People’s Park Bowls Club
In 2020 People’s Park Bowls Club had an ambition to provide accessible bowling opportunities for people who wouldn’t usually participate in the sport and as a result to increase the membership of their club. Unfortunately due to covid, plans that had been made to support this ambition, by providing specific bowling opportunities for people attending the local stroke recovery service, had to be cancelled. However, the club decided to go ahead and organize sessions during the summer months to attract local people and support people as we came out of lockdown.
Good Work Continues
Supported by the Get Out Get Active programme twice weekly sessions were established at the club, with coaching, support and refreshments offered by a local organisation 2020 CiC and several volunteers. The sessions were open to anyone and everyone and had over 50 attendees. The following summer the sessions were re-established with once again great success, and as the winter months drew in 2020 CiC were awarded funding from NELC to establish indoor sessions at several locations to enable the good work to continue.
Increase in Membership
The sessions have not only seen an increase in membership to the club but have supported people, many of whom were isolated before they joined the sessions to make new friendships, be more active and go on to attend more sessions and be more active as a result.
Tripling of teams playing for the Club
In 2023 People’s Park Bowls Club were awarded £5,000 to continue and develop their sessions to help tackle and loneliness and isolation through Bowls. And from inception to now People’s Park Bowls Club have seen their membership doubled and the number of teams playing for the club have almost tripled.