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NEW EIBA DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, ROBYN LOCKHART, VOWS TO SUPPORT CLUBS |
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At 31, Robyn has just been appointed EIBA Director of Finance and is
on a mission to wave the flag for young women and bring about
positive change. "I've seen my Grandad have a number of roles at our local bowls clubs, but this also means I've seen the stresses that have come with these roles and the pressures and challenges that clubs are having to deal with," she said. "I see clubs struggling to stay afloat, especially with the after-effects of COVID, and so many fixtures being cancelled on a weekly basis due to low member numbers. We all need to do our bit to keep the sport we love going and support clubs, and for me, joining as a director is me doing my part." Robyn, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2014, will also oversee the Disability Bowls England sector of the EIBA. "I'd stopped playing bowls around that time and in all honesty, I didn't think I would play bowls again as my body had changed so much and I lost all my confidence," she recalled. "I get more tired, I can suffer from numb legs and hands, I sometimes have problems with my vision and my balance is not anywhere near as good as it used to be, amongst other things! Just over two years ago, I went into hospital for my medication top-up and was sat opposite a gentleman called Paul who has MS. After chatting for a while, it turns out he plays bowls at my local club, Ashford IBC. "I came away that chat feeling really inspired and it really did set the wheels in motion for me starting to play again. They say you cross paths with people for a reason and I was very lucky to meet Paul that day! Paul and I are hoping to play together in a few weeks' time at a DBE friendly as an "MS" team, which I am really looking forward to. I've had to make adjustments to the way I play so for example, I've had to go for a new set of bowls with a deeper grip, I've had to change my delivery due to my balance, I use hand warmers to stop my hands getting cold and I've had to get glasses to stop the glare from the lights above the green. These are all small adjustments for me that have made a big difference to the way I bowl. "DBE have done a fantastic job in promoting disability bowls and making it accessible for so many. I want to be able to support with continuing their hard work and continue showing how inclusive and accessible our sport really is, while hopefully being able to bring more members into the group. I would also love to see more focus on disability bowls at individual club level. I've seen a fantastic example in what MS Swale are doing at Swale Indoor Bowls Club and it would be great to see more initiatives like this being rolled out across the country. I have lots of ideas so watch this space!"  Robyn believes that the introduction of two women to the EIBA board is a 'big step in the right direction' for the indoor game. "Representation and diversity is so incredibly important, we need opinions on the board from a wide range of backgrounds to ensure as many people as possible in our sport are heard. This is a role I am very proud of and that I take very seriously as I know I am waving the flag on the board for the young women of our sport. "Although I have a lot of bowls experience, I am being able to experience everything again as a 'new bowler' after ten years of being away from the sport. So much has changed in that time, whether that be the clothing we wear, the competition formats, the rules, etc. I feel like I am learning all over again which for me is positive as I am noticing things that perhaps others wouldn't who have been in amongst it for some time. During that time, I've built a career within the insurance industry in an area that specialises in working with small and medium size businesses so I have a lot of experience from that I can bring into my director role. I've also become a mum to a little boy who has some additional needs, so this combined with having a disability myself, means that I am incredibly passionate about ensuring our sport is as inclusive and as accessible as it can possibly be." Introduced to bowls by her grandfather, who was instrumental in setting up a junior section at Ashford, Robyn immediately loved the social aspect of the game. She recalled: "Us 'juniors' were such a close-knit group of friends and I am so fortunate that a lot of the friendships I had have really stood the test of time, despite me spending time away from the sport in my twenties. For example, my pairs partner now (Matt Rich) is the same person I played with 20 years ago when we first started and that's a real testament to the strong bonds you form with people when playing bowls! "I am also lucky to be in a family of bowlers so I get to spend so much quality time with each of them, whether that be playing friendlies with my Grandad, playing nationals with my sister and partner or playing alongside my auntie in our club competitions. Even my six-year-old son gives it a go so we're already thinking about getting the next generation involved!" Receiving her Indoor County badge in 2010 was a huge highlight for Robyn and she also has fond memories of skipping a Kent Under 25 match. "I had my sister leading for me, we had a brilliant match and a brilliant win which was even more special being that we were able to play that match together! More recently, we won our club triples competition on my first year back. It isn't a big national or county competition, but it meant so much to win that as I never really thought I would get back to playing bowls again, let alone go and win something!" High on the agenda for Robyn is showcasing bowls as an exciting sport. "Personally, I think our sport is appealing but I think the problem we have is getting people through the door to try it and believe it for themselves!" she said. "There are things that clubs can be doing which we should be supporting but I think there's a lot we can be doing at the EIBA also to work closer with companies, groups etc to really show what an exciting, fun sport bowls really is. Utilising a range of social media channels would be a big part of that if we want to be reaching a wider audience than we do currently. "There's also that age old problem of cost as I found out myself when I rejoined last year! The cost of kitting myself out with a new set of bowls, shoes, clothes for both indoor and outdoor etc was eyewatering. The cost of equipment, clothes or matches shouldn't be a deterrent for someone to play bowls but unfortunately it will be for some. We need to ensure we can keep costs as low as possible and think about what we can do as a collective to support those who want to play but may not have the financial means to do so." Sian Honnor. We' d love to know what bowls means to you, get in touch at info@eiba.co.uk Previous Article - Interview with EIBA incoming President for 2024-2025, Pauline Adams |
September 2024
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