Tag Archives: Vision Impaired Bowls

Blind & VI Bowls Videos Launch!

May 29, 2019Article, Newsblind and partially sighted bowls, blind and partially sighted bowls videos, Bowls, Metro Blind Sport, partially sighted Bowls, Videos, Vision Impaired Bowls, Visually Impaired BowlsSaul Wynne

On 29 May, Metro Blind Sport have released a new series of videos to improve the delivery, understanding and participation of visually impaired bowls.

A recent Sport England Active People Survey showed disabled people are half as likely to be active as non-disabled. With support from the Greater London Fund for the Blind and the Masonic Charitable Foundation, Metro Blind Sport has created a series of videos to help to reverse this trend.

The three bowls videos are designed to show how visually impaired bowls is played, how to take part and the benefits it has on participants. The videos will share first-hand experiences from people with a variety of visual impairments, so others can learn from their stories, helping them to understand the health and social benefits of playing bowls.

Blind and Partially Sighted Bowls Video Links Below

Bowls Video 1: https://blindsport.uk/Bowlsvideo1
Bowls Video 2: https://blindsport.uk/BowlsVideo2
Bowls Video 3: https://blindsport.uk/BowlsVideo3

It is intended that the videos are used in bowls clubs, schools and sporting groups across the country to demonstrate how blind and partially sighted bowls is enjoyed by players all around the UK. The videos are an ideal resource for coaches who want to support the growth of visually impaired bowls.

Martin Symcox, CEO of Metro Blind Sport

“The videos have been made to make a positive change and support more people to reap the benefits of an active lifestyle through playing bowls. Bowls is such an inclusive sport and these videos are providing an understanding of how blind and partially sighted people can play sport and be active.”

Amit Amin, Double UK VI Bowls Champion and member of Metro Blind Sport

“For some time, we have needed a video to showcase blind and partially sighted bowls. Visually impaired bowls is an activity that can be played between sighted people and those with a visual impairment and I believe the videos will give more knowledge and confidence to support those people enjoying our fabulous sport.”

Below the 3 videos in a Playlist

Metro Bowls Pairs 2018

June 4, 2018Article, NewsBlind bowls, Bowls, METRO BOWLS PAIRS TOURNAMENT 2018, Ravenscourt Park Bowls Club, VI Bowls, Vision Impaired BowlsSaul Wynne

Metro Bowls Pairs Tournament at Ravenscourt Park 2018

On Saturday the 2nd of June 2018, the annual Metro Bowls Pairs Tournament was held at the Ravenscourt Park Bowls Club. This year there were 8 players, so 4 pairs which meant each pair played 3 games of 100 minutes each.

We were fortunate that John Moran and Steve Simmons agreed to mark the games instead of playing as we don’t have any sighted markers. It was a lovely warm dry day, and all turned up on time for a 10.15 start. It was nice to see 2 of our new bowlers, Mariza Jurgens and John Roulton, taking part for the first time. In round 1, George and Wilbert came back after being 6- 2 down to beat Jackie and John.

In the other game, Eric and Junette managed to overcome Mariza and Constance following a close game, with Constance playing for the first time with her new coloured bowls. In round 2, Jackie and John played extremely well to beat Eric and Junette by 3 shots. George and Wilbert carried on the way they started and beat Mariza and Constance. In round 3, it was nice to see Mariza, who has only played 3 times before, with Constance beating Jackie and John, so both teams ended up winning 1 game out of 3.

In the only other game left, I think George and Wilbert started to tire in the heat allowing Eric and Junette to jump in and win easily. That meant that both these pairs had won 2 out of their 3 games, but Eric and Junette won the cup by having a better shot difference. Eric then thanked John and Steve for marking all day and Susan, the bowls club secretary, for making all the teas, coffees and soft drinks. Susan Doria, Ravenscourt Bowls Club secretary, then presented the cup to the winners Eric and Junette along with a bottle of whisky and vodka.

She also presented the runners-up pair George and Wilbert with bottles of wine. After leaving the bowls club, 13 of the Metro members went round to the local pub, where we usually go every Wednesday following our roll-ups, and had a jolly evening.

All enjoyed the day, and hope to do it all again next June, with hopefully more helpers.

Report by Eric Gallacher

METRO BOWLS SINGLES TOURNAMENT 2016!

August 19, 2016NewsBlind bowls, Bowls, Eric Gallacher, Metro Blind Sport, METRO BOWLS SINGLES TOURNAMENT 2016!, VI Bowls, Vision Impaired BowlsSaul Wynne

On Saturday the 13th of August 2016 12 Metro bowlers turned up at Ravenscourt Park for the annual Metro Singles Tournament. It was a beautiful sunny day, and all turned up on time so the games could start shortly after 10 in the morning.

The bowlers were separated into two groups and played a Round Robin, which means each bowler in a group has to play all the other bowlers in that group. After all these games were played, the two top players in each group qualified for the semi-finals. The top two in one group were Maureen Ryan and Joe Meehan, and in the other group were Harish Kumrai and Constance Onwuka.

