BDA Funded Programmes & Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Following the advice issued by HM Government, Public Health England, Sport England and the NHS the Bowls Development Alliance (BDA) have over the past few days been looking at ways to best support clubs that have been actively engaging with their programmes (Club Development Programme, Play Bowls Packages and the Women Can Initiative) through this difficult and unprecedented  COVID-19 outbreak.

With that in mind we have today decided to take the following action:

Club Development Programme

The Club Development team remain ‘open for business’ however, our Club Development Officers will not be able to visit clubs for face to face meetings and therefore any meetings or workshops planned until the end of April 2020 are postponed. We are also recommending to all clubs that are part of the Club Development Programme and have any open days planned from today until the end of April that they are also postponed.

The Club Development Team are all at the end of the phone and will be working to continue to support clubs on any aspects of a clubs Club Development Plan that do not require face to face meetings. We are also able to hold skype meetings or conference calls if appropriate.

Your appointed Club Development Officer will be calling the nominated contact within the club over the next seven days to discuss the support we can offer to the club and to agree a plan moving forward. 

Play Bowls Packages including Women Can Packages.

Our Play Bowls Packages scheme has once again been heavily subscribed with applications from clubs since the window opened in February. With effect from today we are postponing all funding for events planned from today until the end April 2020. To ensure that clubs are not disadvantaged, clubs will be able to simply email in to packages@playbowls.org with re-arranged dates once the advice from relevant bodies is changed. We are from today removing the package window closing date and will be leaving the package window open through the year. To ensure that we can support clubs once the advice is changed, applications will be accepted 7 days before the first event (Open Day).

Women Can and WI Groups

We are again recommending from today that all activities are postponed until the end of April 2020. We suggest that clubs keep the communications between the club and the WI group ongoing so as soon as the advice is changed activity can restart.

It should be noted we are currently working on a month by month approach to ensure that we are as flexible as we can be in this situation so that as soon as the advice from the relevant bodies changes, we are ready to support clubs with recruitment and development. We will be issuing a further statement regarding events already in the diary in May, on the 17th April 2020.

Please keep an eye on our website www.playbowls.org and our social media accounts on twitter and facebook for the latest advice. We will also be publishing any information we receive from Sport England regarding any support available to clubs from central sources to help you through this challenging time.

Keep safe everyone.

The BDA Team

https://www.sportengland.org/news/coronavirus-information-sector