Junior Bowling Initiative

This page contains the information about the Junior Bowling Initiative for 2007 which was started by the Windmill Bowling Club following the Awards for all Grant received in November 2006.  Information 2008 onwards will be posted on the new website as set out below.

New Website

The Ormskirk & District Junior Bowling Initiative has now been formally constituted as an organisation.  For further details please visit the new website.  The schools time table for 2008 will be posted on there, as will details of all other activities taking place in 2008

Saturday Morning Kids Sessions at the Windmill

At 10-30am every Saturday morning, starting on 2nd June, anyone aged between 7-16 years old is welcome to come along to the Windmill, Wigan Rd, Ormskirk, and have a go at bowls.  This is a great sport for those who are good at other sports, but it also provides an opportunity for those who do not like football or rugby to have a go at something different.  These sessions will be totally free and all equipment is provided – just wear a pair of trainers. All Instructors are trained, and CRB cleared, for working with children.  The Club has lots of sets of colourful trendy bowls that kids will love to play with as well as target mats and other activities to add variety.  In the event of rain these sessions will be cancelled.

The first session was a great success and we now have a special page on this website for our Junior members.

Latest News

• Everyone has now passed!!
• All returned CRB certificates to be shown to Ian when convenient please.
• Please return all forms to Ian regarding Clubs' having Child Protection procedures etc in place

Get together at Comrades

There was a  get-together of all the Clubs/instructors hoping to be involved in the junior bowling initiative at the Comrades on Wednesday 28th February at 7pm.  The following issues were discussed:

1.  how we will arrange sessions with schools
Agreed that Ian Gill would send letters to schools in due course.  Each club would be paired up with a school and one person would act as a link.  That person may wish to make direct contact with the school to discuss arrangements.

2.  how we will get bowls to greens etc
Agreed that bowls would be kept at Ian Gill's house and would be picked up by one of instructors either evening before or just before sessions.  Club's would be responsible for the bowls whilst in their possession and would have to pay for losses, but not for accidental damage.

3.  arrangements for the instructors course, what it involves, forms to fill in etc
Ian handed out all the various forms that needed signing

4.  child protection measures your club will need to have in place
Each Club will need to have a child protection policy and child protection officer appointed

5.  arrangements for volunteer helpers
Each Club will need to ensure that volunteers have signed child protection form and received code

Equipment purchased

 

The Club has now purchased 25 sets of coloured woods, 6 orange practice jacks (for those too small to manage the woods), 4 yellow jacks, 2 measures, 4 target mats and several footers for use in the junior bowling initiative.

 

Schools and Clubs Contacted

 

The following schools and clubs in the Ormskirk/Aughton area have now been contacted (by 17th December) to see if they are interested in taking part.  Schools will be linked with the Clubs below subject to both parties being interested in participating.  If schools and clubs do not wish to take part there are other Clubs just outside Ormskirk that will be contacted to see if they are interested in participating with their local schools.

 

SCHOOLS LINKED CLUB PRIMARY     Ormskirk C of E    Windmill Asmall Comrades West End Comrades Christchurch Cockbeck/ Aughton Institute Town Green Cockbeck/ Aughton Institute St Michaels Cockbeck/ Aughton Institute St James, Westhead Halton Castle St Annes St Annes       SECONDARY     Ormskirk School Windmill/Comrades St Bedes St Annes

CLUB Windmill Comrades Royal Oak Cockbeck Aughton Institute Halton Castle St Annes *

Table updated 21st February 2007

The following is information sent to all Clubs in the Ormskirk/Aughton area with a letter inviting them to participate in the Junior Bowling Initiative

How will it work?

Your Club will be matched up with a local junior/senior school.  Schools will be invited to send pupils for ‘taster sessions’.  These will be for Year 3 (7 year olds) upwards.  It is up to the schools and Club to agree how many and how often sessions take place, the only restriction being the availability of the bowls (ie they may be in use at another green).  We will probably establish a calendar on our website showing when other clubs/schools have arranged sessions so you can see what availability is like.  The school may want to give many different pupils a taste of bowls or send the same group each time. 

Your Club will need to provide instructors and helpers – although we would encourage people from other Clubs to help out as well if they can.

When will it start?

Once the 2007 bowling season has started, up to the end of the schools’ summer term.  In between it is up to you and the school to agree when sessions will take place.

