Why we are fundraising to save Luton West End Bowling Club

Luton West End Bowling Club needs you!

We are a small bowling club situated in Memorial Park, Luton providing essential sporting and socialising opportunities to the local community. We have been registered with Bowls England since 1945 but there has been a bowls club in Memorial Park since the park was donated to the town in 1922 by Lady Alice Wernher in honour of her son killed during World War One.

Unfortunately, this legacy is now at risk. The Club has historically been sponsored by Luton Borough Council who provide the maintenance and cutting of the green, winter works and clubhouse access. The Council have now advised us that from next winter, they will no longer be able to provide this support and have proposed that we take over the green and clubhouse maintenance and costs ourselves. 

Sadly, we are not in a position to do this as the majority of our members are too elderly to carry out the specialist work required themselves. We will therefore need to use an external specialist to carry out the green maintenance with the expected yearly costs (including water, materials and equipment) looking to be close to £10,000. 

Unfortunately, as many of our members are retired or in their final years of employment they would be unable to find the extra money needed to pay the greatly increased membership fee which would be required. In short, the Club would cease to exist and the valuable social interaction and exercise which our members benefit from would disappear. Our Club’s green is also currently the only green in Luton which can offer disabled access and this may be at risk if the Club ceases to exist.

Given the local benefits which the Club provides, particularly to the older generation, we are incredibly reluctant to give up the Club and so we are kindly asking for donations to help us raise the funds we need to maintain our green and save Luton West End Bowling Club! We would be incredibly grateful for any donations. 

If you would alternatively, like to explore sponsoring an event or activity in support of the Club then please email savelutonwestendbowlingclub@outlook.com 

We are also always on the lookout for new members, so if you are interested in giving bowls a try then please get in contact using the above email address.

To donate to our JustGiving page, please click here.