Aceit Team Spotlight - Harrogate Indoor Bowling Club
Welcome to Aceit Spotlight, where we shine a light on the clubs, counties and teams that make up the bowls community. From what makes them unique to how Aceit helps them unite, we're celebrating the people and organisations that help our sport thrive.
This time, we're featuring:
Harrogate Indoor Bowling Club
This time, we had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Susie Whistler at Harrogate Indoor Bowling Club. She gave us a wonderful insight into their member-run club, their tight-knit community, and the hilarious V-neck mishap that led them straight to Aceit!
Can you tell us a bit about your club and where you're based?
Yes, we are Harrogate Indoor Bowling Club, we're a friendly, community-based indoor bowls club in the beautiful spa town of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. We have a thriving membership of around 400 members... With only four rinks, we are a relatively small club, but we are regularly praised by visitors for our big welcome, excellent match day catering and well-stocked bar!
How long has your club been running
The club was originally established in the 1980s... With funding from the Sports Council and National Lottery, supported by interest-free loans from generous members, the club returned to Harrogate in 1996. A former industrial unit was successfully converted into an indoor bowling club and remains our home thirty years later... We look forward to continuing this progress long into the future.
What makes your club special within the local area?
One word: volunteers. Our low membership and rink fees — among the lowest in the north of England — are possible because everything in the club is run by members.
From fixing the roof to restocking the bar and preparing the accounts, it is all done in-house. It may sound like hard work, but it creates a genuinely personal atmosphere. A different friendly face will greet you on reception each day, and minutes later you could be shaking hands on the green to start a match.
Apart from keeping costs down, volunteering is a great way to make friends and contributes to the family atmosphere in the club — our “kitchen crew” are known and loved by everyone.
Why did you choose Aceit for your team clothing?
You asked why we chose Aceit – we would say Aceit chose us! In 2018... an order placed with one of Aceit’s competitors resulted in shirts where the ladies could not get the V-neck over their heads!
Enter Aceit… Aceit produced their own version of the design, and the ladies were extremely grateful... It did not go unnoticed that the Aceit shirts were far superior. After a couple of years the men's team also converted to Aceit. The rest is history!
Since then, with the help of John Bell at Aceit, we've placed lots more orders including club shirts available to all members.
Do you feel it’s helped create more unity across the team?
We would not hesitate to say that a club shirt helps create a real sense of belonging. We were genuinely surprised by the number of members who bought the new shirt and wore it with pride. The shirts are excellent quality. Light. Breathable. A good fit. What more could you ask for!?
Any favourite items from the range?
The Aceit shirts stand out. They are worn by our members in all levels of bowling, from social sessions to competitive matches, and always look the part.
Would you recommend Aceit to other clubs looking to update their kit?
Yes. Without hesitation. The quality speaks for itself, and the service has been consistently good for all our shirts.
What advice would you give another club thinking about doing the same?
Involve members early and take time over the design. Then work with a supplier you can trust, such as Aceit – the result is worth it.
If you'd like to create your own bespoke kits, we'd love to hear from you. Contact John using the details below or use our Design Your Own feature on our website. 👇🏼
Email: john@aceitsportswear.co.uk
Call: 07378434303
Design Your Own:
https://aceitsportswear.co.uk/pages/dyo#/catalogue/bowls
