Stratford-Avon Bowling Club reporter Iain Parker says lawn bowls is a sport everyone can try, regardless of experience.
“It is a great low-cost, low-impact sport, suitable for everyone to play either at a highly competitive level or at a more sociable level.”
Secretary Janet Ravji says the sport has no age barrier, with opportunities for secondary school students to get through to national championships.
“There are now great opportunities for secondary school students to pursue club and regional championships, that qualify them to play for national championships. Lincoln University is now offering bowls scholarships to add to the other comprehensive sports scholarships they offer.”
Ian says lawn bowls have changed over the years.
“Gone are the days of all-white uniforms and only black and brown bowls. The bowling greens of the world are now a festival of colour with new game formats, of different time durations to suit more people.”
The club runs a number of sessions to cater for everyone, Janet says.
“We run early season Saturday sessions and later in the season we run the popular Friday evening Business House Bowls Tournament. This is played in the bowls three five format as seen on TV.”
The club is holding an open day, where people can come and find out about the club.
“Everyone is welcome. Lawn bowls is a great sport for everyone, and we have members from secondary school age and up. This will be happening whether it is wet or fine.”
Gloria Corkill is a 2024 Stratford District Council Citizens Award recipient.
When Gloria Corkill is sorting food at the Stratford Foodbank, or volunteering her time at the Stratford Salvation Army, she gets a sense of satisfaction knowing she’s helping those in need.
Corkill has spent almost half a century helping in various community organisations, and despite now being 85 she is yet to stop.
That community service has earned her a 2024 Stratford District Council Citizens Award.
She said she was shocked when she received the letter informing her of the award.
“I didn’t do this for an accolade or anything, I was very surprised.”
Corkill, who went to Eltham Public School and attended Stratford High School for two years, has always been ready to help, with all her volunteer work happening in Taranaki.
“I’ve lived in Taranaki for all my life.”
During her secondary school holidays, she helped at Hāwera Hospital.
“I worked as a nurse aide. At the time, they were short on staff so I used to work to relieve people during the holidays.”
Corkill lived in Toko for 23 years while her husband was the Toko Dairy Company foreman.
While there, she volunteered with the local Scouts club, spending seven years as a cub leader and three years as the district leader.
When the Douglas Athletics Club started, she was one of the first volunteers.
“I used to bring my children into town for athletics but when they started the athletics club in Douglas we moved there. I volunteered there while my children were competing.”
She left Toko in 1989, spending a year in Eltham caring for her mother before moving to Stratford in 1990. When she returned to town, she volunteered for 13 years at Budgeting Advice and four years with Grey Power.
Corkill was also one of the original members of the Stratford Positive Ageing Group. She has some fond memories of those early days, setting up the group and connecting with like-minded people in the community.
She was an umpire for outdoor bowls for roughly 30 years, first with Toko and then Stratford and across the wider Taranaki region.
In 1994, she joined the Citizens Advice Bureau, spending 20 years using her budgeting skills to help the community. During this time, she held the role of treasurer for four years and chairperson for another four years.
Two years later she started volunteering at the Stratford Salvation Army Family Store. She is still there 30 years on, spending her Saturday mornings there, helping those in need.
About 18 years ago she started with the Stratford Foodbank, sorting donations and making up parcels for those in need.
“All the food in the pantry comes from our Christmas drives, donations, organisations, collections and at the moment from the Food Network.”
Volunteering is something Corkill said she genuinely enjoys.
“I get a lot of satisfaction from it. I met lots of interesting people and made lots of friendships through volunteering.”
Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke said Corkill has done a lot over the years for her community and the wider district.
“She is an amazing volunteer who has served our community incredibly well for a time.”
