Tuesday 18 March 2008
Riddrie Bowling Club in the north-east of Glasgow is set to get a makeover thanks to an investment from sportscotland. The investment of £32,687 from the sportscotland Lottery fund will assist with the construction of a new changing facility to accommodate the growing number of women members joining the club. The new changing facilities will also allow the club to extend its community development programme including coaching and taster sessions to local schools.
Riddrie Bowling Club has been established for 96 years but only in the last couple of years has changed its constitution extending its membership to include women and juniors. Since opening up its membership to women the club has seen an influx of over 70 women taking up full membership with female members not only taking part in bowls but being actively involved in all aspects of the club's work. With the increase in the membership the club quickly realised that their facilities were unable to cope and started looking at plans to extend their changing facilities.
The bowling club is in a deprived area of Glasgow which has been identified as being in the worst 15% of deprivation zones in Scotland and with their future plans the club hopes to improve the health and well-being of all members of the community, but in particular children and young people. The whole project will cost just under £50,000 to complete and in addition to the sportscotland investment, Glasgow City Council are contributing £10,000, with the remainder coming from club funds.
Jim Robertson, club member of Riddrie Bowling Club said: "Riddrie Bowling Club is delighted to receive this award from sportscotland. This will allow a new changing facility to be built, permitting greater participation from women and young people. In addition this will see the development of a community based programme of volunteering and training opportunities, especially for older people."
Stewart Harris, Chief Executive, sportscotland said: "sportscotland is delighted to make this investment of £32,687 from the sportscotland Lottery fund to Riddrie Bowling Club for its new changing facilities. This investment demonstrates our commitment to helping communities provide quality, accessible facilities that meet their local priorities. This is vital if sport is to thrive across Scotland.
"The new changing facilities will allow the club to take forward its plans for the future, encouraging more people to take up the sport of bowls improving the health and well-being of the whole community."
- Launched in March 2004, the Building for Sport Programme (BfS) is divided into two strands: Community Facilities and Training and Competition Facilities.
- Applications for the Community Facilities Programme covers the provision or upgrading of facilities for the local community.
- The Training and Competition Facilities Programme concentrates on the provision or upgrading of centres designated as a national or regional facility by the relevant national governing body for sport.
sportscotland Building for Sport Programme - March 2008
Community Facilities Strand
Applicant: Riddrie Bowling Club
Project Title: Locker Room/Community Development Programme
Award: £32,687
Contact for Press: Janet Bain, tel: 07920 756677 or Jim Robertson, tel: 07818 842927
To construct a changing facility with lockers (11m x5m).
