Arena is bowled over by funding

The Eastgate venue has been awarded £41,200 from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund to carry out improvements and refurbishments to the indoor bowls area, with North Notts Community Leisure committing a further £10,000 towards the project.

As well as the mural, the work includes fitting a new indoor bowls carpet and underlay, re-decorating the walls including a mural, re-carpeting the aisles and buying a new carpet cleaner and coaching equipment.

“We are delighted to have been awarded this grant and it will enable us to provide some of the best indoor bowling facilities in the county,” said centre manager Nigel Turner.

“This grant is just another part in the jigsaw of our desire to make the arena a community centre of which to be proud.”

“This award will benefit over 500 local Bassetlaw residents, who regularly play the game, in keeping them fit, active and included in society.”

And the timing is fitting, as next month the arena, in conjunction with the Bassetlaw Indoor Bowls Club, will be celebrating 30 years of indoor bowling at the venue.

Nigel hopes that the revamped facilities will attract even more people to try out the sport.

“Bowling is a great sport for people who no longer play their chosen sport for whatever reason, but still have that competitive urge within them,” he added.

“Indoor bowling can be played competitively, in leagues, county competitions, national competitions, or simply as a form of exercise.”

“Bowling is a great way of keeping fit, and is beneficial to the cardio-vascular system. It is also a great way of meeting different people and making new friends.”

The Inspired Facilities fund is part of Places People Play, Sport England’s Olympic and Paralympic legacy fund which aims to bring the inspiration of the London 2012 Games to every community in England.

The revamped area will be unveiled at a special Bowls4U launch day on Friday 14th September.

An afternoon of entertainment will include an exhibition match from indoor bowls world number one Greg Harlow, current world champion Andy Thomson, former world champion Billy Jackson and 23-year-old female bowler Rebecca Field, who is partnering Greg Harlow in this year’s world championships.