at Moira Miners' Welfare, Bath Lane, Moira DE12 6BP
News from the club. Please send items for inclusion to enquiries@ashbycroquetclub.org.uk
Sun 1st March
Eleven of us, plus canine friend Amber, enjoyed a five-mile circular walk from Moira via Hicks Lodge and Donisthorpe, on a rare (for this year so far) dry day with occasional sunshine. The route was on surfaced paths to avoid the worst of the mud! We included a well-deserved stop for tea and cake at the Lakeside café towards the end.
Tues 10th Feb, Swadlincote
Many thanks to Martin and the Magic Attic for providing the venue for this year’s croquet club quiz. Four teams of 4 took part, with Lesley’s ‘LAMS’ team finishing as the overall winners with 68 out of a possible 100. The runners-up, just 1.5 points behind, were ‘Lost Cause’ (Ray, Chris, Penny and Keith). Thanks to all who took part.
Saturday 16th May at Ashby Croquet Club
Entries are invited from East Midlands croquet clubs for the 2026 Dixon Shield and Cup GC team and individual competitions (previously known as the Bass Shield and Coors Cup), played concurrently.
The entry fee is £30 per team of 3, payable on entry; maximum 6 teams overall. Details in the flyer (link below).
Entries to date (25/01/26): Ashby, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Bakewell, Long Eaton.
Now fully booked; any further entries will be placed on the reserve list.
Unfortunately the recent wet weather and saturated lawns have prevented any chance of winter play at the moment, but we do have a couple of social events:
Tuesday 10th February: Ashby Croquet Club Team Quiz at The Magic Attic, Swadlincote. 7pm for 7.15pm start. Teams of up to 4 people; entries to Richard S please. £5 per person including raffle and reverse bingo tickets. Bring your own liquid refreshments.
Sunday 1st March: Winter Walk, 1pm start. A leisurely walk of around 5 miles including a tea stop. Details to follow.
We are pleased to report that Ashby Croquet Club has been approved as one of the good causes in the North West Leicestershire Community Lottery.
Many thanks to Colin C for setting this up. By buying a weekly ticket you can help to support the croquet club, with a chance to win up to £25,000.
From each ticket sold, 40% will go directly to Ashby Croquet Club and a further 20% to other good local causes.
More details here (NW Leics Community Lottery website)
Thurs 1st Jan, Moira Manager/reporter: Arthur. Photos: Judith and Richard
Seventeen players gathered on a cold but essentially dry New Year’s Day to play the first croquet since early November. Pete M had prepared and Richard had marked out Lawn 3 into two half lawns. It’s worth noting that lawns 1 & 2 looked well covered in grass and had also been mown recently.
Mike & Arthur shared one place, leaving 8 pairs to contest 5 rounds of play. They were divided into two blocks of four, and the 3 morning games saw each pair play the others in their block. At lunchtime, both blocks had two pairs with two wins and two pairs with one win. In the afternoon, the top two pairs in each block played the top two in the other block, and similarly with the bottom two pairs.
After 5 rounds of play, two pairs emerged with 4 wins – John Picken & Colin Carr, and Ray Mounfield & Pete Bensley. Judith & Martin had a disproportionate effect on the eventual outcome having come from behind to beat John & Colin with some long hoop runs by Judith, and then having lost spectacularly to Ray & Pete, when Pete couldn’t do anything wrong. Ray & Pete emerged victorious with a +13 hoop difference compared to +8 for John & Colin.
It is interesting to note that all 8 afternoon games were won by the players from the second block, in spite of the attempts to balance the teams in the two blocks.
So the Dave Davis Cup returns to the Bensley home having been won last year by Helen – in 2025 playing with this year’s winner Ray.
Winners: Ray Mounfield & Pete Bensley
Runners-up: John Picken & Colin Carr
Sat 13th December
Julie organised another excellent Club Christmas Dinner at the Lakeside Bistro. Our Christmas Charity Collection at the meal in lieu of exchanging Christmas cards raised £175 (plus Gift Aid) for the One-Ball Croquet 2026 charity Save the Children. Many thanks for all the generous donations which will be pooled with the entry donations from our One-Ball charity club heat in late April/early May 2026 and sent to Save the Children as one payment.
Sunday 16th November
Trophies were presented to this year’s competition winners at our AGM held at Moira Village Hall. The Player of the Year, chosen by the committee, was awarded to Ormond Hooper.
Here is a full list of the winners:
For this winter, we have the use of four temporary small lawns in an area on the edge of the main field. Session times are Wednesdays and Sundays 11am to 1pm, weather and ground conditions permitting.
Update 14/12/25: Pete reports that the lawns are “still squelching with every step” and desperately need a few dry days. So unfortunately no play for the time being.
Thurs 16th October, Moira
Mike and Rupert were the winners of the GC Doubles final, beating Pete B and Colin C 7-6, 7-5.