How will the bowls get to the green?

Twenty five sets of woods have been purchased, as well as training jacks (& footers and target mats. We have still to decide where the bowls will be kept and how they will be distributed to sessions.  Ideally someone from your Club should collect and return the woods, although alternative arrangements will need to be made if this is not possible.  We can talk these arrangements over further.  Your Club will be responsible for the woods whilst in your possession and will need to replace them if any go missing!!

How many children should we cater for?

I would advise a maximum of 16 pupils per session (4 groups of 4).  We have 25 sets of woods in total, most of which will be of a very low weight for the younger bowlers.  We will also have jacks, which could be used as woods for the youngest and weakest players.

What training is needed for your members?

The lottery money will pay for 2/3 people from your Club to be trained as Crown Green Bowling Instructors.  This is not particularly daunting.  It will involve four 2 hr sessions that will be run at the Comrades Club (probably run in the evening) with a 1 hour practical test at the end, probably on a Sat/Sun (I don’t think anyone fails!) The evening sessions could be run in 1 week or over 2/3 weeks – this will be done to suit those involved.  This is totally free and will be paid for by the lottery money.  Everyone who becomes an Instructor will be CRB checked and cleared for working with children.

Others from your Club can also help out at any training sessions – it is advised that they complete a CRB form, which I can supply and assist with its completion (not much information is actually required. Alternatively, it is advised that helpers sign something before a session (this has not yet been drawn up, but will be done before this starts.

When will training take place?

Probably in late March, but names and addresses are needed as soon as possible.

Do we need any form of Risk Assessment?

A form should be completed before each session and will be supplied by the Windmill BC for Instructors to complete.

What about a Child Safety Policy?

A child safety policy should be adopted by your Committee.  The Windmill can supply a copy of theirs by e-mail which can be amended for your Club. Alternatively, if you are not so advanced technologically, I can send a hard copy already amended for you.  You will not be able to run sessions without such a policy.

Do we need Toilet facilities?

Yes, the children will need access to toilet facilities.

Will it cost anything?

No – the cost of instructor training, organisation and use of bowls is free.  The only cost will be your time and possibly a bit of petrol if you are picking up the woods.  It will be up to your Club as to whether you get any reimbursement for these expenses.

How will we keep the kids interested in bowling afterwards?

If those schoolchildren visiting your Club are keen you may wish to run after school sessions or sessions at the weekends – the scheme woods may be available or you may wish to apply to the Council or lottery for funds to purchase more sets of woods.  As part of the bid we said we would run open sessions on three occasions at the park in Ormskirk, and would hope that all Clubs will assist with these.  If two or more Clubs wish to start Junior Sections we could play informal matches or start a mini Junior League.

Again, if schools are keen, we could organise an inter-school competition at the end of the Summer term or at the start of their Autumn term.

Any other questions?

I may have missed some obvious things out or you may have further questions to ask.  Please contact Ian Gill if you have any further queries or concerns on 01695 575 141.  

Initial Junior bowling a great success

The Junior bowling held at the Comrades was a great success.  All the children from Year 6 really enjoyed the event.  Following the session the Headteacher of Ormskirk C of E (Greetby Hill) wrote the following immediate letter to the Clubs and helpers involved

"Many thanks for providing the basic skills sessions to our children at the Comrades club.  The children developed a real understanding of the game and your instructors assisted the children in developing their skills quickly.  The certificates and refreshments were also gratefully received.

It was obvious that the children enjoyed themselves but I thought that you would like to know some of the comments that the children made.

"It was fun and very different from other sports I've played"

"I can dream about being a champion bowler."

"A great new experience because it was different"

"Not as tiring as other sports but I needed to concentrate more."

"very calming sport."

"Fun and exciting. I like it because we were able to compete very quickly."

"The way they taught us was very good and helped us aim more accurately very quickly."

"Easy to learn but difficult to be accurate."

"Amazing because nobody fell out over winning and losing."

It's good because you don't have to be a fast runner."

It is really good to see our children enjoying a new experience.

Many Thanks

John Rowlands"

Thanks should go to Peter Forshaw and Chris Higham who came over from Wigan to help the youngsters and also to the Comrades for hosting the event and all those who came along to help from various clubs.

To view what has been done in Wigan view the shevibowls website and look in the junior bowls section.