Disability within Shepway

Within the Shepway area there are several clubs that are able to provide various facilities for persons with various diabilities. On this page you can find out the clubs that have those facilities.
If you want more info about the club of your choice that can cater for your needs then click here.

Note: Any disabled persons playing bowls MUST have their own liability insurance. This is to cover injurying themselves as well as someone else. Disabled Bowlers NEED to organise their own insurance cover.

Folkestone Park Bowls Club - Radnor Park Folkestone
Folkestone Park has no actual facilities specifically designed for diabled persons but are working with the Shepway Council to have in place by the end of 2004 re-access ramps, etc. They also have at present no disabled toilet.

Folkestone Bowls Club - Cheriton Road, Folkestone
The club has a disabled toilet as well as easy access to the building. They do have a disabled bowls wheelchair but this is under the control of the adjecent Indoor club. We advise that you contact the club to ask if the use of the special wheelcahir can be accomodated. The outdoor club does not have ramps installed for the outdoor greens at present but are currently resolving this issue.

New Romney Bowls Club - Sussex Road, New Romney
The club has a disability toilet and related access for disable persons at the main premises but no provision for practical applications on the bowling greens themselves.

Sellindge Bowls Club - Sellindge
They have a purpose built bowls buggy for use of wheelchair bound bowlers. They also have good spacious access and level car parking facilities. The club has several metal detachable ramps for gaining access to both the green and the pavillion. The disabled toilet is part of the ladies toilet area and can be accessed via a ramp.

At present there have been no further correspondences from the remaining 5 clubs within Shepway in regards to their disability statements.

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Although this skilful and fascinating game has been around for centuries, it was not intil the lates 1050's that Blind people were introduced to its fascination. In the pioneering days, the system used to direct the bowler was entirely different to that of today. Then, the blind bowler was put on themat and instructed to bowl to the sound of the voice, the clapping of the hands or the bell ringing behind the jack. Today, we use the 'clock method' as it is generally known. This is possibly the most important innovatin to all blind bowlers. using this system, the Marker is stationed beyond the jack. His or her role is to indicate to those bowling, at what time and distance the from the jack the bowl has come to rest. For example a call of six o'clock would indicate the bowl rested in front (short) of the jack and twelve o'clock behind the jack. From this information fed back from the marker, the bowler is able to create a mental picture of the head.

There are two minor concessions made to the blind: one is the mat has to always be placed with the front edge six feet from the ditch and the second is that a fine centre string runs under the mat and is fixed at both ends. The string allows the bowler to judge the angle for the amount of green required.

For further information please visit the website of the British Blind sport Association.
www.britishblindsport.org.uk - info@britishblindsport.org.uk

You can also find further information by going to: www.bwsf.org.uk