Newtonmore BC Club Story
Try Bowls Club Newtonmore Bowling Club have kick-started their 2023 season with a fantastic fundraising effort and the clubs’ inaugural Junior Funday event. This family-friendly open day was well supported by club members and local businesses with many prizes being donated to a raffle as well as home baking to raise funds for equipment for the club’s junior section.
Club member Linda Dobbie told us more about the day and why introducing juniors to our wonderful sport is so important to this small, Highlands club…
“We had a fantastic day, the weather and support from the village was tremendous. After a full day of bowling, hot dogs and exciting raffle prize wins our fantastic Juniors managed to raise just over one thousand pounds, some sponsor monies still to come in, which will go a long way to buy a trophy and at least a set of new bowls.
“11 juniors and 7 adults competed in 6 triples and were jeered by many spectators of family and friends. The winning trio was Cameron Nicolson, Graeme Irvine and skip Kino Donghi who amassed 104 points over their 4 games. The runners up were Xavier Rodwell, Campbell Cross and Calum MacDonald on 91 points. The try-bowls target competition was won by Nick Rodwell.
“The importance of introducing young people to our bowling club is to ensure our club continues for generations. We had an ageing membership which was reducing each year. The juniors have breathed new enthusiasm into the club already and new ideas. We want to keep their interest going so intend to integrate their competitions into our annual fixture list, but without the number of bowls required we couldn’t. Nor did we have any trophies, so, the children themselves came up with the idea of raising funds for this purpose.
“We are in the great situation of having a waiting list, but with extra bowls and trophies we can enlist more young happy children. I personally feel this is also blowing the myth of bowling being only for old people!!”
It is fantastic to see one of our more rural clubs hosting community events and encouraging folk of all ages to try bowls. On hearing the news of Newtonmore’s fantastic fundraising event Stuart Bell, National Development Officer (NDO) for the North of Scotland who has assisted the club with establishing their junior section said:
“Newtonmore BC have embraced our sport as fully inclusive and for anyone aged 9 to 90. The club engaged with the Development Team and provided the enthusiasm to take forward the Try Bowls Programme, opening their minds and doors for the planning and delivery of sessions to encourage junior membership at the club. Try Bowls can help any club with the recruitment of new members, at any age, and all any club has to do is provide a group of members who have the club at heart, and in return, the Development Team will provide FREE resources, equipment and support for you to deliver a similar programme at your own club.”
To find out more about hosting community events, clubs can register as a Try Bowls Club to receive useful resources and information around membership growth and promoting your club. Click here or get in touch with your NDO.