Pupils given taste of Crown Green Bowling

Pupils from three Glossop primary schools were given a taste of Crown Green Bowling as part of a pilot intergenerational project.

Saint Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, All Saints and St Margaret’s pupils signed up to take part in the High Peak Schools Sports Partnership initiative.

Children from Years 3 to 5 attended training sessions at Manor Park Bowling Club before competing in pairs, earning points for their team.

The winning team was Saint Mary's, on Gladstone Street, and the children were awarded stickers for showing honesty, teamwork, respect and determination. 

Neal Linsky, chair of Manor Park Bowling Club, said they were keen to show that bowling is for people of all ages.

He said: “We wanted to involve primary schools at the club because Crown Green Bowls is a sport which can be accessed by all ages and abilities and the project with High Peak Schools Sports Partnership offered us the chance to make a start. The children responded really wellto our volunteers who all really enjoyed the challenge. We are already looking forward to something more ambitious next year

Sarah Rudd, Head of School at Saint Mary’s, said: “This has been a fantastic project and our children thoroughly enjoyed taking part. They were asked to come along to the club’s Sunday Social Session and one very keen Year 3 pupil went along with her grandad as a result.”

Dawn Richardson, from High Peak Schools Sports Partnership, said: “What a great example of intergenerational working at its best.  This was a pilot between local schools and Manor Park Bowling Club.  The bowling club is keen to show that bowling can be for people of any age and this has been demonstrated though the programme. 

“We hope that more young people from the schools will now feel confident to access a great opportunity locally. Well done to Manor Park Bowling Club for the initial idea and All Saints, St Margaret's and Saint Mary's who were keen to be involved. After the success from this year we're sure we'll be rolling this forward in the future."

Pupils from Saint Mary’s said they enjoyed taking part.

Sebastian, nine, said: “I went to two training sessions and then we had the finals and we won against All Saints. It was fun and I liked being able to try a new sport and compete against other schools.

Evie, eight, said: “We took it in turns to try the bowling and my grandad came to watch the competition. The club said we could go back so I went along with my grandad. It was fun.”

Arria, nine, said: “I’ve never played bowls before but I really enjoyed it and it was nice to make new friends.”