One July Friday night in 2024, I was having a pint with a friend who asked if I would be interested in accompanying him when he went to a local club to see if he could play lawn bowls. His wife is a keen tennis player and he was searching for a new summer sport he could take up while she was playing/training. We turned up at Pirrie Park the following Wednesday and asked if we could have a roll-up and within a few weeks I had joined a s a full member.
The support and training I initially received meant that within a few weeks I was regularly participating in roll-ups with other club members. After the end of the summer season, I played short-mat bowls indoors in the club’s pairs and triples leagues as well as entering the cup competitions.
At the start of the 2025 outdoor season, I have represented the club in the Southampton and District Combination Triples League and with further support and coaching my game is continuing to improve.
The encouragement and support I have received from everyone, the fact that I was made to feel welcome from the moment I turned up and the community spirit that is core to the club’s values mean that Pirrie Park is far more than just a sports club. Turning up to support my friend try bowls was definitely one of the best decisions I have made.