BowlsWales and The National Federation of Women’s Institutes in Wales are happy to announce a new partnership that will see greater opportunities provided to women across Wales to play bowls.   

Earlier this year the Bowls in Wales Development and Communications group identified a set of key priorities, one of which was to increase the membership of Women and girls in bowls. As a result, BowlsWales is thrilled to announce this exciting new partnership. Working with the NFWI-Wales federations will see BowlsWales working closely with their members and bowls clubs to offer various bowls activities for the WI members across Wales. The project will involve working closely with the federations and their nearest bowls club to create weekly beginner bowls sessions, women only open days as well as providing an opportunity to socialise and play.  

Rhian Connick, Head of NFWI-Wales, is delighted to establish this partnership and be able to offer new provisions to its members: 

‘The NFWI-Wales is delighted to be a partnering with BowlsWales. Sport and leisure have always been an important part of the WI  and it has over many years provided opportunities for its members to be active and remain active. We know that women are far more likely to participate if they feel they are with like minded people in a setting that they are comfortable with, and in physical activities which also provide a social element, and bowls is an ideal sport for this. We also know that being active  is so important for health and wellbeing. I am sure our partnership with BowlsWales will be a successful one and our members will continue to have opportunities to participate in sport whatever their age or circumstance. 

Sophie Hancocks, General Manager of BowlsWales, expresses their excitement of the partnership for the sport: 

“We are thrilled to have partnered with NFWI-Wales and support the provision of bowls to their members. This project will focus on empowering women to experience bowls either for the first time or return to the sport after time away. The projects flexibility will allow us to work closely with NFWI-Wales federations and local clubs, shaping the activities that work better in those areas. These can be activities such as weekly block sessions for anyone new to the sport or hosting women only open days. There are other benefits to this project that we can foresee, which can result in clubs increasing their female membership and gaining grater coverage for the sport across Wales” 

“The sport has a particular perception for who it is most suited for but with this partnership, we can really highlight that bowls is a ‘sport for all’ and anyone can play and be a part of the community” 

Work on this project is already underway in launching sessions across bowls clubs in Wales. There are sessions starting on 20th July at Abergele Crown Green Bowling Club, working closely with the Clwyd Denbigh federation. Further plans are in discussion for other sessions and activities to be run in other regions including, Gwent, Carmarthenshire, Powys Montgomery, Powys Radnor and Ceredigion.