.: About Us For many years Disabled Bowls came under the banner of Bowls NZ. Whilst we still work closely together we felt to progress further we needed to set up our own association. The New Zealand Disabled Lawn Bowlers Association Inc, was founded in 2006. We are an organisation run by disabled people for disabled people.  We cater for a range of disabilities: Amputee, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Spinal Cord Injury and many others. If you are not sure whether your disability qualifies you to play disabled lawn bowls, please give us a call. We are here to help. We are not a lawn bowling club. You must be a member of your local lawn bowls club to be a member of NZ disabled bowls.  If you are not currently a member of a club give us a call or email and we will assist you in any way we can. It doesn't matter whether you want to play bowls for recreation or serious competition, we can steer you in the right direction. We are responsible for all membership communications, administration, marketing and the organisation of disabled lawn bowls tournaments at all levels. Recreational, Regional, National and International. Our President, John Burton has recently been elected to the board of the IBD, (International Bowls for the Disabled). Congratulations John!

.: Our Vision One in five New Zealanders have some form of disability. Lawn bowls is a game that can be and is played by people of all Ages and Disabilities. Our vision is to encourage and offer the opportunity to as many disabled people as possible to get out onto the greens of New Zealand and around the World.   To provide encouragement, support, advice and any assistance we can to help you achieve your goals. This includes assistance in obtaining classification, funding advice for sports equipment and much more. We know Lawn Bowls enrich's the quality of life for disabled people. It can also offer the chance to play at Regional, National and International level. Playing lawn bowls can also provide the opportunity for you to meet new people of all ages from various cultures and backgrounds competing on a level playing field. Most of all we are having so much fun. Come and join us.

.: The History of Bowls

Although the exact origin of bowls remains uncertain, it is undoubtedly an ancient game. The Romans may have brought it to England in 55BC, and there are references to the sport in manuscripts describing accounts of the Crusades (1095-1192).

The modern version and standard rules of the sport were developed in Scotland in 1848. As Britain established colonies throughout the world, many expatriates constructed bowling greens and the game spread to various corners of the globe.

People with a disability have been competing with and against their able-bodied counterparts for many years. The first recorded events specifically organised for people with a disability occurred in Johannesburg, South Africa, when games for visually impaired bowlers commenced in the 1930s.

Bowls was first featured in the Paralympics at he 1968 games in Israel and was included in all Paralympic games until 1996, with the exception of the Barcelona 1992 Paralympics. The sport no longer fulfilled the criteria set to be part of the Paralympics for the Sydney 2000 games and was removed from the programme. This came as a great disappointment to disabled bowlers throughout the world.  The disappointment didn't last long with the announcement of the first International Bowls for the Disabled (IBD) World Championships to be held in Sydney Australia at the end of October 2007. Countries represented were: Two teams from Australia, Canada, England, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa and Wales. 

Other International events include: Tri-Nations, Fespic Games and the Commonwealth Games.  

Bowls is governed at International level by the IBD, through the International Paralympic Bowls Committee. The sport has 42 member nations spread over six continents. Its strength lies in the many hundreds of clubs throughout the world and for many men and women bowls is not only a game but also a way of life. All clubs in New Zealand welcome people with a disability however, there are many that do not belong to a disability sport organization but are fully integrated into the able-bodied organizations and competitions.

Please take some time to have a look at our website and do not hesitate to contact us with any queries or questions you may have.

New members are always welcome. A membership form and further information can be obtained from our Membership page

 

 

 

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