Last year, 204 Clubs nationally, registered to take part in the 2025 BIG Bowls weekend. Following feedback from participants Bowls England have decided to extended the success of the Bowls BIG Weekend and have launched the Bowls BIG Summer 2026!!!
Lots of Clubs fed back that whilst they saw benefits of an increased interested in bowls, they felt having the activities over just a Bank Holiday Weekend was restrictive for participants, and volunteers alike. So this year, there’ll be the opportunities for events all Summer long.
Bowls England are once again hosting the platform for clubs to register their interest and the Bowls Development Alliance will be coordinating lots of activities across the country.
By registering, your club will be able to access digital resources to use on social media and handy downloaded resources that you can use to advertise and promote events at your clubs.
Please use the link bellow to register your interest and help us to promote our sport in your own local areas.
Updated Statement from the British Crown Green Bowling Association regarding regarding the Transgender Participation Policy Review (March 2026).
Please find attached an updated statement from the BCGBA in relation Transgender Participation in Crown Green Bowls, its current position and its intention to continue to review its policy. The previous statement issued following the 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling was circulated via newsletter in May 2025 and can be found by searching the NL&F CBA website.
The Bowls Development Alliance week of learning programme offers free webinars to members of affiliated bowling clubs. Topics for the week include:
Big Bowls Summer
How to get your club online (using social media)
Peer to peer workshop – What Does a Well Run Club Look Like?
Peer to peer workshop – Connecting with your Community
What Should High Quality Coaching Look Like?
Club Health Checker – How to complete it
Safeguarding – How to implement safeguarding in your club
Registration for each session will be open up until the morning of the session. You can register for you free space by clicking on this Link Week of Learning – Bowls Development Alliance. Once registered, you will receive an email with the session link and further information.
Thank you to all those North Lancs and Fylde bowlers who took the time to come and join us at the BDA Roadshow held at Fox Lane Sports and Social Club at the end of February.
The day was well attended, and we had the opportunity to speak to bowlers from across our own and our neighbouring Counties sharing ideas about the things that are important to recruit and retain bowlers within our clubs.
The Bowls Development Alliance have kindly provided the information from the day so that we can share it with you all. There are several questions posed in the attached documents that would be worth discussing at your club committee meetings along with information about future events and useful hyperlinks to information about support and fund raising opportunities.
During the lunch break we were able to ask questions about green keeping and equipment from Henton & Chattell, the manufacturer of the Corbra Fortis lawn machinery displayed outside on the green, the rain even stopped long enough for us to explore the equipment available from Bowls Buddies and to try this out on the green.
Please do have a look at the attached documentation and feel free to contact any of the agencies listed or reach out to our County Development Office Steve Clamp.
Bowlers, we have two teams representing North Lancs and Fylde in the 2026 BCGBA Club Championship which is due to take place on Sunday 29th March.
Both Hambleton and Lostock Hall Cons Bowling clubs qualified to take part in this National competition as winners and runners up in our 2025 County Team Competition and will now compete at The Northern Club, Elm Avenue, Great Crosby, Liverpool, L23 2SX. Thirty two teams comprising of 8 players will compete at four different venues around the Country in a round robin format, with the Group winners progressing to the final’s day on Sunday 26th April, venue TBC. The competition draw can be seen below.
Good luck to both teams. If anybody is able to attend on the day I’m sure both teams will be glad of the support.
For those clubs who are already registered and using the EasyFundraising scheme and no doubt already receiving funds for your club, you will be pleased to know that EasyFundraising have provided an update that the scheme is now available to use in person in certain stores.
The details are available in the below attachments and via the company website.
For those of you who are not yet familiar with the scheme it is worth reviewing the information available about this valuable source of funding that makes money for your club as your members and supporters carry out there day to day shopping.
