Summer Sports - Bowls
work themselves through a number of dedicated and committed volunteers. In those cases, the annual maintenance costs will be greatly reduced, having only to pay for products and materials used. Regardless of whether a contractor or in- house methods are employed, it is vitally important that clubs fund these operations.
Once a club is aware of the annual costs for maintaining a green, they should effectively be able to generate the money to pay for it via subs and other activities. Most bowls clubs have around fifty members in total. Therefore, if they were to charge just £100 pounds a year membership - that’s under £2 per week - that, in itself, would raise £5000 a year - a substantial sum which, if set aside for greens maintenance, would make a substantial difference to its condition. A good playing surface will not only retain
existing members but attract new ones. It sounds simple doesn’t it but, in my experience, rarely happens. In England, there are grants available
through what is known as the Inspired Facilities Fund. Hugh Robertson, MP for Sport, headed the £135 million initiative, funded through the National Lottery, in order to leave a legacy after the Olympics - it has been named the People Places Play programme.
One bowling club in Wiltshire has
recently made the most of this new funding stream by procuring £50,000 through the scheme. Stratton Churchway Bowls Club will put the money to good use by rewiring the clubhouse, laying new paving and improving access to the club.
The club was also successful in securing funding from Stratton Parish Council to the sum of £2,150, whilst Swindon Sports
Forum gave £1,200 towards the overall project cost of £65,000. Being proactive and just ‘going for it’
can reap rewards and secure a club’s future for many years to come. The chairwoman for the club, Janet
Willis, was pleased to secure the funding: “We are delighted to have secured this investment, which means we can upgrade the quality of our facilities that are available to our members and community, and all from part of the 2012 Olympics legacy.”
It’s interesting to note that, in the
example cited, whilst the clubhouse, access and pathways are being upgraded, no mention is made of monies being made available for the green upkeep. This mindset must change.
Bowls England, the national governing body for the sport of lawn bowls in England, uses a computer system to
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 PC 79
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