National Volunteer Award Profile - Margo Barr
The next winner of the Bowls Scotland National Volunteer Awards is Margo Barr from Troon Bowling Club in South Ayrshire.
Margo was chosen as one of our latest National Volunteer Award winners for displaying excellent leadership, being a positive role model to others and for continually making an outstanding contribution to her club and local community.
Despite only being a member of Troon Bowling Club since 2016, Margo has carried out almost every volunteering role imaginable. From bar convenor, volunteering in the kitchen Ladies Match Secretary and organising charity fundraisers, Margo’s skills have been of great benefit to her beloved club over the last eight years. However, it is probably the smaller day to day tasks where Margo makes her biggest impact as no job is too big or small to be tackled head on. Margo will regularly go bar stock runs to the local cash and carry, prepare food and baking for any competitions taking place at the club, clean the clubhouse both before and after functions and conduct raffles to generate income for the club.
Speaking on her time as a volunteer at Troon Bowling Club, Margo said: “I joined the club in 2016 and very soon started to help as a volunteer in the kitchen, helping out whenever I could. When I learned that most of the work was carried out by willing volunteers, I knew I could help with that. I get a lot of satisfaction out of volunteering.
“I would strongly encourage other females, young and not so young, to volunteer in bowls. You will get so much pleasure, support, friendship and satisfaction knowing you have assisted in the future proofing of your club for others to enjoy."
Although she selflessly spends the vast majority of her time helping out off the green, Margo is also an accomplished bowler in her own right. Some of Margo’s top achievements to date include being a two-time ladies club champion at Troon Bowling Club and in 2023 she won a bronze medal in the Mixed Pairs at the Bowls Scotland National Championships alongside Paul Foster MBE. This year she also reached the semi finals of the West of Scotland Ladies Pairs with her good friend Muriel Dunlop.
Through her enjoyment of playing the game, Margo has completed her Bowls Scotland Introduction to Bowls Coaching Award and Level 1 Coaching Award in the last few years. Continuing to utilise these skills, Margo is now one of the dedicated coaches at Troon, helping to welcome new bowlers onto the green at the club’s annual Try Bowls day and develop their skills with weekly coaching sessions thereafter.
Margo added: “I was a driving instructor and got so much out of taking a pupil from scratch to passing a test. It’s the same with bowling, helping someone who has never held a bowl or stepped on a green before to joining in a friendly game or competing in our club competitions and going further to district competitions.
“I have made so many new friends through bowls, not only in our own club but across the region and much further afield.
“I love going to watch outdoor and indoor bowls at a high level. I am also fortunate at Troon to get the opportunity to play with and against world champions!”
All the countless hours that Margo commits to carrying out her various duties don’t go unnoticed or underappreciated by her fellow members at Troon Bowling Club. Scottish internationalist Darren Weir joined the club in 2019 and has witnessed first hand Margo’s passion for the sport of bowls and her dedication to the club.
When asked what led to nominating Margo for a National Volunteer Award, Darren said: “Margo is the backbone of Troon Bowling Club and the club would quite simply not be able to operate successfully without the countless hours she commits to everything she does.
“No job is too big or too small for Margo to help out with, her work ethic is truly inspiring. She is an admin on the club’s Facebook page so is always doing her best to promote Troon Bowling Club, respond to people’s queries and take bookings for functions.
“My brother and I help to run an annual Open Fours competition at the club, a big event which attracts 36 teams from all over Scotland to come and compete. One of the first people we recruited onto our working group was Margo because she quite simply gets things done, and to a high standard as well. She even purchased the trophy for the competition with her own money!
“I can honestly say Margo has Troon Bowling Club’s best interests at heart and all the hours she puts in is purely on the basis to help the club be successful. She never once makes a fuss about all the jobs she undertakes or looks for any praise or thanks. Everyone at the club is grateful for all the work she carries out behind the scenes and we’re very fortunate to have her as a member of the club.”
To Margo’s surprise, she was recently presented with her National Volunteer Award at a cheese and wine afternoon at Troon Bowling Club that the club’s committee had put on as a thank you to all of the club’s volunteers for their efforts during 2024. Extremely humbled and proud to be presented her award in front of 40 fellow members, Margo commented: “I find it difficult to put into words how it felt to receive this award. I was speechless and it brought to tears to my eyes which I don’t do easily!
“I feel very honoured to receive this award from Bowls Scotland and thank those who voted for me very much. As I said on the day, I get far more out of the club than I will ever be able to give back.”
Congratulations to Margo 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 13th December 2024. For more information or to nominate someone, please click here.
