Sport England - Movement Fund has provided £1,040 of match funding
Upgrade of bowling green
Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
Aim
We aim to upgrade our near bowling green with SPORT ENGLAND aid enabling wider local community usage.
Who are we?
Founded in 1896 we are a well-established local crown green bowls club. The club has a formal constitution with a committee of elected officers. In addition we have two nationally accredited coaches. We are accredited to the British Crown Green Bowls Association.
We are self funded via annual subscriptions and fund raising activities. We strive to keep our subscriptions affordably low for this community.
We provide companionship and physical exercise for our members and the local community both during the bowls season and in the winter.
The club has around 50, mainly elderly members, both male and female and the number is increasing. Over half of members have health problems including diabetes, asthma, and mobility difficulties. About a quarter live alone and experience social isolation.
Every week during the season the facilities, exercise and companionship are shared by our members and visiting teams (90-100 visiting bowlers every week). During one game a player is likely to walk between 800m and 1500m, as well as bending and stretching movements. This is the most significant physical activity that many members undertake.
We are situated very close to the Stirchley area of Birmingham which the Government has designated one of the most deprived areas of the country.
Why are we crowdfunding?
Previously located on the Cadbury Sports Ground alongside Linden Road in 2024 we relocated onto our present site, a disused and neglected Lawn (‘flat green’) Bowls Club with two greens. Using our own labour and funds we converted both greens into crown greens whilst improving the surrounds and clubhouse.
However one green is badly compacted and drains poorly meaning it can be wet and waterlogged so that bowling frequently has to be postponed and the surface can be slippery and dangerous. In the last year we have spent several hundred pounds to install anti-slip surfaces and handrails to improve access for older players. The current project, by improving drainage and improving the playing surface will reduce slip hazards for all players.
The project cost has been calculated to be £4000. We have been offered a grant of £1040 from Sport England which represents a significant portion of the cost but we need your help to raise the remainder. The Sport England contribution is conditional on the club raising £1040 via Crowdfunding.
How we’ll spend the money raised
If we are successful in raising our goal we will resurface our near green to:
* ensure a high quality bowling green
* realize a green usable for a greater portion of the outdoor bowls season than currently
* eliminate a potential slipping hazard for elderly members
* enable the club to play at a higher standard of the sport
* provide a better experience for members and visiting bowlers
* enable the club to attract new members from the area
* improve the reputation and morale of the club
* support our ambition to continue our role in the community
Community impact
As previously mentioned, we are a key part of the community for our members, often providing a local get-together opportunity both in and out of season. By resurfacing the green, our members will have a continued opportunity to practice and socialize during the bowls season.
Every season we host very popular Open Days and 'Bowls Fun' events for the local Brownie and Cub groups, U3A and the rest of the local community.
This project is in support of our ambition to be a club with good, high quality facilities of which our members and the community are proud to be a part and which visiting teams are pleased to visit.
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!
This project successfully funded on 13th November 2025