Supporting Greystones Lawn Bowling Club
Thousands of individuals, clubs and organisations in Co. Wicklow received more than €6.2 million in National Lottery Good Cause funding in 2017, new figures reveal.
The news comes as Greystones Lawn Bowling Club announced a major renovation to its dressing rooms with the help of a National Lottery grant of €13,500.
The club, which has 60 members, received a grant of over €5,000 in 2015 which enabled the club to buy a mower which has allowed the club to keep its pristine greens in great shape all year round. Their bowling greens are regarded as among the finest in the country.
Club secretary, Elizabeth Eager, revealed the renovations will coincide with a drive by the club to attract younger people into a sport that is traditionally associated with the older population.
She said: “We are in the process of drawing down a National Lottery grant of €13,500 which we will use to replace our dilapidated dressing rooms here in Greystones. It’s an exciting time for the club as also we plan to start visiting schools in a bid to bring the age profile of our membership down.”
Founded in 1985, the club provides not just a sporting outlet for older members, who live in Greystones and the surrounding area, but an active social scene too. “There are leagues on throughout the week so there’s always a buzz here. Often after the women play in their league for example they’ll go for a meal and it’s a relaxing setting where the cares of the day can be put to the side,” says Elizabeth.
Always on the lookout for new members, the National Lottery-assisted renovation of the facilities at Greystones Lawn Bowling Club could herald a new dawn.
“There’s nowhere better to be on a nice day than on the lawn looking at the beauty all around us. The club is very important in the lives of so many and any support we can get to keep going is so very gratefully received,” adds Elizabeth Eager.
“With our new facilities we can look to the future with real positivity.”
“In 2015 we received funding of just over €5,000 and that allowed us to purchase new equipment to make sure our green is kept in great shape all year around,” explains the club secretary Elizabeth Eager.
National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin, said: “We are delighted to announce that more than €6.2 million in National Lottery Good Causes funding went to clubs, individuals and organisations in County Wicklow last year. It is great to hear the stories of the impact and change that Good Causes funding is making and wish the Greystones Lawn Bowling club the very best of luck in the future.”
“The National Lottery was set up over 30 years ago with the express purpose of raising funds for Good Causes and in that period more than €5 billion has been raised and distributed through government departments to organisations, projects and individual’s all over Ireland in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish language. By supporting our games people are also supporting their communities.”
“Good Causes funding has played an important role in the development of the country over three decades and has helped to define Ireland, our communities and our culture.”
Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on National Lottery games go back to Good Causes. Last year alone over €225 million was raised by the National Lottery and its players for Good Causes all over Ireland, equating to about €616,000 per day.