Member Article

Community groups bowled over by charity donations

Two Tyneside bowling clubs have held a special match to celebrate the support they have received from a local infrastructure provider through the Give2 Funds at the Community Foundation.

Collingwood Bowling Club in North Shields and Jarrow Borough Bowling Club played the friendly match on Collingwood’s green, to celebrate donations made by TT2 Limited, the operator of the Tyne Tunnels. The match was held as part of a special Play Bowls event, which aims to open up the sport to people of all abilities through complimentary taster sessions.

The donations to the two clubs were made through the Give2 Funds at the Community Foundation, to which TT2 has made a number of annual donations. The donations have helped a number of community groups on the North and South banks of the Tyne, including Whitley Bay and District Scout Council, East Howdon Community Association, 15th South Shields Boys’ Brigade, Making Waves Community Choir in North Shields, and the South Shields-based Nelson Fix Community Organisation.

TT2 Operations Manager Stu Sutton said: “Helping organisations like the Jarrow and Collingwood bowling clubs is our way of supporting the communities we serve. While our development of the second Tyne Tunnel makes the lives of tens of thousands of people a day easier, this allows us to reach out and help people whether they use the tunnels or not.”

“At TT2 we are committed to supporting local community projects on both the North and South banks of the Tyne. In addition to our everyday operations and charitable donations, we regularly recruit apprentices from the local area and reach out to schools and colleges to work with them where we can.”

The Give2 Funds at the Community Foundation focus on place-building to help people overcome disadvantage, create stronger communities and make the North East a great place to live. As a collaborative funding pool, people and businesses can donate to the Give2 funds and support grassroots community projects in a particular area with dedicated funds for Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland and Northumberland.

Mark Pierce, Director of Policy and Programmes at the Community Foundation added:

“TT2 is a great example of a business that gives back to the local communities in which it operates. Through our Give2 Funds we help them to focus on improving local quality of life through the support of grassroots community projects in North and South Tyneside. The battle of Tyneside, was a fun day from which Jarrow Borough Bowling Club emerged the victor. But more importantly both clubs are assets to their local communities, offering a healthy and social activity for local residents including young people, older people and those with disabilities.”

Alan Jobling of Jarrow Borough Bowling Club said: “These donations are a real help in running in the day to day running of our club. We’re preparing for the start of the bowls season, so this friendly is welcome practice.”

Alan Hall of Collingwood Bowling Club said: “Bowls is a fantastic friendly and fun hobby. Our ultimate aim is to have a bowling park that gives all in the local community the opportunity to come for a game of bowls in a safe, comfortable, friendly environment and to ensure that our club will have a bright and successful future. The support given by TT2 is a great help in assisting our club achieve that ambition”.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Adam Lopardo .