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Donington Bowls Club gives thousands to sports groups




Ten sports clubs are sharing a £16,000 cash windfall thanks to the once thriving Donington Bowls Club.

Dwindling membership saw the club close last year after 110 years but officials have sportingly given other clubs a helping hand.

Some £3,000 each will go to Young Dons footballers, Spalding Hockey Club and Boston Rugby Football Club.

Donington chairman Jean Coton with a cheque for Sheila Wing, secretary of Bicker Bowls Club, Michael Morris, from Spalding Hockey Club, Jack Tubb, Joshua Pearson and Emily Coxhead, all from Boston Rugby Rugby Club, and Stephen Cornwell, from Donington Bowls Club, also presenting a cheque.
Donington chairman Jean Coton with a cheque for Sheila Wing, secretary of Bicker Bowls Club, Michael Morris, from Spalding Hockey Club, Jack Tubb, Joshua Pearson and Emily Coxhead, all from Boston Rugby Rugby Club, and Stephen Cornwell, from Donington Bowls Club, also presenting a cheque.

Payouts of £1,000 each go to Spalding Indoor Bowls Club, Bicker Bowls Club, Swineshead Bowls Club, Kirton Bowls Club, Gosberton Bowls Club, Sleaford Indoor Bowls Club and Boston Indoor Bowls Club.

Donington’s chairman Jean Coton said: “Donington Bowls Club had to close in August 2019 because of a lack of players.

“It was a very sad day when we had to take that decision after over a hundred years.

“However it gives me great pleasure to enable these clubs who are receiving our funds to keep going.”

Donington Bowls Club was established in a spot off Church Street in 1909.

In the early days, the subscription was just five shillings (25p).

Declining interest in recent years saw the club left with fewer than a team of members, making it no longer viable.

The premises have been sold to Donington Parish Council, which owns the neighbouring yard.

Following the club’s closure, the committee has been working to distribute assets in line with the club constitution and trying to ensure as many local groups as possible benefit.

Spalding Hockey Club will use the donation to complete a project to provide shower and changing facilities, which are hosted by Tonic 44 Community Café next to its base at Glen Park, Surfleet.

Bicker Bowls Club secretary Sheila Wing said the donation will enable them to add to work already under way to improve fencing and disabled access.

Boston Rugby Football Club chairman Warren Moody said: “We are sad to see the demise of yet another long-standing sports club in our local community and sympathise greatly with that club’s former members.”

But he pledged the money would be put to good use “for the improved provision of sport locally”.



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