Who we are
Bowls Yorkshire is the governing body for flat green lawn bowls across the county. We exist to promote, support and develop the sport at every level — from local clubs and volunteers to county teams and national representation.
We are formally affiliated to Bowls England and operate in line with their rules, regulations and procedures, as set out in the Bowls Yorkshire Constitution (2025). This constitution provides the framework for how we govern, how we make decisions, and how we work on behalf of our member clubs.
Our Aims
Our work is guided by three core aims, agreed by members and set out in our 2025–2028 Business Plan:
1. Promote and protect the future of bowls in Yorkshire
-
Encourage participation at all ages and abilities
-
Strengthen coaching and player development
-
Ensure a safe, inclusive environment through strong safeguarding practice
-
Improve communication and engagement across the county
2. Support clubs to develop, grow and be sustainable
-
Help clubs address challenges such as greenkeeping, finance, governance and safeguarding
-
Share good practice and resources
-
Promote volunteer development
-
Explore opportunities for centralised purchasing and cost savings
-
Build partnerships with Bowls England, the Bowls Development Alliance, Sport England and local sports bodies
3. Manage County and inter‑club competitions and representative teams
-
Deliver the county stages of Bowls England competitions
-
Support county teams and youth development
-
Improve transparency in selection
-
Modernise county kit and presentation
-
Develop open competitions and new playing opportunities
How we are governed
Bowls Yorkshire is led by a Board of elected officers, supported by committees and working groups. The Board is responsible for strategy, governance, finance and ensuring we operate in line with our constitution.
Non‑voting members, including the Men’s and Women’s Secretaries and co‑opted specialists, ensure broad representation and operational expertise.
Committees and working groups carry out day‑to‑day activity, always reporting back to the Board in line with our values of Honesty, Openness and Transparency (HOT).
Bowls Yorkshire Board
Vacant
Development Officer
Liz Pollard
Ladies' Secretary
Driffield Rec
Vacant
Support Officer
Vacant
Men's Secretary
Volunteer with us
Bowls Yorkshire relies on volunteers — from Board roles to competition support, communications, safeguarding, coaching and more. We welcome expressions of interest from anyone who wants to contribute to the future of bowls in Yorkshire.
Focus Group
As we were working towards our new Constitution and Business Plan, the Board were very grateful for the contributions made by our Focus Group. This is a self-nominated group of bowlers who very generously give their time to give us their honest views on these new documents. These comments were reviewed by the Board and significantly contributed to both of the new versions.
We are looking for as many contributors as possible so that we can reflect the views and opinions of the full range of bowlers in the county. Would you be interested in contributing? Contributions will be mostly by email but may involve an in-person meeting where a face-to-face discussion might be the best way to move an issue forward. We would love to here from you if you would like to be involved. Please Caroline Harris, County Administrator if you would like to understand more or would like to be involved - countyadmin@bowlsyorkshire.co.uk
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Our AGM is held each year before the end of December. Member clubs receive formal notice, agenda papers and minutes in line with the Constitution. The AGM is where:
-
Officers are elected
-
Affiliation fees and key policies are agreed
-
Reports and accounts are presented
-
Members vote on proposals and constitutional changes
Minutes of previous AGMs are available below