People will be queuing up to play at Homai Bowling Club’s newly renovated greens and facilities.
The club’s $330,000 renovation included asbestos removal, a new kitchen, new furniture and flooring, bathroom refurbishments and a repainted roof and exterior.
“Our previously run-down clubrooms have been transformed into a modern, warm and healthy building,” says the club’s secretary/treasurer Tia Moka.
Player numbers have increased since the renovations were completed, and more community groups are using the facility.
This is excellent news for an organisation that prides itself on being inclusive of a wide-ranging, multi-generational membership base – its youngest player is just 16, while the club’s oldest member is in his 80s.
“This diversity creates valuable opportunities for our more experienced bowlers to mentor and guide newer members, helping them develop their skills and master the fundamentals of the game,” says Tia.
Wiri Licensing Trust supported the club’s application for funding for the renovations. It also sponsors Homai’s Twilight Bowls summer social league, which allows non-bowlers to try lawn bowls in a fun, social, and relaxed environment.
The social league competitions contribute to the club’s drive to recruit more females to play the sport, which has also included working with local organisations and hosting high school students at the club.
“We’ve seen a steady increase in the number of females joining the club, and we are excited to see their enthusiasm and emerging talent.”
The Trust has also helped Homai Bowling Club gain funding to pay for a greenkeeper to support the volunteer work its members carry out.
“This allows us to access specialised services that ensure our two grass greens are maintained in excellent condition. The greenkeeper’s responsibilities include preparing the greens for play and tournaments, ensuring they are match-ready by regularly cutting and rolling them.
“Additionally, the greenkeeper sprays and fertilisers the greens to keep them healthy and free from disease, and maintains the surrounding areas. Each year, at the end of the season, the greens undergo a full renovation, a demanding task that our club members volunteer their time to assist with.”
Wiri Licensing Trust General Manager Kim Green says the Trust’s board is passionate about supporting a wide range of sports that are accessible to all ages and abilities.
“Bowls is a sport that can be played by anyone in our community, even those with physical or sensory challenges.”
Homai Bowing Club was founded in 1962 and has two greens. Members can play competitive or social bowls. As well as competing for club titles, competitive bowlers represent the club at a regional level, playing against other clubs in the Counties area.
“Our goal is to become a vibrant community hub with top-quality greens and facilities, fostering an inclusive environment where people of all ages and abilities can compete with pride and achieve success,” says Tia
But today’s challenging economic climate makes securing funding challenging, and backing from Wiri Licensing Trust has been essential to the growth and revitalisation of the club.
“We have seen firsthand how transformative the support from Wiri Licensing Trust has been to our organisation. I urge other community organisations to connect with Wiri Licensing Trust and bring your vision to life.”
If you want to try lawn bowls in a fun, social, and relaxed environment, join Homai Bowling Club’s Twilight Bowls league. You can enter a team, or you can enter individually and the club will pair you with an experienced bowler. For more information, feel free to reach out via the club’s Facebook page or email homaibowls@gmail.com
Wiri Licensing Trust wants to connect with local community groups and organisations that are doing great work in our hood to understand how we can better support you – email us at info@wiritrust.org.nz.
