Bowls Big Weekend 2022

Bowling News

Bowls England last year created an initiative to identify one weekend of the year when a co-ordinated effort among bowling organisations to promote the sport would help raise it's profile all around the country. That started out as part of the recovery plan after the Covid pandemic and part of the plan to support the return to bowling. That work now continues into 2022.

Many sports had been hard hit by the pandemic with the usual turnover of participants but without the recruiting opportunities available with no sports allowed for many months. Crown green bowling was already on a downward spiral which accelerated under the pandemic impact.

Bowls Big Weekend was held for the first time in 2021 over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend and was supported by all variations of the bowling fraternity. That initiative continues again in 2022 with the same Bank Holiday weekend being used again. That holiday period is different this year as it is being extended to accommodate the celebrations of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. It also means that there is a four-day weekend starting on the Thursday (26 May) right through to the following Sunday.

The Huddersfield Bowls Development has already targetted the Sunday of that weekend as the best time to launch it's 'Introduction to Bowling' project. It is hoped to have a dozen newly qualified bowling coaches in place by then to lead this work over four greens.

Individual clubs can hold their own events as well to attract new bowlers to their clubs and some marketing material is available from Bowls England to support this work. Clubs can register with Bowls England to receive this guidance and access to the free marketing materials. Sign up here.

We would be delighted to hear of any club's plans to attract new members to their clubs and if we can help in anyway by publicising that effort then you only have to ask. Tell us about your plans.