IT WAS the purchase of a garden shed back in 1995 that led Ted Camp to suggest Passmores should supply the new facilities for his bowls club.

“Their quote was not the cheapest,” he admits. “But there was the benefit that they would do most of the construction work.”

The Duke of Kent Bowls Club had no choice but to move. Their premises at Chiselhurst was owned by the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution, which wanted to build on land that had become a prime asset.

But the move benefited both organisations, not least because the RMBI provided more than £260,000 to help the Club relocate.

“They have been extremely helpful throughout the entire process,” said Ted. “Now we have much better facilities which have helped our Club to grow.

“Membership has risen to 120 from the original 80 and we play 50 to 60 matches a year. Visiting teams love to come here.

“All the facilities are integrated within one building. Now we have a superb club house with a kitchen, dressing rooms, excellent toilets and a bar which makes an important contribution towards our costs.

“We are also able to hold functions such as quiz nights, social evenings, a luncheon club and barbecues in the summer.

“When members saw the new club for the first time, many said they never believed they would have something so good.”

But it’s all been achieved at the expense of a colossal amount of hard work, particularly on Ted’s behalf.

It was he who negotiated with Bromley Council over the new location, an area of rough ground tucked under an urban woodland at Mottingham, SE London. He also had to negotiate finance with the RMBI, work with Council planners, deal with legal matters and oversee development of the site. His engineering background helped.

There was a huge amount of physical work to be done too. More than 3,000 tons of earth had to be barrowed to a different part of the site for example.

Now The Duke of Kent Bowls Club has the biggest green in the South of England. What’s more it’s upped its game.

This season – 2008 – the Club entered the LX League for the first time and finished in the top half.

“We’ve always been more of a friendly club than a competitive one,” said Ted. “But everyone likes winning.”