National Volunteer Award Profile - Annette Wilson
The first winner from our latest round of Bowls Scotland National Volunteer Awards is Annette Wilson from Dalkeith Bowling Club.
Annette was chosen as a National Volunteer Award winner for her outstanding contribution to the local community, committed long service to volunteering, demonstrating high quality coaching on a regular basis and being a positive role model to others.
A member of Dalkeith Bowling Club in Midlothian since 1996, Annette remains an integral member of the club to this day, acting as junior convenor and coach for over 20 years. Annette has selflessly given up countless hours of her time over the years to help develop the next generation of bowlers coming through and ensuring that her club continues to be sustainable for many years to come.
Not only has Annette provided opportunities for youngsters to be welcomed into the game of bowls, but she has also provided a high quality and fun environment for them to hone their skills and progress in the sport. Numerous players that Annette has coached over the years have gone on to achieve county titles, county representation, national titles and international caps.
Speaking on the joy that volunteering gives her, Annette said: “The greatest reward I gain from volunteering is the opportunity to help players learn how to play the game. Seeing their improvement over time is immensely rewarding and brings me a great deal of joy.
“As a Junior Coach, one of the aspects I enjoy most is working with young people to introduce them to the sport. Jackie Horsfall and I visited all of the high schools in Midlothian, encouraging many pupils to join both indoor and outdoor clubs. We informed them where coaching was available and organised numerous coaching sessions, often with around 16 participants from local schools. These sessions were great fun, and knowing that the young people were genuinely enjoying themselves made the experience all the more worthwhile.
“The key to my longevity in coaching has been the continual satisfaction of seeing players develop and succeed. Over the years, I have coached approximately 10 players who went on to become internationalists. They have represented the Scottish Indoor Bowling Association in the gents, gents under 25’s, ladies under 25’s, and ladies’ international squads, as well as the Scottish Young Indoor Bowling Association, the Scottish Young Bowlers Association, and Bowls Scotland’s under 18’s, under 25’s, ladies and gents’ teams. It has been a real privilege to support their journeys, and I am extremely proud of all that they have achieved.”
Despite dedicating a large proportion of her time to coaching, Annette has carried out a number of other important volunteering roles over the years. She served as Ladies President at her former club Newbattle Bowling Club for four years from 1993 to 1997 and President of the Midlothian Young Bowlers Association between 2002 and 2005. Annette was also Secretary of Dalkeith Bowling Club for nine years, having been a committee member for several years beforehand.
Adding another string to her bow, Annette qualified as an umpire in 2012 and has since officiated at club matches, county finals, county games and the National Championships at Ayr. Reflecting on her time as an umpire, Annette added: “In my role as an umpire, I am responsible for ensuring that the laws of the sport are followed at all times. Umpires must act consistently, fairly, and impartially. We are not only there to measure, but we also act as advisors to players, coaches, and officials who may have questions about the laws of the game. We intervene only when a decision contravenes the laws.
“Umpires are vital to the sport because they safeguard the integrity of competition, ensuring that matches are conducted fairly and according to the established rules. This is essential to maintaining the spirit, fairness, and high standards of bowls.
“Volunteering and becoming involved in umpiring can be incredibly rewarding, both personally and in terms of contributing to the wider bowls community.”
The hard work and dedication that Annette has committed to her various roles hasn’t gone unnoticed by her peers in the bowling community. Gary Rodger, a fellow member of Dalkeith Bowling Club, has witnessed firsthand Annette’s incredible work ethic and wanted to help get her recognition at a national level.
When asked what led to nominating Annette for a National Volunteer Award, Gary said: “I wanted to nominate Annette for a Bowls Scotland National Volunteer Award as she puts so much time in to developing not only junior bowls but the sport in general. Her commitment and dedication are evident, and bowls is in a healthy state in and around Dalkeith and Midlothian because of the foundations Annette has laid.
“Annette has made an incredible difference at Dalkeith Bowling Club and has been responsible for nurturing many kids, some of whom have went on to become Scotland caps and also county players, both male and female. To this day we have around 25 juniors attending junior coaching at Dalkeith each Friday.
“From a personal view Annette has supported and encouraged both my kids in bowls, and one has recently gone on to win a SIBA silver medal at only 15 years old. I can't thank Annette enough for all she does."
To Annette’s surprise, she was recently presented with her National Volunteer Award at Dalkeith Bowling Club’s opening day for the 2025 season. When asked what it meant to be presented her award, Annette commented: “Receiving this award took me completely by surprise. I had no idea that it was coming my way. It is absolutely fantastic to receive national recognition for my dedication to the game, and it means a great deal to me."
Congratulations to Annette on behalf of everyone at Bowls Scotland for receiving her thoroughly deserved National Volunteer Award!
Applications for our next round of nominations close on Friday 6th June. For more information or to nominate someone, please visit: https://www.bowlsscotland.com/club-development/volunteering