Clive Bennett loves Moreton-in-Marsh Bowling Club so much he built their clubhouse.

The retired builder, who is president of the Gloucestershire Bowling Association, built their new home in Redesdale Place when their previous venue in Hospital Road was sold for redevelopment.

He’d already project-managed the building of the new green before embarking on the construction of the clubhouse with his brothers Chris, Ron and Paul.

The work started in February 2011 and was completed seven months later. The green was officially opened in April 2012 by bowls legend David Bryant.

“We had to get the work done on time because we wouldn’t have been able to stay at Hospital Road for another year,” Bennett said. “We’d have been homeless so the pressure was on.”

Bennett, who built the clubhouse at cost, joined Moreton “about 10 years ago” and was recently co-opted onto the committee as vice-chairman.

The club were founded in 1909 and have an eight-rink green.

“I’d say the club are growing steadily and we’ve got some very good bowlers,” said Bennett. “One of the good things about being president of the GBA is that I can invite other county teams to play at the club which all helps the finances. As a club we don’t have any debts.”

One of the “very good players” Bennett was referring to is Rita Gerry, who is part of the Gloucestershire ladies’ Walker Cup team.

Bennett has an eye for a good player and, with his GBA hat on, says there are two good ones to watch at Cheltenham Bowling Club.

“Nathan Kitchen is in the England under-25 squad and Ben Coldrick has got a trial for England under-25s,” he said.

Bennett, 68, is happy to admit he was never close to their level. He says he plays to a “reasonable standard” and he would certainly have been a lot better had he not taken a break from the sport to raise a family. “I was playing well when I gave it up,” he said.

In those days he played for Chipping Campden Bowling Club, starting in 1977 before taking a 15-year sabbatical in 1983.

He returned to the club in the late 1990s. They were a good club – they’d had a new green but the clubhouse left something to be desired. “They were operating out of a garden shed,” remembers Bennett. There was only one thing for it... so Bennett built them a clubhouse “at less than cost”.

Bennett is halfway through his year-long term as president of the GBA and says he is loving every minute of it.

“I am working with a great group of people and I enjoy the sport,” he said. “It gives me the chance to meet new people all over the country and make new friends.”

So how did he become president?

“I just put my hand up in a weak moment,” he chuckled.

It’s an important job and the articulate Bennett, who will become president of the Three Counties Bowling Association in 2018, is a good man to lead the county for 12 months.

“Bowls is pretty good in Gloucestershire,” he said. “We’re not one of the strongest but we’re in the top half and we’re moving up.”

Part of his remit is to try to help the county in the Middleton Cup and Balcomb Trophy – two of the sport’s flagship competitions. The county also have a “very, very strong under-25 team”.

With reference to those three teams, Bennett laughed: “I’m either ineligible or not good enough for any of them!”

At the time of talking to the Local Answer, Bennett was one game away from his 50th county cap.

His wife Linda plays for Gloucestershire ladies and is also a member at Moreton, who are holding an open day on Saturday, May 13, starting at 10.30am, to promote the sport.

“We enjoying playing together. We’re one of the couples who don’t mind playing together,” he joked.

The club, which plays short mat in the winter, have more than 100 playing and social members. David Stanfield is the men’s captain and Bennett’s wife Linda is captain of the ladies’ team. Brenda Dix is the club captain and skippers mixed matches.

Charles Chapman, 77, who has been playing bowls for 17 years and is going on the county’s tour to Exmouth in the summer with Bennett, said of the club’s green: “It’s in tip-top condition. It’s a big honour for the club for one of its members to be president of the Gloucestershire Bowling Association.”

Chapman made his debut for the county last season and unsurprisingly soon picked up the nickname Charlie Chaplin. “He loves it,” says Bennett.