Beveridge Park BC Club Story
Beveridge Park Bowling Club in Kirkcaldy are looking forward to the 2023 season after dedicating time and money to club refurbishments over the past couple of years. This Try Bowls Club also has it’s BowlsMark Bronze accreditation and has been working hard to provide excellent facilities for not only it’s members but also the wider community.
We spoke to Andy Mathieson, Club Secretary to find out more about the various improvements to the facilities and the variety of community activities that the club hosts…
“Beveridge Park Bowling Club were very active during lockdown in securing funds of Approx. £100K to do a complete refurbishment. Funding was obtained from Fife Environment Trust, The Robertson Trust and Fife Council. As and when it was permissible to start work on the refurbishment, it was all systems go, improving and making the club more accessible. The refurbished club is excellent with access for participants with disabilities first class whilst also improving the facilities for its members. The club is also now registered as a Charity Organisation. The refurbishment has allowed the club to offer other users a better experience on and off the bowling green such as Balwearie High School Department of Additional support, who the club's volunteers host on Thursdays and Fridays throughout the season. The club also support Active Fife, Finding your Feet, Dementia Friends and Disability Sport Fife to name a few. The club is hoping that moving forward we can attract other community groups to use our club. We can now use our facilities all year round, offering carpet bowls, quiz days, whist afternoons etc. The season 2022 was a very successful one with friendly matches being played between other local clubs in addition to our normal internal competitions.”
With facilities improved and having completed their online affiliation and competition entries, we looked ahead to the 2023 season and asked Andy what was coming up for the club this year…
“Beveridge Park BC is the home of Disability Sport Fife (DSF) Lawn Bowls Championships and has been for a number of years, with the 2023 Championships being held on Thursday 29th. June where the club provides member volunteers as do other local clubs to assist in hosting this prestige’s event in conjunction with DSF.
“Two of our newer members have also signed up for coaching courses through Bowls Scotland, we hope to continue introducing the community to bowls via Try Bowls with a strengthened coaching team. We are arranging a Come and Try Day on the 7th May.”
In addition to the clubhouse renovations Beveridge Park have also recently installed a public access defibrillator, adding further benefits to the community surrounding the club with this lifesaving equipment. The club’s fundraising efforts were helped by a significant donation from local business and club sponsor, Charlie Reid Travel.
“Several members of the club attended First Aid at Work courses provided by Fife Council Community use and a CPR course and workshop provided by St. John Scotland which allowed the club to install a Defibrillator on an outside wall of its building which also gives access to the public using the Beveridge Park.”
Thanks to Andy for sharing this update from the club, we hope that the 2023 season is another successful one for Beveridge Park whose commitment to developing a welcoming, community club environment can clearly be seen.
Clubs interested in finding out more about both BowlsMark and Try Bowls should speak to their National Development Officers who can provide support and resources in both these areas.