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South West Regional Volunteer Award winners 2026

Regional Volunteer Awards 2026: South West

On Saturday evening we celebrated the amazing volunteers in the South West at our 2026 Regional Volunteer Awards! The Devon Hotel, Exeter, hosted a great celebration to thank the region's volunteers and recognise their contribution to our sport.

Regional Volunteer Awards 2026: North West

Our 2026 Regional Volunteer Awards began with four ceremonies this weekend, including the turn of the North West on Friday, in Preston, celebrating the outstanding contributions from volunteers across the region.
Muddy Runner RunTogether group

Muddy Runners: Sharing the love of running across Hampshire

RunTogether is all about creating inclusive running opportunities for everyone no matter your age, background or pace. We recently caught up with Kate Bone, one of the founding members of Muddy Runners, an inclusive trail running group based in Hampshire, to find out more about the group and what it means to Kate to be able support others on their running journeys.

Alison O'Riordan reflects on guiding Taz and Ozzie to the Commonwealth Games

For coach Alison O'Riordan, seeing athletes Taz Nicholls and Ozi Nlewedum represent Team England at the Commonwealth Games was the culmination of years of hard work, resilience and trust.
Sessional Coach

New Assistant Coach and Sessional Coach qualifications coming soon

The new Assistant Coach and Sessional Coach qualifications are coming soon as part of England Athletics refreshed coaching pathway. Developed in response to feedback from coaches and clubs through the Coaching Review, the new pathway has been designed to create clearer and more accessible routes into coaching, while helping clubs build capacity within their coaching workforce.
André Onyekwe at England indoor championships 2026

From play to purpose: how Athletics 365 shapes athletes and inspires coaches

UK Coaching Week's theme for 2026 is 'purposeful play' and today we recognise the role of Athletics 365 and funetics to introduce athletics to youngsters in a fun way. Both programmes include games and activities to build and develop skills that form the basis of running, jumping and throwing. One such athlete is André Onyekwe, now 18 years old and part of our Youth Talent Programme. He has not only developed into a promising high and long jumper, but it's inspired his dad David to start his coaching journey with the club as well.
Junior athletes with shotputs

Local clubs benefit from coaching bursaries linked to Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships

Continuing our ongoing investment in volunteers across the sport, England Athletics have provided three Birmingham clubs with bursaries for coaching courses ahead of this summer’s European Athletics Championships
Ed Shillabeer and James McDonald

Birthday Honours recognise octogenarian athlete and coach to junior athletes

The 2026 King's Birthday Honours recognised two amazing people at opposite ends of the athletics and running spectrum. James McDonald and Edmund Shillabeer were each recognised with a Medal of the Order of the British Empire (a BEM). James is a long-standing, very successful and well-loved coach at Herne Hill Harriers where he is responsible for the junior endurance athletes. Whereas 86-year-old Edmund has race walked over 25 marathons and raised huge amounts of money.
Coach development image 2000x1100

Join the European Coaches' Club in Birmingham this summer

Four years on from the hugely successful 2022 Commonwealth Games, athletics once against returns to the city of Birmingham when the 2026 European Athletics championships take place in August. To celebrate these championships, support coaches in the UK and create a lasting legacy, England Athletics - in partnership with the European Athletics Coaches' Association and the University of Birmingham - will be hosting a European Coaches' Club from Tuesday 11 to Thursday 13 August. Open to UK and international coaches, it’s a great opportunity to connect, learn and celebrate the sport.
Steeplechase training at Bury St Edmunds

Steeplechase development events increases participation

Steeplechase is an event that England Athletics is committed to develop, so we have delivered a number of development workshops for both coaches and athletes. The focus on this event has enabled more athletes to compete with developmental opportunities in league and national competitions - which has led to an increase in participants. Development events were recently held in Hexham and Bury St Edmunds.