Yahoo Lifestyle 'Closing bowling greens would come at a cost to our health'
Bowling, traditionally thought of as a quiet, gentle hobby for the retired, has become a source of health and wellbeing for a group playing the game in Leeds.
But the sport is under threat in the city, where the council has proposed closing 30 of the publicly owned greens – a decision that has been delayed until after the summer season following public feedback.
Leeds City Council says demand for crown green bowling has fallen by 39% since 2014, with three-quarters of existing council sites having fewer than 30 members.
It says even if the closures went ahead, the city would still have a greater number of council-run sites than other large cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham.
It added that if some facilities did close, the remaining 31 would be able to accommodate current levels of usage.
Harehills Park Bowling Club is one of the 61 clubs in Leeds and has more than 90 members.
Club secretary Laura Fulleylove says the club is one of only nine that offer bowls in winter.
She says the proposed cuts could have serious consequences on the health and wellbeing of players and the wider community.
"It would be catastrophic for the mental health, physical health and cognitive health of people," she says.
Ms Fulleylove has been playing bowls since she was three years old - and has been involved with the club since 1982.
She says: "I was born around a bowling green. My dad was an avid bowler, but I've played competitively since I was about eight years old."
In 2020, she took over as secretary. Today the club runs community events and supports local families.
She says: "We are more of a community hub than just a bowling club.
"We've supported families outside of the club with hampers and food vouchers, we help people get online – especially with the older demographic.
"If we were to close its not just members it would impact but the wider community."
Virginia Lazarencu has been volunteering at the bowling club for two years.
Originally from Romania, she has been living in the UK for three years since her husband died and she moved to Harehills to live with her son.
She says volunteering with the club had been good for her health.
"I like to help people and it's nice to meet new people.
"I have a lot of depression but when I come here it's very good for me because the team are good people and I feel very good here. I am happy here."
Bowlers warn the cost of supporting elderly and socially vulnerable bowlers would outweigh the proposed savings made by the closures.
Peter Simmons, 70, says the social and fitness elements of the game have been good for his health.
He says: "It's everything about the sport, it's social, there's fitness, fresh air.
"The cost of a green is a peanuts to the money they spend on care homes."
He says if the club closed he would be forced to move to another that might take him more than an hour away from home.
And then, of course, there's the draw of winning.
"In what other sport can a 70-year-old compete with a 20- or 30-year-old?," he says.
"You couldn't do that in football."
Raymond Swallow, 48, says the club has greatly supported his wellbeing.
He says: "Just over 12 months ago I went through some mental health struggles and in that year the club has been great for me.
"It's like my family away from my own family at home."
Mr Swallow says closing clubs would have a "massive impact" on the mental health impact of older people.
He said: "Adult social care is going to be overwhelmed with people feeling isolated if we lose these greens.
"Some of these clubs have great heritage and history, some more than 100 years.
"The population of older people is becoming more in Leeds and bowls could be their only way of socialising."
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