A Funding Guide has been produced by the County’s Development Officer to provide Clubs with information on funding opportunities, as well as containing some useful hints and tips on making a funding application. This Guide will be updated periodically to ensure it is up to date and to add extra information. The Guide can be viewed and downloaded on the new Funding page (dropdown under Club Development – https://lancashirebowls.com/funding/).
A quick reminder that a Club Development Presentation being held for Lancashire CCGBA clubs on Tuesday 14 March at 7.15pm, held at Dunscar Conservative Club, Bromley Cross, Bolton BL7 9HJ. The presentation will be given by Ian Gill, the Lancashire Development Officer. All are welcome to attend. If you feel a presentation like this would be useful in your area please contact Ian at lancsbowlsdevelopment@gmail.com.
The Bowls’ Big Weekend is back for 2023 and will be held on the bank holiday weekend from Friday 26th to Monday 29th May. If your Club is thinking of taking part there will be plenty of online help and support available, as well as national publicity.
More information will be coming soon, but if it is something your Club is interested in but are not sure what it involves please get in touch with Ian Gill, the Lancashire Development Officer at lancsbowlsdevelopment@gmail.com and he will do his best to provide some advice and help you. Some further advice will also be added to this website in due course. If your club is definitely taking part please let Ian know so that we can build up a picture of what is happening in Lancashire and how successful it has been.
Please remember to let Sandie Whitaker know if you are attending the Safeguarding training/DBS checks this coming Sunday. Please note that the training will cost £15 to attend, so please bring payment with you.
A reminder for all clubs that you must have a named Safeguarding Officer in place who is DBS checked or you will not be allowed to play in leagues this year. Sandie Whitaker, the Lancashire Safeguarding Officer, will carry out Safeguarding training and DBS verification for any new Safeguarding Officers on Sunday 12 March at 10am – 1pm at Coppull Conservative Club Spendmore Lane Coppull PR75EB. If you are an existing Safeguarding Officer your DBS should not be more than 3 years old.
Please call Sandie on 07512 501385 if you wish to attend or if you have any queries. If there is a big demand then extra sessions closer to you may be laid on. Please take a passport, driving licence, utility bill/bank statement with name and current address (dated within last 3 months and also proof of previous address if moved house in the last 5 years), and your national insurance number.
There are a few remaining places available on the Coach Bowls Level 2 Qualification Course, which is scheduled to commence on Tuesday 4th April 2023 at Heaton Park, Manchester.
Any current Level 1 coach or above from all current accreditation schemes or any Level 2 coach from another sport who also has a background in Bowls can also apply for Recognition of Prior Learning to be eligible.
To register for the course they should follow this link – https://www.coachbowls.org/course/crown-green-level-2-heaton-park/.
Any queries contact Mark Bircumshaw at BCGBA.
The Bowls Development Alliance are hosting a “Week of Learning” commencing 27th February 2023.
Free workshop tickets are available for the following workshops via the BDA’s Education platform on this link: https://bowlsdevelopmentalliance.com/education/ (scroll down the page to find these courses).
Numbers are restricted to 100 attendees per workshop but there will be further opportunities to attend in March for those who miss out or cant make the allocated dates.
There are also several online training modules and quick guides via the BDA’s Education platform so please take time to see what is available for the benefit of your club or individual learning.
There will be a ‘Club Development Presentation’ from Ian Gill, the new Lancashire Development Officer, at 7.15pm on Tuesday 14 March. The presentation will take place at Dunscar Conservative Club, Hardmans Lane, Bromley Cross, Bolton, BL7 9HJ, and will be prior to the Bolton Leagues AGM. Anyone that can make it there is welcome to attend, you do not need to be from the Bolton Leagues representatives.
The presentation will cover grant funding, and initiatives to help your club attract new members. If you are attending, and there is anything specific you would like to learn about then please contact Ian on lancsbowlsdevelopment@gmail.com prior to the event.
Hello everyone, I would like to introduce myself as the new Development Officer for the Lancashire CCGBA. For anyone that doesn’t know me my name is Ian Gill and I have been a coach for many years at Ormskirk Bowling Club (as well as previous roles as Chairman and Secretary at clubs) and have just finished the Level 2 Coach Bowls coaching qualification. I was also recently a Club and Community Development Officer with the Bowls Development Alliance before giving that up to become a partner at Bowls Buddies LLP (you will see mention of that company in the new BCGBA Handbook). I also act as the Chairman for the West Lancs & Sefton Junior Bowls Forum and have run the local Junior League (currently awaiting a fresh influx of clubs) and the Ormskirk Federation Junior and Youth Teams.
I can’t admit to knowing everything but if I can assist your club in anyway then please get in touch. I have set up a new email address for any Lancashire Bowls Development enquiries – lancsbowlsdevelopment@gmail.com so please contact me via that. I will add my contact details on to the website as well.
In terms of other things, take a look at the Club Development and Coaching pages on this website. I hope to improve these and add to them over the next few weeks. I will also be doing a ‘Club Development’ presentation prior to the Bolton Leagues AGM in March and will post more details about this shortly. I will consider the best way to do such presentations in the future and will look to do an online session at some point.
I am happy to visit your club and meet you, time permitting, if you would like some more detailed advice.
Finally bowls is NOT a dying sport – there have been thousands of new registrations recently, including many in Lancashire, and there are some very simple things you can do to attract new members and make your club thrive. It just needs a bit of thought and effort.
The Lancashire County Crown Green Bowling Association AGM will be held on Saturday 28 January at 2pm. The Chief Executive of the BCGBA (Mr Mark Bircumshaw) is due to attend to explain the details of the Rules Revision. The venue for the AGM is Leigh Welfare Miners Club, Twist Lane, LEIGH WN7 4EF.
Lancashire County Crown Green Bowling Association 