For the fifth time since its debut in 2022, the Bowls England Awards provided an unforgettable evening for over 250 members of the bowls community, in the spectacular setting that is the Athena in Leicester.

The event continued its tradition of honouring the remarkable contributions of some of the best within our sport, spotlighting those that dedicate their lives to bowls; from players to umpires, coaches to greenkeepers.

Beginning with a VIP drinks reception full of a conversation and an anticipatory buzz, guests were able to mingle and have professional pictures taken in the foyer before moving into the glorious show room to take their seats.

The show was once again opened by the voice of the Awards Howard Bentham, who welcomed incoming Bowls England Chair Jo Doust on stage to welcome the guests and reflect on the highs of 2025.

A particularly special presentation followed as English bowls legend Amy Pharaoh was presented with her World Bowls Hall of Fame trophy after being inducted last October.

The trophy was presented by Jo Doust, International Performance Director Mo Monkton and International Women’s Team Manager – and former teammate of Pharaoh – Sandy Hazell.

Surrey Secure County of the Year

The main event, which had an increased focus on younger bowlers this year, included two new awards: the Junior Development Programme of the Year and the Under 25 Team of the Year.

It began with Umpire of the Year, awarded to Bob Penny for his many years of service with the English Bowls Umpires Association and his excellent work at major events, including the Commonwealth Games.

Next up was Coach of the Year, presented to 2024 runner-up Graham Ellis, whose presence has been felt across Lancashire through his coaching of the Lancashire County Ladies and Bolton Flat Green Bowling Club.

The always special Bowls Maker of the Year Award followed, given to John Senior for his amazing volunteer work at the National Bowls Finals, including managing essential tasks like producing schedule sheets, recording results and guiding new volunteers through the live scoring system.

The Greenkeeper of the Year award, sponsored by Dennis Mowers & SISIS, was awarded to Shrivenham BC’s Iain Winskill, who has turned his club’s green into one of the finest in Berkshire.

The inaugural Junior Development of the Year award was presented to a delighted Sue Waller for her work with young bowlers since founding ‘That’s How We Roll 24 BC’ in Durham.

The club is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, and utilises trained coaches to inspire a consistent class of 30 juniors, with some moving onto International and County honours.

The coveted County of the Year award concluded the opening batch of the night, and saw the trophy head to Surrey after a brilliant season on and off the green.

‘Ten of the Best’

We had professional photographers capturing the many fantastic moments of the Bowls England Awards, including photos in front of our fancy photo backdrop! These photos are now available to view and purchase with prices starting from £5.00.

Outstanding Internationals Recognised

The middle section of the show was dedicated to our international squad, beginning with a standing round of applause for the plethora of medals achieved in 2025 after a superb year for England.

The first award was the Male Rising Star of the Year, presented to Men’s National Singles Champion, Isaac Jenner.

As well as for winning the decorated title, Jenner was also recognised for his contributions as a Junior International Captain.

Rhianna Russell took home the Female Rising Star of the Year after being ever-present at the National Bowls Finals, winning the Champion of Champions and finishing runner-up in both the Women’s Junior Singles and the Women’s Junior Pairs.

Next up was the Para Bowler of the Year, making its second appearance after debuting in 2025.

Visually impaired bowler Sally-Ann Lewis-Wall received the award this year, collecting the trophy on stage with her Director Elizabeth Shipley.

Lewis-Wall was recognised for an extremely successful year after winning a number of national and international titles, including a Gold at the inaugural World Bowls World Cup.

The night swiftly moved on to the Male and Female Bowler of the Year categories, awarded to Dominic McVittie and Amy Pharaoh respectively.

McVittie was honoured after a year spent cementing himself firmly within the England squad, winning Gold with Annie Dunham in the Bowls Europe Mixed Pairs before securing Silver with Harry Goodwin in the Pairs at the tricky Hong Kong International Classic.

Much like McVittie, Pharaoh had a brilliant 2025, winning the Pairs and Triples titles at the National Bowls Finals as well as helping England defeat Ireland in the summer Test Match and taking Bronze with Sophie Tolchard in Hong Kong.

U25 Teams Honoured for the First Time

After desserts and an always raucous round of bingo, the two awards voted on by the bowls community were announced: the Diversity and Inclusion Award and the Unsung Hero of the Year.

Kings Lynn BC were the recipients of the D&I award, winning in a public vote that saw all three nominees separated by just nine votes.

The club’s close work with the Bowls Development Alliance (BDA) and their partnership with ‘The Big C’, a local cancer charity, has produced powerful results this year as they continue to embed accessibility into the long term vision.

The Unsung Hero of the Year was won by Roy Lane of Kenley Vale BC, who has been with the club for nearly 50 years and was recognised for the impact he has made across all areas during his time as a member.

The debuting U25 Team of the Year award was presented to Huntingdonshire’s White Rose Team, who fended off stiff competition to win the White Rose Trophy at the National Bowls Finals.

The Team of the Year accolade was taken by the Northamptonshire Mixed Over-60s Inter-County Team, after they triumphed in the first ever National Over-60’s Inter-County Championship, with many of the team experiencing the greens at Victoria Park for the first time.

The final, and arguably most prestigious, award of the night was presented to Crawford Park BC from Northumberland, as they won Club of the Year for their excellent work increasing membership and securing thousands of pounds in sponsorship money.

Outgoing Chair Tops off the Night

The evening concluded in heartfelt fashion, as Bowls England’s outgoing Chair David Tucker was invited on stage to be honoured for his lifelong service to our sport and the unmistakable impact he has had.

Tucker received Life Membership in recognition for a fantastic six years at the Bowls England helm, and rightly received warm applause from an audience that appreciates the considerable contribution he has made to bowls.

He remained on stage to present the three Certificates of Merit, bowls’ equivalent of a Lifetime Achievement Award, to Janet Farnsworth (Yorkshire), Graham Heaven (Devon) and Jacquie Elkin (Middlesex).

The honour acknowledges volunteers who have given a lifetime of service to the sport and who have consistently gone beyond for their clubs and counties.

Janet was unable to attend the ceremony, however Graham and Jacquie were both present and reflected fondly upon their tremendous contributions to bowls.

The night ended with music from the resident DJ, a few more drinks in the Athena foyer and a rush to the raffle table as the lucky winners collected their prizes.

Bowls England extends a sincere thank you to its sponsors and contributors – Aceit, Dennis Mowers & SISIS, Potters Resorts, Bowlswear Direct and Friends of English Bowling – for their continued support.

To see a full run down of Bowls England Awards nominees and winners and more, click the link below.