Bowls Development Alliance
Official Press Release

Supporting people to keep active well into later life

The Bowls Development Alliance(BDA) has been awarded £1,628,512 from the Sport England investment strand that aims not only to bring new people into the sport but to ensure that the club environment is such that members develop an activity habit that continues well into later life.

The BDA is the umbrella organisation for flat green bowls and it works in partnership with Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowling Association to both grow the sport and provide opportunities for people to keep active by playing bowls and in so doing maintain an active lifestyle. The sport provides both a social and competitive environment in which to play and is accessible for everyone.

Funding will be used to support over 200 bowls clubs over the next four years to ensure clubs can be the very best they can be. Clubs will be encouraged to identify those areas where they believe they can improve to help provide the very best environment where people want to spend their leisure time.

In order to continue to bring new people into the sport of bowls, funding will also be used to help clubs recruit new members through the updated Play Bowls Package Scheme. The first window for applications opens on the 1st February (details to be found on www.playbowls.org)

Susan Cooper, the Development Director for the BDA is delighted with the award:

“This funding will allow the team to build on the work of the past four years and directly support clubs for the first time. It also reflects on the excellent work since 2013 with more than 12,000 new people taking up bowls not including the 3,000 more people 16 and over with a disability who have taken up the sport over this period of time”

Further information on all new initiatives will become available over the next few months and can be viewed on www.playbowls.org  or by calling the team on 01664 777001.