Justin with Stratton Councillors John Haines and Colin Lovell visiting the Club last year
A bowling club in Swindon's Stratton St Margaret has secured Olympic legacy funding from Sport England's Inspired Facilities Fund.
The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the £150 million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.
Stratton Churchway Bowls Club will receive £50,000 of National Lottery funding to upgrade the facilities at the club & building new changing rooms, the club formed in the 1930's has seen various degrees of success over the years, with ladies from the club regularly representing Wiltshire at national finals at Leamington Spa. The improvements will also see the clubhouse being rewired, new paving & improved access to the club.
Sport England's Chair, Richard Lewis, said: "This National Lottery investment will create a lasting sporting legacy for Swindon & Stratton St Margaret.
"This fund has really hit the mark with sports clubs in the West. It shows we're offering the legacy that people want for their local community. For hundreds of clubs and tens of thousands of people, 2012 will be the year their local sports facilities got better."
Club Chairwoman, Janet Willis, said: "We are delighted to have secured this investment, which means we can upgrade the quality of our facilities that are available to our members and community, and all from part of the 2012 Olympics' legacy."
Justin Tomlinson MP said: "I am delighted that following my visit with Stratton Councillors to the club, and our subsequent support for the application, that Stratton Churchway Bowls have been successful in securing funding. The new changing rooms and improved clubhouse access will make a huge difference to the members and help encourage local young people to give bowls a try."
Stratton Churchway bowls club is one of hundreds of projects across England benefitting from lottery investment through the third round of the Inspired Facilities fund. Many more communities will also be able to benefit from the fund, with a further two rounds remaining. Bids will be accepted for the forth round of Inspired Facilities Funding from 4th March 2013. You can find out more at www.sportengland.org/inspiredfacilities.
Places People Play is being delivered by Sport England, working partnership with the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA) with the backing of The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the London 2012 Inspire mark.
LOCOG Chair, Seb Coe, said: "This is a fantastic funding project that will deliver a real legacy from the London 2012 Games. It will provide a whole range of sporting opportunities for young people through improved facilities and will I hope inspire them to take up sport."
