Disability Bowls August update: The promotion so far
As the halfway point of Disability Bowls August approaches, this is a good time to take a quick look back over the past fourteen days of the campaign.
The month long promotion, Disability Bowls August, features daily press releases that focus on a wide range of case studies, recommended information sources and event details as well as number of initiative launches.
The group, made up of representatives from Disability Bowls England, Bowls Development Alliance, Bowls England, English Indoor Bowling Association and the English Federation for Disability Sport, was created to oversee the implementation of the strategic actions as listed in the forthcoming National Disability Strategic Action plan.
August began with the official launch of the promotional month, designed to raise awareness of disability bowls.
So far there have been notable announcements, like the launch of the 2015 National Disability Survey (accessible via bowls disability survey link). Also, the announcement that Plymouth Life Centre IBC were the winners of the 2014/15 Love Fisher Brown Award winners. Bowls Daventry and New Earswick IBC claimed the two runner up places.
Every Love Fisher Brown Award entrant will be profiled throughout Disability Bowls August. To date, the fantastic work at Berkhamstead BC, Bugle Blues VIBC, Bristol IBC is promoted as well as the three prize winners. Each entrant offers opportunities for disabled people to participate in bowls through a diverse range of activities.
In addition to club profiles, Disability Bowls August has also focused on individual players. You can read articles on Bob Love, Steve Angus and Steve Bigg and their tremendous personal achievements within the sport. There are more club and individual profiles to come in the latter half of the month.
The organisers hope that the clubs and current players will be inspired to work even harder. They want to ensure that bowls can be played by anyone, at any venue and at any time.
The flagship event in Disability Bowls August also took place, on 7 August, at the National Championships in Leamington Spa. It saw fourteen people take part in a “Working with disabled bowlers” course. (For more information, or to book your place on a future course visit www.playbowls.org. It was held alongside an exhibition match featuring Commonwealth Games team members Paul Brown, David Fisher, Steve Simmons and Ellen Falkner (CEO of Love Fisher Brown Award sponsors, AeroBowls).
With lots of spectators watching on, the elite players gave a fantastic demonstration of competitive bowls.
The second half of Disability Bowls August promises to provide further exciting announcements, including the launch of the first ever whole sport strategic plan. This aims to develop the sport for disabled people, written in conjunction with Disability Bowls August, Bowls Development Alliance, Bowls England, English Indoor Bowling Association as well as other key sector partners.
Finally, during the week commencing 10 August, the BDA will reveal a major participation milestone. One thousand new disabled bowlers have been recruited through BDA-funded activity since April 2013. While there is a lot more work to do, it shows the sport is developing and succeeding. Clubs, coaches, volunteers and national bodies are increasingly working together to encourage more and more disabled people to take up bowls.
