Police Legacy Annual Bowls Day
By Diane MacDonald
The Qld Retired Police Association (QRPA) Police Legacy Annual Bowls Day was a huge success in 2021. The fifteenth bowls day in aid of the Queensland Police Legacy Scheme was held at the Northern Suburbs Bowls Club at Wavell Heights in July. Police Legacy received $12,425 which was the largest amount raised since 2007, bringing the total amount raised to $98,319.84.
Queensland Police Legacy was founded in 1971 with the objective of providing ongoing assistance to the eligible dependent families of deceased Queensland police officers. The primary focus of this assistance has always been on ensuring that dependent children of those families receive the education their parents intended for them, that they deserve and that they may have been deprived of due to circumstances.
In 2005 the constitution was changed to include the families of serving officers whose spouse had died. Police Legacy’s support in such instances allows experienced serving officers to continue working on a part-time basis whilst being available to their children when they are needed most. Police Legacy also supports the families of serving officers where a parent is suffering from terminal illness.
Over the past 50 years the scheme has provided assistance to 255 families and 461 dependent children. Greg Early, President of QRPA and his management committee have been organising these annual charity events for many years. Due to generous sponsorship, donated prizes and particularly the support from many bowls clubs, the day is a highlight in the Brisbane bowling calendar. This year, there were incentives such as $800 for winners of two games of 16 ends of open fours.
Myles Burns, a retired policeman and a well-known member of Wavell Heights Bowls Club (which merged with Clayfield in 2012) to become the Northern Suburbs Bowls Club, provided insight into the success “I have seen eleven teams from Ferny Grove support this day. Pine Rivers, Toombul and Hamilton amongst other clubs have been involved. Our own members, including Peter Ryan, have been very supportive over many years.”
