© 2010 British Wheelchair Bowls Association
A Special Report by David Rhys-
Not one but two. Yes – there were TWO wheelchair bowlers who had qualified for the 2010 EIBA National Finals – another first! Helen Wood and Vera Moore made it a wheelchair bowls double. Gone are the days when you might hear, “Oh look, there’s somebody playing in a wheelchair!”
Vera Moore, who has had her health battles to fight in recent times, says she is
totally absorbed in ‘open’ bowls. She now plays for the City of Birmingham club in
Stirchley, and was leading for Pat Humpage and Barbara Tew, who gave the star-
Whilst they both bowl from wheelchairs they use different types of wheelchairs -
Helen, who seems to be the EIBA’s poster girl (and a good choice too), performed well at second for Yorkshire in the final of the Atherley Trophy; appearing for the county for the second year in succession.
Helen was playing out of Doncaster last year when, as skip, she reached the final of the national unbadged pairs championship, but she has transferred heR allegiance to York, where she has been made most welcome.
“She’s our secret weapon,” said Joan Mason, her skip in the Yorkshire side, who was England president in 2002. “She’s been a tower of strength on our rink all season.”
Mason’s rink won 24-
The EIBA deserve praise for supporting the emergence of so many wheelchair bowlers,
who, thanks to the Buggy and Clippie, can play bowls on equal terms with their able-
Both Vera and Helen are flying the flag for wheelchair bowlers in the UK. Also, the EIBA must surely be proud of the role it has played in helping to end discrimination, and fostering integration, and in using Helen’s picture as part of its advertising material.