Please find the latest Safeguarding newsletter from the Bowls Development Alliance focusing on providing visibility of safeguarding information in our clubs
Sunday 15th February 2026, 11:00 to 2:00pm at Cavendish Park Bowling Club, Cavendish Recreation Ground, Holmfield Road, Bispham, FY2 9LF
Sunday 15th March 2026, 11:00 to 2:00pm at Canberra Club,(off A59) Salmesbury, nr Blackburn, BB2 7LF
Sunday 22nd March 2026, 11:00 to 2:00pm at Luneside & Rosebank Bowling Club, Fairfield Close, off Fairfield Road, Lancaster LA1 5NT
Prices: DBS Renewal is Free Safeguarding Course is £15 for the first person from the club and £8 for the second/extra person(s).
Please call or text Sue Sinclair on 07515 288102 or email to suesinclair1958@gmail.com to book club members onto the Safeguarding Course and for the DBS renewal.
Note: Anyone attending the course and for DBS renewal will need to bring with them a form of photo ID, Driving Licence/Passport and copy of a utility bill with home address. DBS certificates need to renewed every 3yrs from the date of issue.
North Lancs & Fylde AGM was held at the Canberra Club on Sunday 25th January. The meeting started with a Disciplinary presentation by County Development Officer, Steve Clamp and Safeguarding Officer, Sue Sinclair.
118 people in total attended the AGM from North Lancs & Fylde Clubs and Leagues. County Secretary, Pete Harris and Neil Payne (Financial Officer & Registrar) have stood down from their roles after several years in post. We thank Pete and Neil for all their hard work.
Gill Sutton is the new County Membership Co-ordinator and can be contacted at cmc.nlfcba@gmail.com
Please visit the Membership of New Players on the website at https://nlfcba.com/membership-of-new-players/ to download the new membership application form. Please note that there are also new payment details for this season.
The lifetime BCGBA membership charge for new bowlers is £20
Charge for a replacement Membership card is £5
Junior bowlers under 18 years of age will receive free membership for life. Application form must still be completed and submitted to County Membership Co-ordinator so a BCGBA membership number can be issued
Minutes of the AGM and 2024/25 Financial report can be viewed by clicking these links:
BCGBA Deputy President Kevin Truby with NLFCBA Chairman Steve ClampNew NLFCBA President Steve Edwards with retiring President Brian SwiftNew NLFCBA President Steve Edwards & Vice President Paul Ferguson
Please find the link to the BCGBA National Development Report for December 2025, kindly supplied by the BCGBA National Development Officer Jayne McKay.
The Bowls Development Alliance are running a week of learning from Monday 26th January to Friday 30th January.
The week of learning programme offers free webinars to members of affiliated bowling clubs. Topics for the week include:
Crowdfunding & The Movement Fund
Dementia Friends Awareness
What Should High Quality Coaching Look Like?
Easyfundraising
Adult Safeguarding – identifying signs of abuse
Registration will be open until the morning of the session. You can register for your free space by clicking this link https://bowlsdevelopmentalliance.com/week-of-learning/ Once registered, you will receive an email with the session link and further information.
BDA Roadshow – Fox Lane Sports & Social Club, Fox Lane, Leyland
Saturday 28th February 2026, 10am – 4pm
The Bowls Development Alliance in partnership with the BCGBA, will be holding a roadshow at Fox Lane Sports & Social Club in Leyland with the aim to provide the tools, knowledge and support needed to help clubs grow, recruit new members, strengthen governance and build stronger links with their communities. This is a practical workshop and is open to all bowls clubs in North Lancs & Fylde.
Introduction to the BDA An overview of who we are, the support we provide and the services available to help clubs develop and thrive.
Setting the Scene A look at national priorities for 2026, and how the BDA is working with clubs to encourage participation, strengthen sustainability and support long term growth.
Affiliation Overview A clear explanation of the benefits of affiliation, including the support that National Governing Bodies provide to their member clubs.
Key Areas of Focus The core development themes guiding the week: – Recruitment and retention – Club development – Insurance – Funding – Coaching – Greens maintenance
North Lancs & Fylde County Bowling Association 