Bowling for the Blind

A bowling club from Yeovil with blind and partially-sighted players will now be able to take their impressive skills cross-country thanks to a grant that will cover their transport costs.

The Yeovil Visually Impaired Bowls Club, based at Yeovil Bowls and Squash Club, successfully won their bid for £3080 after contacting South Somerset District Council’s Sports Development Team for help.

The Somerset Community Foundation awarded the grant to the club - which last year enjoyed national success at the English National Championships and the UK International Championships - through its Grassroots Grant scheme.

Now the team hopes to gain more partially sighted or blind members to join them in competitions at bowls clubs across the country.

Jenny Phipps, Sports Development Officer at South Somerset District Council explains, “The club needed funding to help cover expensive green fees and to meet the costs of taking part in contests elsewhere. They are constantly being invited to play against other bowlers - it’s a very active club. We want to make sure there are no barriers for the blind or partially sighted to take part in sport and funding shouldn’t now be an issue as the grant covers costs for two years.”


Ron Homer, Treasurer of The Yeovil Visually Impaired Bowls Club said, “Hiring minibuses and drivers isn’t always a cheap option but that’s what we need, so the money will make a real difference here. We’re a friendly bunch and we welcome new players to join us.

“You don’t have to see the jack, you just have to know where it is, so our games rely on helpers describing where it has ended up and the players get their bearings and visualise what’s in front of them. For totally blind members we also have a marker of the centre of the green that they can feel.”

The Yeovil Visually Impaired Bowls Club can be contacted on 01935 420632 or through the www.yeovilblindbowls.co.uk website.