Refurbishment grant aims to make bowling club more inclusive

A £50,000 grant to refurbish a bowling club's headquarters will make the space more inclusive, its secretary has said.

Ballaugh Bowling Club plans to extend its clubhouse and improve access to the building with the funding from the Manx Lottery Trust.

Secretary Lennie Fenton said the cash boost would allow the club to undertake the "much-needed developments".

Set up in 1984, the club fields both men's and women's teams to compete in the local leagues and hosts contests.

Alongside the planned building works, the development will also see an extension of the indoor toilets to include a disabled facility, and create additional storage space.

Ms Fenton said as the organisation hosted a number of events and competitions throughout the year, it was "essential" the clubhouse was "an accessible space for people of all ages and abilities".

Trust chairman Stephen Turner said the club was a "valued community asset to Ballaugh" and it was hoped the extended facilities would "enhance the members' experience and encourage new participants and users to get involved".

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