Ogwr Indoor Bowls Club

In 1982 four members of the Bridgend short mat bowls club met to discuss the possibility of forming an Indoor Bowls Club in Bridgend. It was agreed to call a public meeting to see if sufficient  support would be forthcoming to form such a club. Mr. Harold Morgan acted as the Chairman, Mr. Henry King acted as the Secretary, Mr. Richard Morgan as the Treasurer and Mr. Ted Rayer as the Competition Secretary.

The meeting was convened in the main concert hall, Bridgend leisure centre. The meeting was very well attended and it was agreed to form an indoor bowls club. It was to be known as the Bridgend and District Indoor Bowls Club.

As the club had no money it was agreed to make a collection. Mr. Bill Powell (Aberkenfig) was the only person in possession of a cap so this was used to make a collection which realised  a little in excess of £43. A bank account was then opened at the Porthcawl Branch of the HSBC bank in the name of the Bridgend and District Indoor Bowls Club.

It was then agreed to join forces with representatives from the Mid Vale District Bowling Association and present a case to the Ogwr County Borough Council to build an indoor bowls stadium. As a retired local government chief executive officer Mr. Tudor Walker M.B.E. was elected to head this delegation. It was warmly  received and the Council eventual agreed to instruct the Borough Architect Mr. W.H John to proceed with the design and construction of an eight rink indoor stadium. The stadium was officially opened by Cllr. W. J. Trigg on the 2nd. July 1985.

As the stadium was to be known as the Ogwr Indoor Bowls Stadium it followed that  the Bridgend and District Indoor Bowls Club changed its name to Ogwr Indoor Bowls Club.

 It was agreed that the management of the club should consist of a General  Management Committee consisting of  3 principle officers,  5 delegates from the men's section and 5 delegates from the ladies section. The first three principle officers were Mr. Harold Morgan, Mr. Henry King and Mr. Richard Morgan. The first Chairman of the Men's committee was Mr. Harold Morgan with Mr. Henry King as the Secretary and Mr. Phillip Edwards as it's Treasurer. The first officers for the ladies' section were Chairwoman Mrs. Enid Thomas, Mrs. Cynthia Morgan as the Secretary and Mrs. Jean Griffiths as the Treasurer

The first playing season was 1984/5 with a total membership in excess of 800 and a rink occupancy of approximately 80%. Since its inception the Ogwr Indoor Bowls Club have produced bowlers, bowling administrators, umpires and coaches of a very high calibre. To date it has produced  7 Senior Men's Internationals and 9 Junior Internationals. The ladies section have produced 9 Senior Internationals and 1 Junior International.

 Ogwr Indoor Bowls Club has produced many bowls administrators over many years. The foremost of these must be Mr. Brian Davies. He served the Welsh Indoor Bowling  Association as it's Competition Secretary, General Secretary, President 2005 and was awarded Life Membership. He was included in the Hall of Fame in 2016. He served the British Isles Bowls Council as it's General Secretary/Treasurer and was awarded Life Membership for his services to the Council. He served the World Bowls Council as it's General Secretary/ Treasurer, it's President in  2008 and was awarded Life Membership for his services. He served the  World Bowls Tour as its Chairman and in 2011 was awarded Life Time Achievement.  Ogwr Indoor Bowls Club also provided two other Presidents to the Welsh Indoor Bowling Association namely Mr. Harold Morgan  and Mr. Peter Groom. Mr. Richard Morgan also served the Welsh Indoor Bowling Association as it's Assistant Secretary/ Development Officer. The Ladies section has provided two Presidents to the Welsh Ladies Indoor Bowling Association, Mrs. Cynthia Morgan  and Mrs. Marianne Ackerman.