Local clubs Correspondence
DERBYSHIRE GLOSSOP’S A
BOWLING CLUB A RECRUITMENT DRIVE FOR MEMBERS WAS GIVEN A HUGE BOOST BY INVOLVING A ‘YOUNGSTER’ FROM THE LOCAL PAPER
s a new season dawns on Glossop’s historic bowling club in Derbyshire, five long- standing members – Mike Fleming, Rick
Wood, Peter Logan, Frank Hazelwood and Andy Dawson – decided it was time for a recruitment drive. Mike said: “I suppose we’ve never really done
much promotion before and, despite our prominent position next to Glossop Cricket Club, not many people know there is a bowling club on North Road. We want to change that. “We’re a successful club, competing at a high level
and we’ve got first-class facilities here. As a sport, bowling doesn’t always get a lot of coverage, yet it’s a great game.” Andy invited local newspaper Glossop Life over to join in an early training session to see for itself. As the club is particularly keen to appeal to the younger generation, the members were delighted when the paper sent over 21-year-old Sam Bennett, the Assistant Editor. Sam admitted that he knew very little about bowls or the rules, and had typically only seen it played in the park by older people. Frank agreed this is often a problem for the sport generally: “People do think it is a sport for the older generation, but the reality
is very different. All the best teams in our league are made up of 30 and 40-year-olds and many teams have members aged between 14 and 20. And that’s because playing for a club can be fast paced and very competitive. Once you’ve mastered the sport and play as part of a team in competitions, it’s extremely competitive and great fun.” Sam was welcomed at the club and shown some of the moves. He said: “It is actually more difficult than you think, but I can see why members play for years. You can get hooked as soon as you start, each time wanting to do a little bit better than your last bowl.” Many members at Glossop Bowling Club are
committed sportspeople, some having played cricket and rugby previously. The club recently benefited from a £1,000 community grant and has used it to encourage new members. Chairwoman Eileen Wood said: “We have bought 10 sets of bowls for people to come and use and we introduced new beginner sessions when the season started in April, running every Monday from 6.30pm. “People are able to turn up and try out the sport
for free and if they wish, get a bit of coaching from the members who are keen to share their experience. Anyone is welcome and the only requirement is that you wear flat shoes.” As part of their move to interact with new members, Glossop Bowling Club has joined Facebook at
www.facebook.com/glossopbowlingclub and Twitter at
www.twitter.com/northroadbowls and encourage people in Glossop to follow them and find out more about this club that started back in the 1880s.
Editor’s note: Great idea to involve your local newspaper. You’ll find the editor is always interested in what’s happening in their area. Other clubs out there: why don’t you do the same?
member and local author Prof David Edwards wrote and published a history of the club in the book Gidea Park Bowling Club 1912-2012: The First One Hundred Years. The publication was well
supported by local businesses, which contributed 50 pages of advertising.
The 2012 season concluded
with a centenary dinner at Romford Golf Club, where MP Andrew Rosindell presented prizes and a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Certificate to the club.
Members invited Sam Bennett, third from left, from the local newspaper to help publicise the club
NationwideBowler 55
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68