46 BOWLS INTERNATIONAL November 2017 http://www.bowlsinternational.comCLUB FOCUS| David Rhys Jones
W
ith the demise of the
mining industry, the
grandeur has faded, and
new, so-called 'light
industries' have taken the place of the old
heavy ones.
One of the few upsides of Margaret
Thatcher's heartless closure of the mines
is that there is undoubtedly less grime in
the Valleys these days. But, although the
valleys are green again, and public health
has improved, there is still a pervading
sense of loss, as inhabitants search for a
new identity.
However, there is no shortage of pride- and these days, as far as our sport is
concerned, Abertillery is the epicentre of
a remarkable bowls revival that promises
to revitalise not only the Abertillery
bowls club itself, but to give a shot in the
arm to bowls in Wales.
Undoubtedly, Welsh bowls - and
especially 'junior' bowls - owes a lot to
Ammanford's Sam Williams, who died a
few years ago - but not before he inspired
hundreds of youngsters to take up our
David Rhys Jones
ABERTILLERY’S
PIED PIPERS
Abertillery is a town of not much more than 10,000 souls. Nestling in the Ebbw Fach Valley, it is
fairly typical of the coal-mining towns that proliferated in the valleys of South Wales not so long
ago - and its Victorian architecture reflects its heritage and the prosperity that accompanied the
industrial revolution. There is a great sense of community.sport at the Dinefwr indoor club. I dubbed
him the Pied Piper of Bowls. But that was
in another mining community some 40
miles to the west of Abertillery.
I can confirm that, in 2017, Abertillery
is where it is all happening.
And I am pleased to tell you that a new
Pied Piper has emerged by the name
of Richard Cook. Born in Abertillery,
where he is a keen member of the localbowls club, wedged between the equally
seminal Abertillery Cricket and Rugby
clubs, Richard has worked wonders.
With the assistance of Jamie Brown,
a former junior international, who has
moved from the RTB Ebbw Vale club to
help him with the organisation, Richard
runs a youth programme, which, in the
words of the poster, offers 'Kids Bowls -
Every Friday - 6pm!'
The two 'likely lads' - Richard is
37, Jamie 40 - have what I would call
'The X-Factor'. They are lively and
inspirational; they are enthusiastic and
full of energy; and, yes, they certainly
make bowls fun for the thirty-or-so boys
and girls who turn up every Friday night.PROVIDING
OPPORTUNITIES
Richard started playing bowls in 1998,
when he recalls, matches were played
in shirts and tie, bowls shoes were
brown and what he calls the ‘high hedge
mentality’ was clearly in existence.
"My friends thought I was mad," he says.Below:
Bowls is thriving
in Abertillery
thanks largely to
two friends46-48_BI_ABERTILLERY_Nov17_cc.indd 46 12/10/2017 14:39