Fife Bowlers Achieve Something Very Special

The achievements of Craig Donaldson (Central Fife CSS and Kinghorn BC) and Wendy Thomson (East Fife CSS and St Andrews Bowling Club) cannot be underestimated. Craig has won the Turnbull Shield at the Scottish Lawn Bowls Championships organised by Scottish Disability Sport on seven occasions and four times in the last seven years. Wendy has just completed a treble of wins in successive years and won the Jessie Buchan Cup for the fourth time in five years. Both bowlers entered the championships as defending champions and successfully defended their titles. Rarely do the two national titles for bowlers with a learning disability return to the one Branch at the SDS.

Craig was inspired by his late father Bob to become involved in bowls and they played together often at the Kinghorn club. Both have been very committed club members for many years. Bob became a very enthusiastic supporter of DSF and regularly signed up for indoor, outdoor and carpet bowls events in Fife as a volunteer. Craig is a very successful all round sportsman and over the years has excelled in swimming, football, table tennis, badminton, track and field etc.

Wendy is a past winner of the Kilrymont St Andrews Athlete of the Year award and with that award comes a sports bursary. Wendy used her bursary to assist with her fees when she joined St Andrews Bowling Club and the rest is history. Playing at the St Andrews club and with support from staff at East Fife CSS her bowls has improved enormously over the last five years. Before this she travelled from St Andrews to Kirkcaldy weekly to access coaching support from Math Thomson at the Beveridge Park Club. Wendy is also an excellent indoor, carpet and ten pin bowler.

Bowls in Fife for players with physical, sensory or learning disabilities has been stronger. There are many inclusive bowling clubs across Fife and Disability Sport Fife members take full advantage of all that is on offer. Standards and number of participating players have improved accordingly.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife