Ian will bowl you over with his enthusiasm

Date published: 01 October 2013


A LOVE of the game of bowls and a commitment to teach it to a new generation has helped one resident earn a Pride in Oldham nomination.

Ian Fitton (67) has been teaching bowls to young people aged three to 14 in Dunwood Park, Shaw, for the past four summers, helping them to understand the game and the skills involved.

Over the years, numbers have grown from 40 young people learning the game to over 100 taking part in the free sessions this summer.

Mr Fitton also made it a priority that the young people had the opportunity to test their skills and he helped to set up two junior teams who entered the Rochdale league.

Fantastic

The Mold Street resident said: “This year one of our teams came top of the league which was fantastic.

“It is great to see all the young people playing together, especially as they may not have known each other before hand.

“I am really pleased to have been nominated for doing something that I love.”

Mr Fitton was nominated by the Friends of Dunwood Park after they saw all his hard work and effort in the community.

Cath Jones, chair of Friends of Dunwood Park, said: “We wanted to nominate him for his enthusiasm, his pride in the young people, his incredible time commitment and his patience with everything.”