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.
