Bowls Scotland is delighted to announce Stuart Bell, a long term member of Alva Bowling Club in Clackmannanshire, as its Regional Development Officer for Central and Tayside & Fife.

Bell now has responsibility for affiliated clubs in Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Stirling (covering Districts 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10).

Stuart takes over this extended role from Valerie Wright, who has moved to the post of Bowls Scotland Coach & Volunteer Education Officer.

A fortnight into the role Stuart (pictured coaching on the Bowls Scotland stand at the Anniversary Games in Glasgow) is optimistic about helping modernise club development practices, to bring bowls up to date with many other sports, whilst creating sustainable clubs for the future.

Bell said: “I’m a keen bowler and when I saw the job advertised I thought I just had to do this, so I decided to leave the security of a permanent post to put something back into bowls.

“From my own hands-on experience in my club back in 2006, when we only had a membership in the twenties, I’m aware of problems with clubs who are struggling for members.” Coincidentally, Alva Bowling Club’s turnaround was boosted after Stuart attended a Bowls Scotland club development forum, the same club roadshow get-together, which he will be promoting heavily over the coming months.

The former Alva BC club secretary, president, champion and current club treasurer said: “The forum was invaluable to my club and we have gone from strength to strength as a result. It helped us get funding to develop our clubhouse. “We changed our constitution, got involved with Bowls Scotland’s membership scheme, created links with local schools and we now have a junior section as well as an improved adult membership.

“However, it takes a bit of work and support from the membership for this to happen.

“But having done it I can actually look people in the eye and explain how we took the club from being a rundown place that people didn’t want to come to into one that has a real future.” Stuart’s priority is to help clubs make themselves more attractive to adults aged between 25 and 55. In two of his Fife clubs, Buckhaven and Lundin he has two good case studies of clubs that have pulled back from the brink and transformed into successful operations.

He added: “My plan is to carry on the work that Val Wright started. There’s been a lot of good work in my region and I’m going to engage with the clubs particularly to improve the communication between clubs and Bowls Scotland.

“By improving communication there is an opportunity for clubs to hear about the good practices that have been happening within the area.

“One of the hardest things for clubs to talk about is the issues that concern them. But one of the best things about bringing clubs together in forums is that there will be other clubs that can explain how they turned the same issue around.” To see the schedule of Bowls Scotland Development Forums visit: http://www.bowlsscotland.com/development/club-development/club-development-forums District 9’s forum date and venue will be published soon.

If you are interested in finding out more about Bowls Scotland’s Development Forums, membership initiatives, or any other area of development which you or your club would like to discuss then contact Stuart Bell via email at: stuartbell@bowlsscotland.com