Chair Statement - August 2020

Dear Clubs, Members and Partners,

I hope you are all well and making the most of the last few weeks left of our season. I am sure you will agree that it is hard to believe almost six months have passed since lockdown and yet here we are in September with more bowling activity allowed to happen and while it is not back to normal, it is certainly more than we hoped for. We were delighted to be included as one of the very first sports to return and our staff, District Secretaries, clubs and players have worked hard to ensure we have continued to progress through the phases. 

We all felt for the Aberdonian bowling community who had restrictions placed on them, however once again our clubs have demonstrated resilience, patience, and adaptability. We are hopeful that no other local authority area faces the same challenges, however if they do, we know that we will be able to respond appropriately. Aberdeen certainly has reminded us that we are still in the process of coming out of a pandemic and we should not lower our guard or relax. With a few weeks to go of this season, we all need to continue to adhere to the guidance for the safety of our members.

I was delighted to see clubs sign up to the Thank You Frontline Workers national campaign, giving thanks to our frontline workers for their dedication and perseverance during these difficult times. 35 clubs have signed up so far and we will look to continue this campaign into 2021, linking in with our Try Bowls club membership growth programme.

In my last statement, I asked clubs to reflect of the current situation and think about what the future looks like. To gather more thoughts on this and further assess the impact of COVID-19 we launched a second Club Survey. Thank you to the 460 clubs who completed the survey, this will provide us with invaluable information and allow us to further develop our ‘Project New Start’ plans. 

As we progress out of the bowling season, we will continue to provide regular, concise, and up to date advice, support, and guidance to our clubs as well as offering new resources and support. Our National Development Officers will continue to work in the three District split areas providing clarity and consistency for clubs. If you have not been in touch with your NDO yet, I would encourage you to get in touch with Lawra, Daniel and Stuart. They offer invaluable support and guidance to clubs and share a collective love for our wonderful game.

Thank you to all our staff for their continued hard work, dedication, creativity, and compassion throughout this time. 

Be Kind, Stay Safe and Keep Positive.

Sue Beatt

Chair, Bowls Scotland