Northants' Walker is named England's top male bowler

Walker, who plays for Northampton West End in the outdoor season and for Wellingborough during the winter, collected his award at the men’s presentation evening at the Coventry Hilton Hotel.

Before that was announced Walker was also officially presented with his trophies for winning the National Champion of Champions and Two-Wood Singles competitions.

The honour of being the ‘England Male Player of the Year’ came after Walker had added to his National titles by being the most successful bowler in the Atlantic Rim International Championships in Cyprus in which he was unbeaten when winning the Singles Gold Medal.

He also claimed the bronze medal in the Triples discipline.

He was also a member of the senior and junior England teams with the former winning the British Isles International Series while the latter were runners-up in their event.

He was unbeaten as one of the rink skips in both tournaments and was also honoured by being named team captain of the juniors.

It is the second time Walker had won the accolade having previously done so in 2012 while he was named the Young Male Bowler of the Year two years ago.

Also at the presentation evening, the runner-up trophy for the Under-25 White Rose Double Rink competition was collected on behalf of the Northants team by the 2015 president George Willmott.

Walker, meanwhile, joined up with Wellingborough club-mates Joyce George, Tina Broderick and Paul Broderick for the National Mixed Fours finals at Lincoln & District IBC.

However, they suffered a first-round exit as they were beaten 22-15 by the Blackpool Newton Hall IBC rink of Emma Seed, Sue Kearsley, Jonathan Goodall and Mark Dawes who went on to take the title for the second successive year.

Walker will also be part of the Wellingborough team to take on Ipswich & District IBC in the semi-finals of the National Under-25 Double Rink Cornwell Trophy on Sunday. One rink will play at home and the other away with the match starting at 10am.

Wellingborough team

Rink one: Emily Carr, Katie Smith, Danny Walker, Jamie Walker.

Rink two: Adam Pitfield, Callum Beale, Curtis Johnson, Will Walker.

Wellingborough has become the first bowls club in Northamptonshire to achieve the Clubmark Accreditation.

Clubmark is the only national cross sports quality accreditation scheme for clubs with junior sections.

It is built around a set of core criteria which ensure that accredited clubs operate to a set of consistent, accepted and adopted minimum operating standards.

It is now universally recognised and is promoted and branded by Sport England.

Clubmark accreditation shows that a club provides the right environment which ensures the welfare of members and encourages everyone to enjoy sport and stay involved throughout their lives.

An accredited club is recognised as a safe, rewarding and fulfilling place for participants of all ages as well as helping parents and carers know that they’re choosing the right club for their young people.

There are also a number of benefits for accredited Clubmark clubs, including an entitlement to discounted rates for attendance at Sports Partnership Courses, covering areas like sports first aid, equity in coaching, coaching the disabled, recruiting new volunteers, attracting sponsorship, marketing the sport and web design.

Wellingborough’s honour is well deserved for the work their management committee and volunteers have put in.