A NEW short mat bowls club is set to open in Melksham later this year following a successful grant application to cover the cost of equipment.
The new club is expected to open in September/October, almost a year after Wiltshire Council closed Christie Miller Sports Centre, which was home to the Christie Miller Indoor Bowls Club for 50 years.
Following the closure of the sports centre, the club disbanded, unable to raise enough money to build new facilities, devastating many members who relied on the club for socialising.
The Melksham Town Short Mat Bowls Club is the brainchild of former Christie Miller members Janet Seal and Marcia Cottle. The pair have negotiated with Melksham Town Football Club to hire space at their Oakfields venue.
At last month’s Wiltshire Council area board meeting, the new club was awarded £1,900.
“I am very happy about the grant,” said acting chair of the club, Janet. “I’m feeling very upbeat!”
“Short mat bowls is a different game to the indoor bowls that was played at Christie Miller, but this is something that can help fill the gap that was left by the closure.
“I was very sad when Christie Miller closed – I had been playing there for 38 years, some players had been there longer. Since the closure I don’t see half as many people as I did when I played bowls. So for people like me, hopefully this is something that can replace what we are missing out on.
“You can play short mat bowls in a number of places including Bromham, Seend, Broughton Gifford, Devizes and Calne – why not Melksham? We have over 20 people interested in joining the club, so there is a need for something like this in the area.”
The club is now hoping to raise enough money to pay for specialist equipment to store their mats when not in use.
