Chair Statement - August 2021

Dear Clubs, Members and Partners,

I hope you are all continuing to enjoy the Scottish Summer and are safe and well. As we progressed to a ‘beyond Level 0’ status I am sure we all drew a collective sigh of relief that normality is not far away. Whilst there are still some restrictions in place, we can now once more enjoy bowling without ‘bubbles’ – well, maybe some bubbles, in a glass, in the sunshine!

I continue to enjoy the wonderful Return to the Green stories from our clubs, there is some truly fantastic work going on in local communities across Scotland. One of the stories that really stood out was the heroic efforts of Angus Cameron and Ian Thomson at Calderbank Bowling Club, where their bravery, quick thinking and calmness helped save the life of fellow bowler Tom Love, who collapsed on the green. With access to an Automated External Defibrillator from a nearby Community Hall, Tom was able to be kept alive whilst waiting for an ambulance to arrive to transfer him to hospital. Tom continues to make good progress with his recovery and our bowling family wish him all the very best. This remarkable event has raised some questions on First Aid and AED access within clubs. We are keen to look into how we can support clubs in this area and thank you to the 135 clubs who have already completed our information gathering survey. If your club has not already completed the survey we launched, I would encourage you to do this as soon as possible, following the link on social media or our website. 

I highlighted in my last statement the resumption of coach education courses. I hope you have all managed to watch our Coaching Summary video, which outlines all the excellent work being undertaken by our staff, tutors, coaches and volunteers. Congratulations to everyone who has been part of this journey, and please continue to speak to Adam, our Coach and Volunteer Manager, if there is any further support and resources, we can offer to assist you in your role.

Our team of National Development Officers Stuart, Daniel and Lawra continue to provide support to our clubs as well as looking at other ways in which we can support clubs. We are keen to hear from clubs and will soon be launching an end of season club survey to gather information on what additional support clubs require as well as gaining insights and reflections on the 2021 season. We are also looking at the resumption of club visits as part of the return to normality. We are grateful for the level of engagement online from our clubs and whilst this will continue, we also understand that nothing can replace the sense of connection from face-to-face meetings.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind our clubs that our Club Support Guide is available to view on our website and provides an overview of the support and services available to affiliated clubs. We are committed to working in partnership with our affiliated clubs to grow our wonderful game through developing modern clubs that are welcoming, sustainable and at the heart of their local communities. If there is something your club requires that is not outlined in our Club Support Guide, please let our NDO’s know.

I continue to be proud of how our board, staff, Presidents and Vice Presidents, and District Co-Ordinators continue to work in partnership and in line with our values of collaboration; inclusivity; integrity and clarity – ensuring clubs continue to be at the heart of everything we do.

Be Kind, Keep Connected, Stay Active.

Sue Beatt

Chair, Bowls Scotland