This is Constance first year of bowling and she seems to improve each week and shows lots of potential to do well in the future. In the semi-finals the winner of one group played the runner-up in the other group, so Maureen managed to overcome Constance and Harish beat Joe. This left the two best players to play the final.

Both of them, along with Steve, are playing for England in September in the UK Outdoor Singles in Leamington Spa, and the three of them are flying off to Capetown in South Africa in March to play against the rest of the world in the IBBA Championships. The first half of the final was quite close, then Harish pulled away to retain his title, which he also won last year.

The club secretary Susan Doria kept us all well supplied with cold drinks, teas and coffees all day. It is a pity we couldn’t get any sighted helpers to mark the games, so this meant to keep the tournament going Steve, John and Ken marked and could not play.

Let’s hope by next year we might have more help. After Eric gave out the prizes and photographs had been taken, all went round to the local Wetherspoon pub for a drink on Metro, and all then had a meal and a jolly evening.

Eric Gallacher, Metro Bowls organiser

Free Indoor Bowls in Brixton – Starting 6th Oct

August 16, 2016EventsBowls, Brixton, Indoor Bowls, Indoor singles, Recreation Centre, VI Bowls, Vision impaired, Vision Impaired BowlsSaul Wynne

Venue:

Brixton Recreation Centre, 27 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8QQ

Time:

4.00pm - 7.00pm

Phone:

0208 985 6245

Date:

06th October 2016

Cost:

Free

Contact:

ericgal@blueyonder.co.uk

Venue: Brixton Recreation Centre, 27 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8QQ
Date : Every Thursday, Starting the 6th October 2016 to the middle of April 2017
Time: 4pm -7pm
Cost: FREE

Nearest Station: Brixton Train Station

If anyone is tempted to join us or just wants to know more about the game, Please get in touch with Eric Gallacher
Contact: ericgal@blueyonder.co.uk or call 0208 985 6245

Bowls is a very suitable sport for totally blind and partially sighted players, as only some very minor adaptations need to be made. The visually impaired bowler can play singles, pairs, triples or in a team of four.

There is no reason why VI bowlers can’t play against fully sighted players and they often do. It is a sport for people of all ages.

Although this skilful and fascinating game has been around for centuries, it was not until 1959 that the bowls started rolling for the blind, in Scotland.

Today, we use the ‘clock method’. The ‘marker’, who is stationed beyond the ‘jack’, indicates to those at the mat end, at what angle and distance from the ‘jack’ the bowl has come to rest. The ‘jack’ is the centre of the clock. So, six o’clock would be in front and twelve o’clock behind, with all other positions being relative to the clock. From the information given by the ‘marker’ the player can build up a mental picture of the ‘head’ (area around the jack), knowing exactly the position of each bowl.

The only small concession made to blind players is that a fine white centre string runs under the mat and is fixed at both ends. This is to help the bowler to judge the angle for the amount of green required.

These minor variations enable blind and sighted people to play together as they do not alter in any way the basic game (or the Bowls England rules).

Metro activities

Metro has helped to send many of our bowlers to the tournaments arranged all around England, the UK and abroad, through paying tournament fees; and subsidising accommodation, travel and kit.

On an annual basis, Metro bowlers undertake several collection days at major London mainline stations. These collections have contributed between £5k and £6k to the Metro coffers each year.

From the beginning of May until the end of September we play out-doors on grass, then for the rest of the year we play in-doors on carpet.

Want to know more about VI Bowls! read more… or Contact us
Bowls Contact: ericgal@blueyonder.co.uk or call 0208 985 6245

Metro Bowls Pairs 2016

July 8, 2016Article, NewsBlind bowls, Bowls, Eric Gallacher, Metro Pairs 2016, Vision Impaired BowlsSaul Wynne

The annual Metro bowls pairs Tournament was held on Saturday the 18th of June at Ravenscourt Park.

All the bowlers turned up on time for a cuppa before starting the tournament just after 10 o’clock. The weather was kind to us, so no interruptions for rain this year. In the first round of games, the surprise result was Constance Unkuma, in her first tournament, along with her partner George beat Harish and Gordon 7-6.

Constance came along to try bowls for the first time on our Open Day at Brixton on the 21st of January, and she has been along every week since to practice with us. By the time we came to the last rounds of games, Eric with Maureen had won their games and had to play Harish and Gordon who had only lost one. It meant that if Harish and Gordon had won by 2 shots they would have won the cup on shot difference.

Eric and Maureen continued their good form and managed to win 13-3. This meant that the champions this year were Eric and Maureen, with Gordon and Harish runners-up only on shot difference from John with Joe and Constance with George. The winners received a litre of spirits each, and the runners-up a bottle of wine each.

Eric thanked Susan, the bowls club secretary, for keeping us well supplied with teas, coffees and biscuits. Eric then thanked Steve Simmons and Pat Lallor for standing all day on the green and marking games. 14 members then went round to the local Whetherspoon pub where Eric bought the first round of drinks on behalf of Metro. A good social evening was then had by all.

Article by Eric Gallacher bowls organiser.

Latest Bowls Events link: http://bit.ly/2a1uYCk