Bowlers of all ages and disabilities are now able to get around the green at Rhoose Bowling Club thanks to a new high-tech wheelchair that has been funded by the Community Chest sports grants scheme.
Members have been bowled over by the new chair which is perfect for disabled players and those with mobility problems as it has wider wheels that make it easy to move around on the club’s all-weather surface and an adjustable arm rest that is ideal for bowling.
Both children and adults can fit in the chair, which was bought by the club to open up the sport to even more people. The club was awarded a grant of £1,000 by the Community Chest scheme towards the cost of the chair.
Run locally by the Vale of Glamorgan Council and agreed by a panel of volunteers with support from Sport Wales, the Community Chest scheme helps people in Wales become more active, more often, and £1,500 is the maximum grant amount that is available for sports clubs and organisations to apply for.
Delighted with how the scheme has helped support Rhoose Bowling Club in their efforts to attract more bowlers, club secretary Jo Hopkins said: "We applied for a Community Chest grant as we wanted to improve our provision for bowlers with disabilities and mobility problems."
"The grant was hugely welcomed and the remainder of the money that we required to buy the chair was raised thanks to donations and fundraising. I’d also like to thank the Vale Council’s Disability Sports Officer Simon Jones who was instrumental in sourcing a suitable wheelchair."
The £1,000 awarded to Rhoose Bowling Club was part of a mammoth £83,309.89 that was invested in grass-roots sport in the Vale of Glamorgan by the Community Chest scheme during the last 12 months.
Other sports to benefit include kayaking, basketball, netball, rugby, football, cricket, karate, golf and tennis.
Bowlers of all ages are welcome at Rhoose Bowling Club, which can be found on Celtic Way, Rhoose, and you can find out more about the club at their open day on Saturday 31 March from 2pm.
If you’d like further information about how the Community Chest scheme could benefit your sports club or organisation, please contact the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s sports and play development team by calling 01446 704748.
