The countdown to the biggest event in the sport of lawn bowls is on.
The Commonwealth Games is the pinnacle for our sport and a home Games provides a once in a generation opportunity for the sport including our athletes, volunteers and spectators.
Whether it is national and local media profile, ticketing and volunteering opportunities or club activation, Bowls England is exploring ways in which everyone in our sport can feel engaged with the event.
Today marks two years to go until the start of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on the 28th July 2022. The Lawn Bowls events, including two para events, at the home of English bowls – Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa.
Bowls England Chief Executive Jon Cockcroft said: “A home Commonwealth Games is an unrivalled platform for our sport. We will be working hard to have a superbly prepared team, to create the foundations of a performance infrastructure and culture for the future and to use the platform to inspire thousands to take up our inclusive and accessible sport. Today means that the countdown is well and truly on. We announced last week the launch of our strategy development, and I am sure the Games will provide a catalyst for positive change in our sport. It is important to us that all those involved in our sport have the opportunity to contribute so the initial focus will be consultation with players, clubs, county associations and volunteers through a mix of surveys and focus groups. The player survey will go live early next month so to be the first to receive it straight to your inbox, visit www.bowlsengland.com and click ‘subscribe’.”
Commonwealth Games England CEO, Paul Blanchard said: “The two years to go landmark is something that Team England as the home nation of Birmingham 2022 is thrilled to embrace. These home games will give our fans the opportunity to support our English athletes and give them the best chance to succeed. Lawn bowls has always been a key part of the sporting programme for Team England and we have enjoyed working closely with Bowls England to great success on and off the green at previous Commonwealth Games.”
This is only the third time that England has hosted the Games in its history, and will be the first home Games for England since Manchester 2002, 18 years ago, where England scooped three of the seven Lawn Bowls Gold Medals on offer.
The Games will bring together 6,500 athletes and officials in one of the youngest cities in Europe (around half of its residents are under 30); cheered on by an inclusive, welcoming and sport-loving city region that is already home to 187 nationalities from around the Commonwealth and the rest of the world. With a richly vibrant and diverse population, there are few better places to bring together a successful Team England, united in its diversity.
The start date of the Games has been moved 24 hours to the 28th July 2022. This change was made due to the unprecedented impact of Covid-19 on the sports landscape and will create an incredible summer of sport in 2022.
For more details on the Games, just visit: www.birmingham2022.com