Swindon Bats Sports & Social Club for Visually Impaired People - Our History

The Swindon Bats Sports & Social Club was first formed in February 2006 when, following a ‘have-a-go day’ organised by British Blind Sport and Wiltshire Blind Association (now Wiltshire Sight), a group of visually impaired people decided to meet regularly to play tenpin bowling.  Some of them joined the British Blind Sport Tenpin Bowling League and have been relatively successful. 

In November 2006 Swindon was represented in the summer league finals for the first time and came twelfth in the country.  In June 2007 two teams got through to the winter league finals held in Sheffield and one of these teams came third. 

Whilst we still had a team who play tenpin bowling for the British Blind Sport league, the rest of us joined the National Blind Tenpin Bowling Association’s summer and winter leagues.  We continued to be successful and our teams have won several trophies over a number of years until the NBTBA decided to close in May 2022.  .

We re-joined British Blind Sport Tenpin early in 2022 so that we can continue to compete in league competitions.

Our tenpin sessions take place on Wednesday afternoons (weekly) and Thursday evenings (fortnightly).

In January 2008 a group of members decided that it would be good to have somewhere to meet on a regular basis where visually impaired people could learn from each other how to cope with their sight loss an so the Monday Club was formed.  The Monday Club meets on a fortnightly basis so members can chat and have a cup of tea together. 

Other activities throughout the years have included: acoustic rifle shooting, skittles and indoor kurling.  We also have a trip to the seaside in the summer and a Christmas dinner in December.  We are always looking for new activities for our members.  

The club became a registered charity in February 2011.  The charity number is 1140531.