OAKLEY ACHIEVES CLUBMARK STATUS

The Club was delighted to learn today that Sport England had accreditated it as having Clubmark status - only the twelth outdoor Bowls Club to achieve this award and the only club in Hampshire to have it. Clubmark accreditation means that the club is recognised as a safe, rewarding and fulfilling place for participants of all ages as well as helping parents and carers know that they’re choosing the right Club for their young people.

Clubmark stands for:

• Higher standards of welfare, equity, coaching and management in community sports Clubs
• Making sure the nation’s sports Club infrastructure is safer, stronger and more successful

It shows that a Club provides the right environment which ensures the welfare of members and encourages everyone to enjoy sport and stay involved throughout their lives.

A huge amount of work went into ensuring we were able to demonstrate that, as a club, we not only had in place the necessary policies and procedures but also that we adhered to them and yesterday we had a visit from an assessor from Sport Hampshire and the IOW. His report said " I visited Oakley Bowling Club on Monday 12th September at 2pm. When I arrived there was a spoon drive going on which takes place every Monday throughout the season. The club is in a wonderful setting, very rural and extremely peaceful. The grounds are maintained to an incredibly high standard which is down to the hard work of the volunteers at the club.

I was able to meet many members of the committee. This included the Club President, Secretary, Welfare Officer, Club Captains and Competitions Officer. I had a chat with the Welfare Officer and discussed reporting procedures should an issue arise. The Welfare Officer was very clear on procedures and knew the relevant connections at the NGB should the issue require contact with England Bowls.

I was able to speak to one of their junior members. They have been a member at the club for a little while and plays in league matches for the club. She expressed that she has always had very good experiences at the club which was great to hear.

The club noticeboards had details of upcoming league matches and friendlies as well as the clubs health and safety and safeguarding policies. The defibrillator was clearly displayed in the club house as were the fire safety equipment.

One member I spoke to had joined the club as a result of attending an Open Day. This demonstrates that the Open Days they are putting on are working effectively. The club has a little over 130 members which is roughly their capacity but they are still able to bring in new members and tend to get the same number of people joining as not renewing their membership.

It is very hard to define what makes a "strong/good club” but yesterday I visited a club that satisfies its members, is always looking to improve and has that friendly feel that you can't describe until you visit it for yourself!"

Following this report we were notified that the Club was now accredited and could show the CLubmark logo on its paperwork and website. There will also, at a date to be agreed, be a formal presentation of the Certificate by Sport England and probably the local MP. Members will be given more details once we know them

Thanks go to all those members who contributed yesterday to the Assessment visit but special thanks go to our Treasurer Peter Bown who not only led the application process but was the principal player in ensuring that we had in place the necessary procedures and met all the stringent requirements