A local bowling club in Pembrokeshire, who pride themselves on their community activities, has taken a bold step towards becoming more environmentally sustainable. A chance referral to Egin has opened new opportunities for the club – leading to an improved building and a shift in mindset.
Discovering Egin
The Fishguard and Goodwick Bowls Club enable local people to enjoy the sport of lawn bowling. As a not-for-profit sports club, they use their facilities to raise money for local charities through open days and coffee mornings. They currently have 55 members, mostly elderly people of mixed genders, and regularly compete against other bowling clubs in Pembrokeshire and Camarthenshire.
The club’s journey began thanks to a referral from Transition Bro Gwaun and Sports Wales. They were keen to install solar panels and battery storage to reduce their reliance on the national grid for their energy needs, and ultimately to reduce their carbon footprint.
They also acknowledged that saving money on electricity would benefit their members too. Bringing their energy bills down would ensure that they could keep their membership fees affordable and therefore continue to offer their services to their community, especially the older generation. This is especially vital after the post-Covid struggle to retain new members.
They were soon connected with Egin Facilitator Jasmine Dale, who provided guidance, connected them with relevant organisations, and steered the journey towards solar panel installation and insulation.
Jasmine recalls:
“Richard’s diligence and commitment to working out the best solutions for the club and the environment is clear. I am particularly heartened by the decision to specify natural insulation made in Wales, rather than energy intensive and polluting conventional products. The club’s project will surely inform and inspire the many other bowls clubs they interact with, struggling with the same issues with their buildings.”
As part of Egin’s support package, the group were also assigned an Evaluation Mentor to help them with their self-evaluation needs, including guidance on how to apply the Proving & Improving toolkit to their situation. Their mentor, Mike Corcoran, who works for our partner organisation Co-Production Lab Wales, signposted them to this useful resource and helped identify ways they could measure their impact in the future.
What’s Changed for the Club?
Thanks to Egin, the club were able to access a bespoke audit from Severn Wye Energy Agency which resulted in an all-important energy efficiency report – all for free.
This expert knowledge and support paved the way for further actions:
- Opting for solar panels as a more suitable and sustainable solution.
- Receiving contacts for local installers and insulation experts.
- Initiating deeper conversations about sustainability within the committee.
“We’re now speaking more about how we can be sustainable – and we already avoid chemicals on our green, so this just builds on that,” said Team Captain Richard Brind.
The group also went on site visits to AFC Abergwaun to view their solar panel installation and rainwater harvesting system, and to a Paul Sartori Hospice store which had used Climate Action Boost funding from the Lottery to install solar panels. These visits provided crucial learning and inspiration, demonstrating what’s possible with the right support.
Reflections on the Journey
The shift toward sustainability has begun to influence the wider community, with club members starting to wonder, “Could I install solar panels on my own home?”
Potential income from renewable energy will help keep the club alive and maintain the grounds, which might otherwise become a car park – another potential carbon offset benefit.
The club now proudly shares its plans and progress with the local community, leading by example. As Richard puts it, “We can now say: this is what we’ve done, this is who helped us, and this is who you can speak to.”
The club credits Jasmine as instrumental in their success:
“She’s been absolutely brilliant. She linked us with other groups like Fishguard Football Team, and even organised a useful meeting in Haverfordwest to hear from people who had already installed solar panels.”
Most Significant Change
The most impactful change has been a culture shift toward sustainability and community engagement.
According to Richard, “It’s a split benefit: reducing our bills and showing the community that environmental change is possible – not just for big corporations, but for small local clubs like ours.”
Looking Forward
Beyond the physical changes, they’re cultivating a sustainable mindset – one that could ripple across other community groups in the area.
Their story stands as a reminder that support is out there – and with the right connections, any type of organisation no matter the size can lead the way in creating a greener, more resilient future.
If you’d like to find out more about Fishguard and Goodwick Bowls Club or become a member, you can visit their Facebook group.
Comments are closed.