Our primary responsibility as your National Governing Body is to ensure we are providing a safe, inclusive environment for bowls to be enjoyed by all those participating. This is the expectation of society today and it will help our sport thrive. A fundamental requirement of this responsibility is for each affiliated club to have a proactive lead who identifies and reports risks and who members can contact if they have any safeguarding concerns.
As directed by the Board of Bowls England, we have been working hard over the last few years to ensure every Bowls England affiliated club has registered a Safeguarding Officer by 1st May 2025. The great majority of clubs – from small to large – have used the support of Bowls England, County Associations, and neighbouring clubs to meet this deadline and we are pleased to announce that 98% of clubs have a Safeguarding Officer in place, and members of these clubs are now protected within the Bowls England safeguarding framework.
Chief Executive, Jon Cockcroft, said,
“From everyone at Bowls England, we would like to extend a massive thank you to all those affiliated clubs who now have access to a Safeguarding Officer. It is our priority to ensure our sport is welcoming and inclusive to everybody and people can participate with confidence. Together with County Associations, we have worked hard to support all affiliated clubs during this period and will continue to lead our sport’s safeguarding journey.”
Affiliated clubs who did not meet the 1 May deadline for acquiring a Safeguarding Officer have been contacted and put under special measures. These measures include putting in place restrictions on affiliation benefits until the club has successfully sourced access to a Safeguarding Officer. The next deadline for clubs under special measures is 1 October, after which, additional restrictions will be put in place. Members of affiliated clubs who are not compliant can strengthen the club’s safety culture by urging their committee to appoint a dedicated Safeguarding Officer—and, if they have the passion and skills, by confidently stepping forward to serve in the role themselves
New clubs that are looking to affiliate to Bowls England in the future must already have a Safeguarding Officer in place to be accepted as an affiliated club and access the associated benefits – of which can be found in our Benefits of Affiliation Guide here.
Bowls England fully appreciates the challenges that voluntary clubs face and remain committed to supporting the success of all affiliated clubs. If you would like more information about Safeguarding or to speak to a member of the team for support, please contact Juliette at Safeguarding@BowlsEngland.com or via our safeguarding helpline for any assistance.