News

A message from CEO Chris Jones (24 April)

In a vlog recorded on Thursday 23rd April, which can be viewed in the video stream below, our CEO Chris Jones thanks those clubs and athletes who have already affiliated and registered with us for the 2020/21 year during April. Chris discusses the importance of the income from club affiliation and registration and how it supports delivery across many areas of our sport outside of just competition.

Chris also praises clubs for using creative new ways to engage their members during this period of suspension whilst also updating on how England Athletics is implementing its own innovative ideas to add value for its members. This includes our Athletics & Running for Everyone @ home campaign, with thousands of sign-ups for our webinars programme, over 20,000 views of our Weekly Challenges with Jenny Meadows, and over 100 clubs represented at this week’s inaugural Virtual Club Night.

Chris also highlights the free activities and resources made available for parents and children during lockdown, through our Athletics 365 and new funetics @home resources, plus our new partner initiatives such as the OpenTrack virtual running challenge and DW Fitness First 30% offer (helping registered athletes save the equivalent of their EA registration fee).

Chris talks positively about how an alternative track and field season may look, as and when we are able to return to activity post suspension, and our ongoing work to ensure that competitions can take place later this year if permitted (taking into account government guidance affecting England which is continually under review). In an imperfect year and whilst accepting that there may yet be restrictions on what we are able to do post suspension, Chris shares his view on how we can all use this as an opportunity to think ahead now and, if practical, do things differently and try and test new approaches – thinking laterally, working together and compromising to ensure that competitions can be put on for club athletes at a local, county, regional and national level. Chris explains his passion for events for club athletes at the local level, the opportunity that may exist to get new people involved in supporting both team and event specific competitions as helpers and officials, delivered by clubs working in partnership with bodies such as local leagues and county associations. He finishes by explaining how England Athletics is working alongside UKA and the other Home Countries to support event providers with new guidance in the coming weeks.

Please use the form at the bottom of this page to continue to let us know any new challenges or issues that your club, groups and members may be facing as a result of the coronavirus lockdown and current suspension of athletics and running activities.

A video message from England Athletics CEO Chris Jones (recorded Thursday 23 April):

Feedback Form

You can use the form below to let us know about any challenges or issues that your club or group may be facing as a result of the coronavirus lockdown and current suspension of activity: