Keith Bedford is about halfway through his one-year term as president of the Gloucestershire Bowling Association and it will come as no surprise to anyone who knows him that he is loving every minute of it.

The 58-year-old has been playing the game since 1991 and it has become a huge part of his life, so much so that he wishes he had taken up the sport at an earlier age.

In his younger days he played cricket for Aston Ingham – he described himself as a “social player” – but once he discovered bowls he was hooked.

So how did he get involved?

“It was through my uncle, Roy Allen,” explained Bedford. “He was playing at Gloucester and Severnside Coop and I went to watch him.

“I was approached by Ron Gardner, who was club captain, and he asked me to play and it’s all gone on from there.”

It certainly has and Roy Allen, who is now in his mid-80s, is still playing bowls at Barnwood, the same club as his nephew.

“I took to bowls like a duck to water,” continued Bedford, who lives in Gloucester and has worked at Marks & Spencer for close on 40 years.

“If anyone is looking to take up a sport, I would urge them to take up bowls. You can play at a young age and it’s not one of those sports you have to retire from.”

And Bedford certainly has every intention of playing for many years to come.

He spent seven years at Gloucester and Severnside Coop and captained them when they celebrated their 50th anniversary before switching to Gloucester City.

Les Webb and Mike Cryer were two of the main people at Gloucester City but Bedford was also pretty prominent too. He was captain of the club in 2005 and was a big part of their centenary celebrations.

He joined Barnwood in 2009 and is delighted he did, describing the club as “very competitive but family-orientated”.

By then Bedford was a very well-known figure in bowls around the county.

In 1996 he joined the Gloucestershire Vice Presidents Bowling Association and was their president in 2003.

And he is also a member of Cotswold Strollers Bowling Association. They were formed out of Falcons Bowling Club and their proud claim is that they are the second oldest bowling association in the country still touring.

“We go to Bournemouth in the second week of September every year for a week’s tour,” said Bedford.

It’s clear how much bowls means to Bedford – he’s also taken a greenkeepers’ course and is a Level 1 Bowls Development Alliance coach – so it’s no surprise that he is such an influential figure in the sport in the county.

And that stretches to the indoor game as well as the outdoor game.

“I’ve played for Gloucestershire indoors and outdoors,” he said with obvious pride. “I was county indoor president in 2009/10.

“I’m also team manager of Gloucestershire’s Liberty Trophy team and in 2016 we got through to the last eight in the country.”

And as well as all the high-profile positions he’s held off the green, he’s clearly a decent player too.

“My greatest achievement came last year,” he said. “I was asked to play for Bowls England in a centenary match at Cheltenham Bowling Club and I was asked to pick the team on behalf of Bowls England president Bill Smith.

“We won the match by a couple of shots and I was part of the best winning rink.”

That match was at Suffolk Square, which is one of the best places around to play bowls, of course, although Bedford’s favourite green is Barnwood’s and he has certainly played at some other top venues.

“I’ve played in the grounds of Windsor Castle against The Royal Household and I’ve also played at Royal Chelsea Hospital,” he said.

“I’ve also played against Island Bohemian Bowls Club which is a club near Reading in the middle of the Thames.”

That sounds fun and fun is very much the key word for Bedford as he promotes the game he loves so much.

His new role gives him even more opportunity to do that, of course, so what does it mean to him to be president of the Gloucestershire Bowling Association?

“It’s a big honour,” he said.

And what about the future?

“Mike Jennings, who is a good friend of mine from Cornwall, has asked me to stand for president of Bowls England,” he said.

And his reply? “That’s something I can think about!”

Watch this space because all the evidence suggests that Keith Bedford would make a very good president of Bowls England!