Herts Bowling Club hosts the Counties First Disability Bowls Competition

On Saturday 10^th October, as supported by Herts Disability Sports Foundation (HDSF) and part of No Limits 2026, Herts Bowling Club hosted the first ever Hertfordshire Bowls competition, specifically for people with a disability or long-term health condition.

With 12 rinks across indoor and outdoor greens, the Watford-based bowling club has been at the heart of Hertfordshire bowls for over a century and was the perfect accessible venue for the event.

Due to the following adapted equipment being available; two bowls arms, a rollator, a bowls wheelchair and walking stick, individuals with learning difficulties, a brain injury, Dementia, Cerebral Palsy, long term health conditions, mobility issues and survivors of stroke were enabled to compete.

14 players took to the beautiful indoor green and played short format games appropriate to each individual in both singles and pairs competitions. The idea of the event was to give people with a disability the opportunity to play a bowls competition for the very first time in a safe, inclusive environment, or to help players who have played recreationally before, develop a competitive side to their game but on a level playing field.

The event fostered a wonderfully inclusive atmosphere with so much support and advice being offered between fellow players, all attendees and organisers recalled that it was just amazing to be part of.

Congratulations to Kiera and Sue, players currently being supported by HDSF to learn out of Riverain Bowls Club in Hitchin, who won the pairs competition, and Simon a member of Bovingdon Bowls Club who won the singles competition. Representatives from Baldock Town Bowls Club and Hemel Hemstead Bowls Club also competed. A huge thank you to the team at Herts Bowling Club for being wonderful hosts.

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Developing Disability Bowls: A Two-Year Process

This event was only possible due to a huge amount of groundwork which stemmed from the boundless enthusiasm of Watford & District Bowls Association Secretary Simon Johnson back in March 2024. Starting us on a journey by bringing a Disability Bowls England Squad to play against representatives of clubs across the Herts league. That day kick started a change in thinking of many people working in the Sport & Physical Activity Sector in Hertfordshire.

In April 2025, Harpenden & District Indoor Bowls (HDIBC) teamed up with VIBE – Visually Impaired Bowls England, for a workshop for coaches across the county, as well as people with a visual impairment.  Inviting VIBE back to Herts for their Allstars team to play against a Herts Indoor Bowls Association (HIBA) team in November 2025 was the catalyst for them to establish a yearlong Disability Development Programme. This has since engaged a number of bowls clubs around the county in a series of webinars and practical workshops on a range of topics. Highlights have included an inclusive communications webinar with the Activity Alliance, and a brilliant practical workshop with Jerry from Bush Hill Park Bowls Club about using and coaching people with adapted equipment.

We hope with increased knowledge and awareness of how the game of bowls can be supported and adapted, that this is the first competition of many and that momentum continues into 2027 for more disabled people to access their local bowls clubs and be able to compete on a more regular basis - watch this space!