It is with some sadness, that the Trustees of Disability Bowls England Charity Trust (DBE) have decided the best way forward for our members and future bowlers with a disability, giving everyone the opportunity to play the game of bowls across all bowls codes in England, is that DBE will disband on the 31 Dec 2024 and its activities will be managed by Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowling Association (EIBA).
This has been a very difficult decision, however, in the present climate there are so many ‘good causes’ which need funding and Bowls is low on the list for ‘giving’ for most people and Charity Foundation Grants. Sport England only support Bowls as a whole via the Bowls Development Alliance (BDA) and unfortunately, we have struggled to secure enough funding to enable Disability Bowls England Charity Trust (DBE) to continue to grow as an inclusive organisation moving forward.
There will be a period starting in October 2024 and throughout the start of the indoor season to explore how best to amalgamate Disability Bowls into both organisations, and continue to build on the great work that has been achieved to showcase how inclusive our sport is for the future development of bowls for all, across all disabilities groups at all levels of the game for many years to come.
We appreciate that this will create a period of uncertainty, but we want to reassure all our members that we have the full support of the Boards of Directors from both Bowls England and English Indoor Bowling Association. Steve Watson (Chairperson), Mike Robertson (Finance Director), Sue Davies (DBE Secretary) & Judy Plater (DBE National Development & Administration Officer) will remain in place as the day-to-day main point of contact for DBE until 31 December 2024.
Maggy Smith MBE (DBE Life President) who has been involved with bowls for people with a disability for the best part of 40 years in a voluntary capacity said,
“For many years people with a disability weren’t encouraged to join this great sport of ours. This had to change, initially by bringing together the various disability groups that did exist to give those people the same opportunities the rest of us have. Disability Bowls England was ‘born’ in 2004. Since our beginning, a tremendous amount of work has been put in by the trustees and our loyal team of volunteers bringing us to the stage we are at today, an opportunity for everybody with a disability to play the sport of bowls at various levels. It is now time for us to take a further step forward; with the support of Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowling Association a new chapter is about to be written going into the future as one ‘Team England’.”
Proving Bowls is for Everyone
Kind Regards
“We are Stronger Together”
Steve Watson
Chairperson Disability Bowls England