Hello Everyone,

What a year 2020 has proved to be.

We have been hit by a terrible illness COVID 19 with so many people taken from us before their time. It’s a time that we have realised who key workers actually are and we are indebted to every one of them.

Given that we are now slowly coming out of lockdown and trying to move towards a new normal there will be obvious consequences for people with mental health issues. Who would have thought we would have been confined to the house for so long with so little freedom of movement?

Mental illness in its many forms is a horrible condition and a silent one. I know this from personal experience, and I know a lot of friends within the bowling fraternity suffer too. So many people who put on a brave face in public when in reality they are going through hell.

It is important that we raise awareness of this terrible illness as much as possible and that, slightly selfishly, we try and raise the profile of our great sport bowls at the same time. Bowls can be a great social outlet for people and because it is played from the ages of 5 to 100 it does cover the entire population.

What I intend to, in my position as High Performance Coach of Irish Bowls is to combine these 2 great areas, Mental Health and our own Sport Bowls, and carry out a 50 Club Sponsored Marathon where I will play 3 Ends in each club. I will be travelling the length and breadth of Ireland and will play against all groups within the Sport – Ladies, Gents, Veterans, Regional Academy Players and High-Performance Players. 30 Ends against each category and will hopefully raise a few pounds and Euros for Mental Health Charities.

The 2 Charities I have chosen to raise money for are 'Mindwise' and 'Pieta House' so please give generously.