2023 has been a good year so far for members of Pembrokeshire Disabled Bowlers Club. April saw the inaugural Welsh Association of Visually Impaired Bowlers national pairs competition, held at Port Talbot indoor bowls club.
 
PDBC’s vision impaired bowlers: Jack Lloyd, with Director Hayden John Davies, Richard Parker, Madeline Roberts, with Director Olwyn Whitmore, Graham Thomas and Steve Whitmore played against pairs from Ammanford, Cardiff and Swansea.  Jack Lloyd and Steve Whitmore were in the final, played a phenomenal game and came runners up to John and Julie from Swansea.



 
Photo 1
PDBC Vision impaired bowlers; back (L to R) Steve Whitmore, Graham Thomas, Jack Lloyd, Richard Parker and Olwyn Whitmore.  Front (L to R) Hayden John Davies and Madeline Roberts.




 
Photo 2
WAVIB pairs Runner’s Up 2023. (L to R) Steve Whitmore, Hayden John Davies and Jack Lloyd.
 

Welsh selection for Amy, Gwawr and Andrew

 
Following on from their success at the Welsh Learning Championship (December 2022) and squad training sessions throughout January to March 2023, Amy Barrett, Gwawr Harries and Andrew Roberts were picked to represent Wales alongside nine bowlers from across Wales in the LIDIBIS competition held at York indoor bowls club (25-27 April 2023).  They won bronze with their directors Richard Parker, Madeline Roberts, Steve and Olwyn Whitmore helping them.



 
Photo 3
Pembs contingent of the Welsh LIDIBIS team (L to R) Olwyn Whitmore, Madeline Roberts, Amy Barrett, Andrew Roberts, Gwawr Harries, Richard Parker and Steve Whitmore.
 

More medals for local bowlers

 
June came and Members of PDBC were off again, this time to play in the Mayflower games held at Plymouth indoor bowls club. Richard Parker, Madeline Roberts and Steve Whitmore played in a V.I. match against bowlers from Plymouth. It was a nail-biting two-hour game, finishing 18-all after 18 ends. PDBC learning disability bowlers were put into pairs: Josh George and Mark Oxley, George MacCreath and Danny Pullin, Henry Mack and Jack Wood, Gwawr Harries and Andrew Roberts. They played a full day’s schedule of games against other learning disability bowlers from Plymouth.  They bowled well and brought home silver and bronze medals to Pembrokeshire.




 
Photo 4
Pembrokeshire team at Plymouth indoor bowls club celebrating their medal wins.
Back (L to R) Olwyn Whitmore, George MacCreath, Josh George, Danny Pullin and Gwawr Harries. Front (L to R) Steve Whitmore, Madeline Roberts, Richard Parker, Andrew Roberts, Jack Wood, Henry Mack and Mark Oxley.
 

Great involvement in mixed ability competition

 
And most recently members of PDBC have competed in the inaugural mixed ability triples.  Each team comprised a bowler with a sight impairment, a learning disability bowler and bowler with a physical disability (such as loss of limb).
 
Gwawr Harris (L.D bowler) and Steve Whitmore (V.I bowler) were teamed up with Keith McNight (P.D bowler) from The Gower. They got through the quarter and semi-finals, to find themselves competing in the final. 
 
The first ever Mixed Ability final was held at Llandrindod outdoor bowling green, on 17^th August 2023, during the Welsh Bowls finals week.  It was a chance to showcase what people with a disability can achieve, to show off their love for the sport.
 
Having played a tense two-hour game against Stefan James (V.I bowler) David Platt (L.D bowler) and Rob Sayers (P.D bowler) Keith, Gwawr and Steve brought home medals acknowledging that they were runner’s up of 2023.  It’s hoped that this could be an annual event, so watch this space.



 
Photo 5
(L to R) John Wilson WAVIB team Manager, and Mixed Ability triples finalists Keith McNight, Gwawr Harries, Steve Whitmore, David Platt, Rob Sayers, Stefan James and Denvor Williams (Stefan’s Director)





 
Photo 6
Mixed Ability competition Runner’s Up 2023; (L to R) Gwawr Harries, Steve Whitmore and Keith McNight.