and David Kaner as the club’s new Secretary. Other Committee members and officers who do not sit on the Committee are listed below. Croquet and Bowls are currently the only sports played at Stoney Ley.
CROQUET CLUB MEMBER PROFILES
PRESIDENT AND LAWNS AND SITE MANAGER – John Steel
In addition to being Club President, John overseas all aspects of the lawn and building maintenance (aided by Jon Carrington and David Holt). John organises the general upkeep of the lawns, including fertilising and weed-killing etc, and organises irrigation and liaises with a contractor on the maintenance of fencing and hedges. John also investigates opportunities for grants.
CHAIRMAN – Fran Wall
Fran chairs AGM’s and Committee meetings. He is responsible for handling member grievances and is a member of the team which deals with the maintenance of tractors and mowers. Fran is also a mowing team member.
SECRETARY – David Kaner
David is the club secretary. He prepares agendas for the Committee and the AGM as well as producing the minutes of Committee and AGM meetings. David also calls AGM’s and SGM’s in accordance with the club’s constitution. David is a member of the club’s coaching team, having gained his Croquet England Club Coach’s qualification badge in 2025.
CLUB CAPTAIN – John Guy
As Club Captain, John proposes which external competitions Broadwas Croquet Club will enter and sets up captains for external competitions. John also proposes which internal competitions and tournaments the club will hold as well as managing internal knockout competitions and scratching players, if required. He is also responsible for organising fixtures and keeping the fixtures lists up to date, as well as maintaining the results book.
Additionally, John organises the engraving of trophies and the production of certificates at the end of the season and organises the handicap committee in setting and adjusting handicaps.
John also helps manage coaching sessions in both Association and Golf Croquet, as well as providing informal sessions for new members.
John ensures all new members complete appropriate documentation and pay appropriate fees and maintains all appropriate records of membership including on the Croquet England website. John also disseminates all information sent to the club from outside sources.
John is a Golf Croquet referee and coach and also organises the West Midlands Croquet Federation’s Association Croquet League.
COMMITTEE MEMBER and SPORTS ASSOCIATION TREASURER
– Stuart Smith
Stuart is the former Chair of Broadwas Croquet Club, but still serves on the club Committee. Stuart is also the Treasurer of the Broadwas Sports Association.
Stuart creates the mowing team rota as well as being a mowing team leader. Stuart is one of the setup captains for external competitions. Stuart also organises fixtures and investigates opportunities for corporate events to be held at the club and is the point of contact for corporate events.
LAWNS AND SITE MANAGER DEPUTY – Jon Carrington
Jon assists John Steel in all aspects of lawn and building maintenance and carried out important repairs to the pavilion flooring during the close season. John is also responsible for the maintenance of accessories such as hoops and pegs etc. John also serves on the croquet club committee. Jon is captain of the club’s SWF Level Play GC team.
COMMITTEE MEMBER – Paula Armstrong
Paula serves on the club Committee and is also the club’s Social Secretary. In 2023 she helped organise the summer pig-roast and annual awards lunch.
PUBLICITY OFFICER, SAFEGUARDING OFFICER AND COMMITTEE MEMBER – Paul Felton
Paul supplies news articles for local publications and manages the club website. He is also the club’s Safeguarding Officer. In the 2024 season, he is taking over the captaincy of the club’s High Handicap Team, previously held by Nick Reed. Paul is also a member of the white-lining and mowing teams. Paul is captain of the club’s SWF Handicap GC team
COMMITTEE MEMBER – Jeff Faulkner
Jeff joined the club committee earlier this year and is a Golf Croquet coach. He manages coaching within the club and gives formal Golf Croquet instruction as well as hosting informal coaching sessions for new members. Jeff is also a qualified Golf Croquet referee. He organises the club’s popular blocks competition throughout the season. Jeff also oversees the moving of hoops when required as well as sharing the responsibility for arranging referees, with John Guy. Jeff is also the captain of the club’s South West Croquet Federation’s 5+ Level Play GC team. He also organises and manages the Broadwas heats of the national Croquet England D-Level, C-Level and B-Level GC competitions.
Peter Hill
Peter is head of the white-lining team and is aided by Paul Felton. Peter is a Trustee of Broadwas Sports Association.
David Holt
David is a mowing team leader and shares the responsibility for the maintenance of the club buildings with John Steel.
Barry Kirby
Barry shares the responsibility for laying out and operating the club’s ‘rain-train’ watering system during dry spells, with James Dryden.
James Dryden
Jim is a Broadwas Sports Association committee member. Jim maintains the supply of petrol for the club’s mowers and with Barry Kirby, lays out and operates the club’s ‘rain-train’ watering system during dry spells.
Chris Croft
Chris is a Broadwas Sports Association Trustee.
Malcolm Armstrong
Malcolm is a newly elected member of the Broadwas Sports Association. Malcolm captains the club’s South West Federation GC High Handicap team.
Howard Freeman
Howard is responsible for the maintenance of the club’s tractors and mowers.
Jackie Guy
Jackie is the setup catering organiser. Jackie sets up helpers to serve food at home league matches.