WELLINGTON Ex-Services Skittles League have held their annual meeting at Wellington Football Club, bringing together teams to reflect on a successful season and prepare for the year ahead.

Chairman David Derrick thanked teams for their participation in what had been another enjoyable and competitive season, with constructive feedback on the format and a commitment to an even smoother fixture schedule next winter.

Secretary Marc Bright paid tribute to Jamie Milton for his early-season work as secretary,, while the Darren Sparks’ treasurer’s report confirmed the league was in a healthy financial position, posting a profit of £205, with league funds standing at £2,659.01.

A key vote saw unanimous approval for a constitutional change proposed by King Pins, which simplifies the league committee structure, formally removing the long-vacant role of Entertainments Officer and updating the election process to be more inclusive and flexible. As part of the officer elections, Adrian Ridgeway stepped down from the committee, and as such, the second team rep position remains vacant.

Teams were encouraged to put forward volunteers to support the league’s ongoing success. Two rule change proposals by Ex-Servicemen were considered. Members voted unanimously in favour of increasing the minimum sticker-up payment from £10 to £25, ensuring fairer compensation for those helping on the night.

However, a proposal to align the Payne Challenge Cup format with the Ken Bright Cup was rejected, with teams expressing a desire to preserve each competition’s unique character and tradition. A number of team updates were shared, including new captains for Report Centre A (William Whitman) and Foresters (Rob Morgan), and King Pins confirming a move to the Football Club for their home games next season.

Fixture books will return for 2025–26, with ten books allocated per team, and a revised approach to cup scheduling in the semi-finals and finals was introduced to move those games back to Wednesday nights to reduce disruptions during the league season.

The league also confirmed its competition line-up for the new season, including the Chris Bullock Championship, Gerald Thorne Championship, Ken Bright Cup, Payne Challenge Cup, and both the Cyril Hicks Singles and Harry Dowson Pairs competitions. The Jim Blackmore Champions Cup will once again open the season, pitting the league and cup winners against each other.

A discussion was held on the potential future format of the Cyril Hicks Singles Shield, with suggestions to move to a knockout 1v1 format. The committee agreed to keep the format the same for this season but would be engaging players for feedback to improve future participation.

The league continues to thrive thanks to the collective efforts of its teams and the dedication of the committee. The 2025–26 season is set to begin with the Jim Blackmore Champions Cup, with the Payne Challenge Cup first round then kicking off the following week on 28th and 29th August.

Upcoming fixtures: Jim Blackmore Champions Cup – Friday 22nd August, Holywell Lake v Scuppas – Venue TBC. Payne Challenge Cup First Round – Thursday 28th and Friday 29th August (Dates and venues are TBC): United Services v Bell Green, Scuppas (holders) v Mowers, Report Centre A v Outsiders, Holywell Lake v Home Guard IV, Fireguard A v OBA, Ex-Servicemen v Oaks, Queens Legs v Shooters, King Pins v All Stars, Nynehead Club v Here 4 the Beer, Cottage Pies v Relyon, Foresters v Club Rockers, Rebels v Home Guard II.