On Saturday July 6 the sun shone and the people of Rye came out and supported the campaign “Save Rye Bowls Club.” Rye Chamber of Commerce masterminded the event with help from the key people at the club.
Flora Williams, mother of its youngest member, has been working tirelessly to encourage new members to join. She commented: “There was a good turn out and tuition was offered to those who had not played before. It was a great day and to see the club so busy was heartening. My father was such a keen member of the club and I want to see it flourish again.”
Ian Scott, also from the Bowls Club, said: “Members of Rye Bowls Club enjoyed introducing first-timers to the game of bowls and were pleased at the enthusiastic response from all who gave it a try. One visitor said to me, ‘I’ve seen this on TV and always wanted to give it a go. I’ll definitely be joining a club now’.”
The fundraiser raised over £300 and there was a wonderful BBQ and Pimms on offer.
Many people popped in from the Food Festival, mainly just to watch for a while and a few tried their hand at bowls briefly.
Three people signed up for Rye Bowls Club membership and further three left details asking to be contacted again. It was another successful event for the club and Cllr Andy Stuart, the mayor of Rye, commented after his visit: “I was delighted to go to the fund-raising day at Rye Bowls Club organised by the Rye Chamber of Commerce, as I have recently become a member. Niki and I were able to get some much-needed practice in! More importantly, I am keen to help this club as it delivers so much for the people of Rye. It provides the chance to take some exercise in a convivial atmosphere and a lovely setting, and to test one’s sporting skills with each and every bowl one makes! It can be infuriating and it can be exciting. It is always great fun.
“I say hats off to the Rye Bowls Club Committee for all the work they are doing to promote and build the club and also to the Rye Chamber of Commerce for their unstinting and generous support, as well as their brilliant bar-tending and barbecuing skills! It was a lovely way to spend a warm and friendly afternoon down at the Salts and to get chilled before the tensions of another England football match on TV later on in the day.”
Sarah and Jane from Rye Chamber of Commerce added: “While our focus is of course on the town’s businesses it would be naive to think that our leisure and sports clubs aren’t a vital part of the character of our town, too, with an important role to play; a busy town is a thriving one and the Chamber is wholly committed to encouraging and supporting all initiatives that help Rye to be the best it can. Knowing that the club’s future is under threat we wanted to help them by holding a fun event to encourage people of any age to come along and give bowls a try. We recognise that the club will likely need to explore a number of alternatives to help safeguard its future including perhaps being more commercially-minded when it comes to uses for their wonderful clubhouse and we will of course continue to provide our guidance and support where it is appropriate to do so. Saturday’s event was very well received – attendees enjoyed finding out about the club and having a go; we hope it’s just the beginning for the club to build on its ambitions for the future.”
Image Credits: Kt bruce .