Boost facilities at Gt Harwood Bowls

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Funded on
04 Jul 2025

Gt Harwood Bowling Club wants to improve the facilities of its pavilion by installing a 2nd W.C. re boarding the internal ceiling and carry out electrical re wiring along with necessary alarm upgrade

£46,800 Raised of £46,546

50 Backers

100%

The idea

The Bowling Club has almost become a victim of its own success, as membership have increased from 20-70 in just over 2 years, meaning the club is outgrowing its facilities. A secondary toilet is required to avoid unnecessary queueing not only by club members but also by public that come to watch matches, players in league matches, competators and other clubs members when hosting competitions. The Pavilion was previously used as a gardeners garage and service building, whilst there is a kitchen that is adequate the area around the kitchen is not large enough to cater for the increased membership. What was the garage area is now being used as our overspill room (that to all intent and purposes looks like a garage) when hosting schools fun bowls days, free bowls taster sessions and events for club and public alike, the ceiling is in need of re boarding, there is some ancillary electric and alarm work to be carried out to make this area a comfortable place for all to enjoy.

What we'll deliver

A room that is comfortable and pleasant to enjoy get togethers in
Less queueing when using the W.C.
Adequate space to move around the kitchen area

Why it's a great idea

We work along side local organisations( stakeholders) e.g. schools to provide free fun bowls days, over 50s clubs to encourage using / taking up our sport of crown green bowling with its benefits of health and emotional wellbeing set in a community setting, we have several local organisations that support people with a variety of disabilities, several
local clubs e.g. scouts and brownies - all those mentioned have said that
improved facilities can only improve existing somewhat poor facilities.
Since increasing membership we have also added a further team into a
local league, increased membership also creates more volunteers to
carry out work that improves the area around the bowling green thus
then making it a more pleasant area to watch / take part in Crown
Green Bowling. We have regular free bowling taster sessions
throughout the bowling season arranged and held by an approved level
one bowling coach, we can and will do so much more with improved
facilities.

Steps to get it done

Re boarding the inner ceiling
Creating the structure for a second toilet

Location

By Great Harwood Bowling Club

Great Harwood Bowling Club based at Lowerfold Park... Learn More

about us

Partner donations

This project has
received funding from
Lancashire Culture & Sport Fund

Updates

We've reached our target11 months ago

On behalf of Great Harwood Bowling Club I'd like to thank you all for supporting our Lancashire Crowdfunding cause - Boost Facilities at Great Harwood Bowling Club. I do apologise if you are receiving email still asking for donations I will rectify this as soon as I know how to do it, meanwhile if you are still recieving messages feel free to unsubscribe. Once again many thanks to all our Backers Regards Michael Secretary Great Harwood Bowling Club

11 months ago We've hit our target

Boost facilities at Gt Harwood Bowls has reached 80% of its target!11 months ago

View all updates

Recent backers

National Lottery Community Fund - £7,800
11 months ago

Hyndburn Borough Council - £20,000
11 months ago

Michael Gerrard - £10
11 months ago

View all backers

Great Harwood Bowling Club based at Lowerfold Park was first established in 1914, the club started with Bowls, Snooker and Croquet, over the years Snoker and Croquet were dropped with Crown Green Bowls remaining. The club was very successful during the years leading upto the late 90s, like a lot of Bowling Clubs they faced a lack of Membership and was and to a certain extent even today, bowls was viewed as an older person's sport. The club went into a slow downward spiral for approximately 10years then prior to covid a group of fellow like bowlers who once bowled at Lowerfold decided to re join but also create a committee with a constitution, bank account and regular minuted meetings, in doing so it was identified that the pavilion wasn't fit for purpose, there were no shelters around the green and membership was around 20-25. The committee working alongside the council came to an agreement to use the gardeners storage facility/ garage for catering etc. some work was carried out to make the kitchen area acceptable. Shelters around the green were needed, a fundraising committee was established ,within 12 months 2 shelters were installed at a cost of £8500. Membership and public viewing increased. The Committee then decided to have free taster sessions in order to do this a member took on the official role and was duly trained as a level 1 coach for Crown green bowls, even more members joined. The committee then decided to reach out to our community, we now have stakeholders e.g. schools who use our facilities via The Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Schools Sports Partnership, local organisations that support people with disabilities, local clubs e.g. scouts and brownies along with an over 50s, club all of whom want improved facilities. We have recently purchased an adapted wheelchair for use on the bowling green, we will be promoting this in 2025 being the only green in Hyndburn to have such a facility. We are to a certain extent a victim of our own success with membership now over 70 and as such the facilities do need to be upgraded. Great Harwoods gone from strength to strength but there is more to do with supporting our local community through a sport that is now seeing younger people taking part, a sport that is both physical and is great for mental wellbeing, all within a community setting of Crown Green Bowls.

Project Owner: Great Harwood Bowling Club The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.