Bowls4Free Jamboree

Chawton Park Indoor Bowls Club had lots to celebrate on Wednesday 30th November, not least the arrival of BBC South Today cameras to record some of the club’s recent outstanding achievements. Kris Temple, a South Today Sports presenter, arrived at the club with cameraman Mark and the event was featured on the evening programme that day. 

Kris had a go, and advised presenter Sally Taylor on the programme that it is “more difficult than it looks”!

More than 50 members of the public took up the club coaching team’s offer of “Bowls4Free” (B4F) - over a series of six free weekly sessions. Wednesday was a “Jamboree” to celebrate the conclusion of the initiative. Established members of the club joined with the B4F “newbies” and played a game together. Joined by Deputy Mayor Dean Phillips and Councillor Graham Hill there followed a social event where the members provided a buffet and the B4F participants brought raffle prizes.

The project was funded by a Platinum Package grant from the Bowls Development Alliance and available only to club’s with CLUBMARK. The initiative has already realised over twenty new members for the club. Presenting a cheque for £600 to Club President David Fox, Chris Parkin from the Bowls Development Alliance commended the club on achieving a Platinum award for the third year running. David praised the work of the coaching team and thanked them on behalf of the club.

CLUBMARK is the universally acknowledged cross sport accreditation for high standards in welfare, equity coaching and management. The Club has again achieved the high standards necessary to maintain its CLUBMARK accreditation which it has now held for seven years. Chawton Park IBC is the only indoor bowls club in the county to hold it. The Clubmark Certificate of accreditation was presented by Harry Stow, Sports Development Officer from the County Sports Partnership Energise Me, to Hampshire Indoor Bowling Association President and Chawton Park Indoor Vice-President, John Kellow who had organised the update along with Sarah Hooper our Club Welfare Officer.