A bowls club founded almost 90 years ago has bowed out with a donation to Aber Valley YMCA.
Abertridwr Bowls Club was founded in 1925 as a miners’ welfare club, but due to falling membership it has decided to call it a day.
Members have presented the club’s remaining funds of almost £2,500 to the YMCA, which will use the money to resurface its sports hall.
Club Chairman Gwyn Roberts said talk of folding the club first took place ten years ago, but members decided to fight on.
He said: “It wasn’t fair to the club or the members to carry on as it was one of the greatest clubs in Wales – it just became too much at the end of the day.”
Some of the highlights from the club’s history include raising funds for the 1950 Caerphilly Eisteddfod and winning the national Carruthers Shield competition in 1992.
A host of its players have gone on to represent Wales, with the first being Trevor Mounty in 1977.
According to the club, one of its more notable members was Tom Dudson who, in 1924, patented a device to produce a football which did not require a lace – a forerunner of the modern football in use today.
The club wanted its money to be used by the local community and Mr Roberts said the money will benefit the valley for years to come.
Elwyn Evans, Chairman of Aber Valley YMCA, said the donation was “fantastic” and a “great sum” and thanked members of the disbanded club.
YMCA President Alun Humphreys also expressed his thanks and gratitude.