Rewarding Community and Innovation

Rewarding Community and Innovation

Through our very own Bowling Tours Excellence Award, we directly invest in the bowls community by sharing revenue with clubs that display innovative solutions to increase memberships. This can be recognised through making bowls a more inclusive and accessible game to children and families, and diversifying the ethnicity and abilities of players in the community.
Nestled in the idyllic county of Surrey, Cranleigh Bowls Club was a truly deserving winner of the first ever Bowling Tours Excellence Award. With passionate and dedicated members who put in efforts to bolster community spirit, they brought accessibility to their disabled members and voluntary coaching at a local school.
The club won a £1000 cash prize and a flag to represent their club wherever they may go (Runners up Walton-on Thames and Wimbledon Park Bowls Clubs won £500 respectively). However, the ultimate prize was the inaugural Bowling Tours Festival showcasing our vision of families coming together to play bowls with their children whilst bringing a wider exposure to the sport itself – a roaring success to say the least.
Children were especially keen to join in and learn the art of bowls with their colourful kit, England National Champs coaching them, and a DJ playing music as the cherry-on-top of a vibrant atmosphere. Breaking such traditions was a very bold move by the club, one made in order to give the game a modern twist that will appeal to younger players – or those seeking a club with character!

Rod Warriner, Cranleigh Bowls Club Secretary:
“My first thought is to thank [the Bowling Tours team] personally for the wonderful day we had. The enthusiasm and effort all you team put in. I think it is the way forward and hope our venture is copied throughout the bowls world.

It’s a way to get bowls into the limelight and a way to have fun with the family – all the time and effort is worthwhile, the award was brilliant and we are going to display 2 of your banners at the club.

Following the involvement with this project, we have been in contact with the local school and are currently holding a weekly coaching-introduction event to encourage young persons into bowling. The school has been very positive and want to encourage more for next year, so thank you.”

With the first step in our mission being a success, we now look towards growing this with more communities at county and national level. If you’d like to be the next winner of the Bowling Tours Excellence Award, get in touch!