BOWLED OVER BY CHARITY DONATION

Newcastle Eldon Indoor Bowls Club has been in existence since 1976 and has around 130 members.

Reluctantly, they have agreed to disband the club this week as Eldon Leisure redevelopment work means the closure of the bowls centre.

It was suggested that the final £605 in the club’s bank account should be donated to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, a proposal which was unanimously carried.

Club Secretary, Dave Conway, 66 from Byker, says: “We agreed to disband the club with a heavy heart.

“As well as the competitive aspect of bowls, we’ve enjoyed the health and social benefits of coming together to play here for many years. That’s especially important as almost all of us are past pension age.

“We have an equal split of male and female members and some may give up bowls altogether, which would be a great shame. But many have gone on to join other clubs like West Denton, North Shields and Gateshead.

“We’re glad to be able to make a donation to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation with the last of the club’s money. It’s seems very fitting given how many of our members have been touched by cancer.

“Many have lost husbands, wives or family members to the disease, so this will be a very poignant charity donation for us.”

Sir Bobby and Lady Elsie launched the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation in 2008 to help find more effective ways to detect and treat cancer – including the clinical trials of new drugs.

It has now raised over £7 million and the vast majority of that money comes to the charity in relatively small amounts through donations and community fundraising efforts.

Liz Luff, from the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, says: “We’re very grateful to receive this donation from Newcastle Eldon Indoor Bowls Club.

“This is obviously a sad time for members. We hope they’re all proud that donating this money, their last act before disbanding the club, will go on to help local people with cancer.”