As temperatures soared and sunshine bathed the South East this week, bowlers across the region found greens drying out and quickening.
For St Chads Bowls Club, the change in conditions set the tone for a busy and competitive few days.
On one of the hottest days of the year, St Chads travelled to the Kent coast with seven teams for a friendly fixture against Whitstable Bowls Club.
However, on arrival, the visitors discovered the town was dealing with an unexpected problem, as a water outage had left pubs, cafés and even the well-known ice cream parlours unable to operate, creating an unusual situation for residents and visitors alike.
What could have become a disrupted day instead turned into a fine example of community spirit.
Whitstable Bowls Club proved to be one of the few locations still able to provide running water, with toilets and refreshments available, ensuring the match could go ahead.
The contest itself proved as competitive as anticipated, with the match remaining closely fought throughout.
Whitstable eventually edged the encounter, claiming victory on four rinks to St Chads’ three.
Despite the narrow defeat, the visitors could take pride in their most successful rinks, skipped by Ray Mansell, along with winning skips Les Crowther and Ken Alderton, whose sides impressed in challenging conditions.
Away from the greens, there was also plenty of interest in St Chads’ partnership with T Cribb & Sons Ltd, East London’s leading funeral directors.
Members of the home club were keen to hear stories about the long-standing relationship between the organisations, particularly tales from visits to the T Cribb & Sons Funeral Museum, which added to the conversation throughout the afternoon.
On Sunday, with temperatures lower and conditions still pleasant, St Chads welcomed a strong Aveley Bowls Club side for a match played across four rinks.
The fixture provided an opportunity to introduce several newer players, and one in particular caught the eye.
Aaron Beard delivered an impressive performance on the only winning rink, underlining why many at the club believe he has a bright future in the sport.
As one of St Chads’ younger members, he looks set to become an important figure in the years ahead.
