Today, Robert Walter MP (North Dorset) visited Sixpenny Handley Bowls Club, in East Dorset, to congratulate the team on their successful bid to Sport England for over £23,000 in grant funding.
Following a year of local fundraising to build a new Clubhouse, the Bowls Club, in partnership with Sixpenny Handley with Pentridge Parish Council, decided to apply to Sport England in March 2013 for a grant to replace the Club’s artificial Bowling surface, which had been down for 16 years and had come to the end of its life.
Bob Walter MP welcomed the announcement that the Club and Parish Council had been successful in their application, receiving £23,280 as part of the Sport England ‘Places Peoples Play’ legacy programme. This programme runs in partnership with the British Olympic Association and the Paralympic Association, and has the backing of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG).
He was delighted to accept Club Treasurer Patrick Taylor’s invitation to see the new clubhouse and hear about the plans for a re-surfaced international-sized Bowling rink for himself.
Bob commented: “Sixpenny Handley should be very proud of their sports and recreation facilities and I am delighted that their own fund-raising efforts locally have been matched by a well-deserved grant from the national Sport England programme. I wrote only a few weeks ago about how pleased I was that both National Lottery and Olympic legacy money was reaching my North Dorset constituency, and I’m delighted to be able to add another village in my constituency to the list of beneficiaries.
“It was great to have the chance to look at the new facilities. Unfortunately, Sixpenny Handley ladies lost their match that day, but it was very much enjoyed by all.”