Northern BC Edinburgh, Club Story
Northern BC recently joined over 480 Scottish bowling clubs in registering as an open and inclusive Try Bowls Club. With a Try Bowls event already in the calendar for the end of April, we spoke to Alasdair Mitchell about the work this Edinburgh based club has been doing to recruit new members and engage with its local community…
Welcoming new members
The club have arranged an Open Day on 27th April, encouraging the local community to ‘Try Bowls for Free!’ Equipment will be provided, ensuring there are no barriers to entry for non-bowlers. Club coach Garry Harrison will lead club members in making sure activities on the green are fun and friendly for newcomers, with a set up that all ages and abilities can take part in. Alasdair told us more about his target market, and how the club are promoting their upcoming event:
“I’m really aiming at people in their 30s and 40s who live within a mile of the club, because I think that if we get more of that demographic then that’s what will ultimately lead to more juniors in the future. I’ve been working on a poster which I plan on printing out and having put into local businesses, as well as to be used on social media in various local community groups.”
Alasdair himself is relatively new to the sport, but is keen to show others how much fun it can be…
“I’ve been trying to do my bit to promote the sport in these past 2 years since I took it up, and it’s been a lot of fun. My father did get me into it as a child, however in my teenage years I drifted away and developed other interests. Rediscovering the sport in my 30s has been brilliant though. Not only has it added more routine and a new passion into my life, but I’ve met a bunch of great people.
“I think it’s no coincidence that I took up the sport not long after lockdown, when no doubt a lot of people were feeling like they could do with something to reconnect them to their communities, and it’s really been the perfect thing for that. I’ve even been playing indoor over at Bainfield Bowling Club through the winter.
“As someone with an autism diagnosis, I’ve also found it to be very inclusive and welcoming, and the ideal sport for training focus while being social around a structured activity. I just want more people to experience the joy that you can only get by seeing a bowl bend perfectly towards the jack, as well as benefiting from their local community, social gatherings, and gentle aerobics benefits. I think bowls does have the power to change the world one community at a time, as cheesy as that sounds.”
Promoting the club to non-bowlers
Alasdair has been heavily involved in promoting the sport and his club on social media, using this as a medium to reach groups within the…At the end of 2024, the club featured in a BBC Scotland video highlighting the success and (friendly) rivalry of their annual Hearts v Hibs Derby game. Club members take to the green, representing their preferred football team in what has become a fiercely competitive and highly popular event at the club – find out more and watch the video below
“In 2023, after I started posting videos on Youtube of me playing bowls as well as posting about how much I was enjoying the sport on other social media platforms, a friend of mine made a video game featuring the bowling club, giving people the chance to be introduced to the sport virtually. It’s available on Playstation as part of “Dreams” even now and I’ve had people from as far afield as Canada contact me to say how as a result of playing it, they found their local bowling clubs and now play in real life.
“That success in getting new people involved further afield made me think about ways that I could do the same, but closer to home, and led to me contacting the production company behind A View From The Terrace with the thought that they might like the idea of our Football and Bowls crossover that’s been going since the 90s, and thankfully they were. It was a fun day having the cameras down at the club and I would urge any club to think of ways that maybe their events can appeal to various media. I’d also urge whoever does their clubs social media to join in with various events such as Mental Health Awareness week, something we done last year which led to some social media traction from a non-bowls crowd who we would otherwise be invisible to.
“For instance, as another form of trying to promote the club, I contacted The Edinburgh Reporter and let them know about some of the latest developments at the club and who was winning our internal competitions. They published the information, and since then they’ve been regularly publishing stories from various Edinburgh Bowling Clubs who have been contacting them as it’s shown that there is a real appetite for that sort of local content. It gives a great sense of satisfaction to be influencing things like that, and nothing happens overnight, but I do hope that in time the sport can see numbers rise again as grassroots clubs gain a new lease of life with a new generation
“We also of course have various social and music nights through the year where we might bring in a local band or a comedian. Last year we had Tam Cowan down for a day and we also experimented with a silent disco which turned out to be a big hit. There’s also monthly quiz nights through the winter to try to keep people in touch at a time when they can’t see each other as much. It’s about connecting people as much as it’s about keeping the club active.
“It's all just about getting the word out there about everything as much as we can because new faces can only be attracted if they are made aware. Hopefully through the things that we’ve been doing the word is spreading that not only is the Northern a community club where all are welcome, but also that bowls really can appeal to anyone when it has the right messaging behind it.”
Plans for the future…
Northern BC opens for the 2025 outdoor season on 19th April with a calendar full of social events, competitive and friendly fixtures, and of course the annual Hearts-Hibs game. Alasdair told us about the clubs growing ladies section as well as the plans to offer a ‘door always open’ approach to Try Bowls to encourage new members at any point through the season. The club will also be offering a generous free first year membership to any newcomers…
“In 2023 we were in a videogame, in 2024 we were on TV, but I think 2025 is more about building, local connections. I believe there are a bunch of community groups who could benefit from either having their service users try bowls or using a place like a bowls clubhouse as a venue for their meetings. I was thinking just the other day that the clubhouse could even be used for things like dance or yoga classes if there was a teacher and an audience for it. It’s all about just coming up with ways to get people into the club because even if they end up not necessarily playing bowls, they still contribute to and benefit the overall community.
“We may be doing this Try Bowls Day on 27th April, but I hope to use the momentum of it to run more sessions for those interested throughout the season and to always be open to arranging a date or time for someone to try it if they do get in touch with us.
“Last year was the first season that we were able to put together a ladies team and enter them into the Edinburgh Bowling Association leagues, and I’m really hopeful that section can keep growing in 2025 because it’s been great to watch their progress and to be able to have our own mixed competitions as well. There’s also the hope that maybe this year we can have some juniors as towards the end of last season some younger family of existing members did start playing, and hopefully they might also introduce it to their friends, or we can try to develop some more community connections to bring them in. Word of mouth can’t be overstated so we just need to make sure that people have positive experiences”
It is brilliant to hear that the club has a growing ladies section as well as increasing interest from juniors. Alasdair’s passion for promoting the sport and encouraging newcomers is clear to see and a great example of bowls being the sport for all. National Development Officer (NDO) for the East of Scotland, Stuart Bell said
“It’s fantastic to see our Try Bowls Clubs planning their open days and events ahead of time, showing membership growth is a key priority and focus. Bowls Scotland’s Try Bowls Resource Pack includes tips and information for running successful, community events and the Marketing Toolkit provides ideas on how to promote your club and advertise events beyond just your existing members. Both the NDOs and Try Bowls Activators are on hand to help our clubs with development ideas, membership retention and growth. I hope Northern’s event on the 27th is a huge success for all involved.”
Bowls Scotland thank Alasdair for his time and wish Northern BC all the best for their Try Bowls Event in April and the upcoming 2025 season. To find out more about Try Bowls please click here or contact your NDO