An Olveston bowls coach is leading a fundraising drive to make lawn bowls at his club more accessible to people with hearing loss. The campaign follows more than a decade of work to improve accessibility at Olveston & District Bowls Club and a national award recognising his inclusion work.
From injury to inclusion
The coach, who previously worked as a crime scene investigator with Avon and Somerset Police, became disabled after a hit‑and‑run in 1998 and had to teach himself to play left‑handed. Encouraged by an occupational therapist to try bowls, he began at Bristol Arrow Bowling Club and later moved to Olveston more than ten years ago, taking on coaching duties and developing accessible provision.
Practical improvements already funded
Over the years the club has secured funding to remove barriers for members with mobility needs. Grants totalling £6,000 were used to buy arm extensions, a bowls wheelchair and to install a ramp allowing easier access to the green. In 2024 his work was recognised nationally with Bowls England’s Diversity and Inclusion Award.
New focus: hearing loss
More recently the coach has turned his attention to members with hearing loss. Some attendees have been avoiding social events and meetings because they cannot hear properly and feel excluded. To tackle this, the club is fundraising for mobile hearing systems that can feed a speaker’s voice directly into a wearer’s hearing aid.
“This sort of equipment is expensive but if I can get the hearing devices our members will benefit. We're working hard behind the scenes.”
Initial quotations for the neck‑worn devices have come in at around £17,000, a sum the club cannot meet alone. However, supporters have already raised a portion of the target after the club was named one of five winners in Tesco’s Grand Giveaway via easyfundraising, earning a £1,000 boost.
- Existing accessible items purchased: arm extensions, bowls wheelchair, ramp
- Recognitions: Bowls England Diversity and Inclusion Award (2024)
- Current fundraising target: mobile hearing equipment (quote c. £17,000)
- Recent donation: £1,000 from Tesco Grand Giveaway via easyfundraising
Wider benefits of bowls
The coach also runs free disability coaching sessions every fortnight. He emphasises the wider health and social benefits of the sport, saying bowls can support physical and mental wellbeing and provide social contact for those who are bereaved, disabled or seeking a supportive community.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Accessibility improvements to date | £6,000 |
| Tesco Grand Giveaway boost | £1,000 |
| Estimated cost of hearing system | £17,000 |
Anyone who shops online can help raise funds at no extra cost by using easyfundraising, the club says. Further details about the campaign or how to support the club were not provided in the initial report.
Local clubs and organisations looking to improve accessibility may see this as a model for practical, incremental investment to make sport more inclusive for people with a range of disabilities.
