In 2021, Addlestone Bowls’ club in Victory Park was made up of five members and about to close its doors permanently. Fast forward two years and it now boasts 192 members of which 30 are Additional Needs Members and over 30 are Juniors, alongside full and social members.

This phenomenal growth is due to the efforts of a pioneering team, including Club Secretary Albert Tapper, that sees bowls as an inclusive sport with the bowls clubhouse as a community asset. Albert believes that the listed clubhouse building, the history of Victory Park – the entire place being a dedicated war memorial, the largest in the country – and its central location in the town are a source of great pride for the people of Addlestone. His vision is that the clubhouse will become part of a broader leisure offering and sit alongside two 9 hole mini / crazy golf courses and a licensed community bar and café - to draw more people into Victory Park and grow community ties.

But to be a community asset Addlestone Bowls needs the community’s help. Urgent and essential maintenance work must be carried out on the bowling green this winter to ensure that the Juniors and Disabled Sections can continue to enjoy the game without any reduction in play due to the surface of the grass. At the moment the green is too slow for these key groups. By helping out with this financial outlay, the community of Addlestone and beyond will help the club preserve its values of accessibility, inclusivity and financial sustainability and ensure that a vital piece of its past plays a significant role in its future.

We want more people to be part of our Club so for those kind enough to donate £20 or more, we will be offering free social membership for 2023 / 4, entitling you to all the benefits of being a member of our Club, apart from playing bowls itself. This includes a regular schedule of social events, regular communications and free tea and coffee in the clubhouse for a year!