Club Support round-up: helping clubs in all nine regions to develop

Club: Great Yarmouth & District AC 

Club Support Manager: Kirsty Fardell 

Individual club support continues to deliver meaningful impact, with Great Yarmouth & District AC providing a strong example of tailored, relationship-led support designed around a club’s specific needs and ambitions. Through dedicated one-to-one engagement, Club Support Manager, Kirsty supported the club to undertake a comprehensive 360° review, providing a clear assessment of its current position and future development opportunities. 

The review highlighted a positive club culture, strong and committed leadership, and significant potential for sustainable growth. It also identified several strategic priorities that will be critical to the club’s long-term success, including strengthening governance structures, securing future facility provision, developing volunteer capacity, and embedding a clear vision and strategic direction. 

As a result, the club has developed a focused action plan that will guide its next phase of development. Ongoing bi-monthly support from Kirsty will help maintain momentum, provide accountability, and ensure progress against key objectives. By strengthening the foundations that underpin the club, this work is supporting a more resilient, sustainable club that is better equipped to grow participation, enhance the member experience, and deliver lasting benefits for its local community. 

Club: Eynsham Road Runners 

Club Support Manager: Ffion Edgeley 

An enquiry from Eynsham Road Runners sought guidance after being approached about an under-12 athlete attending training and social running sessions, raising concerns around coaching qualifications, supervision, and the suitability of the club environment for a child. 

Working closely with the club’s Welfare Officer, support was provided to clarify England Athletics guidance around coaching qualifications and age-appropriate activity. Discussions focused on the risks associated with an under-12 athlete participating in adult sessions, particularly where coaching staff were not qualified to work with children and where safeguarding considerations, including supervision during runs, could not be adequately addressed. The club was supported to make an informed decision that prioritised the young athlete’s safety and welfare, with alternative opportunities signposted through local junior athletics provision and junior parkrun. 

Beyond addressing the immediate safeguarding concern, the conversation helped the club consider its longer-term approach to junior participation. Guidance was provided on the practicalities of welcoming younger athletes in the future, including coach education requirements, club culture considerations, and the resources available to support the development of a junior section. By combining immediate advice with longer-term development support, the interaction strengthened the club’s understanding of its safeguarding responsibilities and provided a clear pathway for future junior engagement, helping to ensure a safe, inclusive, and sustainable environment for all members. 

Club: Bideford Amateur Athletics Club
Club Support Manager: Rich Ayling 

At the start of 2026, Bideford AAC worked closely with England Athletics to strengthen its governance and ensure full compliance with Club Standards as part of the affiliation process. While this immediate objective was successfully achieved, discussions with the club’s leadership highlighted a broader ambition to shape the club’s future around the needs and expectations of its members. 

Working alongside the club chair, England Athletics supported a comprehensive club review, providing a structured framework, clear timescales and tailored guidance throughout the process. This included help with developing and analysing a club-wide survey, undertaking a club visit to gain insight into both junior and senior sections, and facilitating a member engagement evening attended by 28 club members. The event created an important opportunity to share survey findings, explore the club’s long-term vision, and encourage open discussion around membership growth, retention, volunteering capacity and the overall member experience. 

The insight gathered has enabled England Athletics to produce a detailed club development report, bringing together member feedback alongside a series of practical recommendations for the club to consider. These recommendations span governance and legal structures, opportunities to maximise the use of the clubhouse, and approaches to strengthening volunteer recruitment, recognition and retention through a more consistent volunteer experience. 

The club’s leadership team is now reviewing the report and working with England Athletics to develop a clear action plan based on the recommendations. To help accelerate progress, the club has also been offered grant funding to support key improvements, including the development of a new digital welcome pack. Collectively, this work has provided Bideford AAC with a stronger evidence base for decision-making & insight into developing a member-focused club environment for the future. 

Club: Blackley AC 

Club Support Manager: Sarah Friday 

Following a review of its governance arrangements, Blackley AC identified an opportunity to strengthen its organisational structure and ensure the club was well placed to support future growth and development. Recognising the importance of strong governance in creating a sustainable and resilient club, the club approached Sarah Friday for guidance and support. 

Sarah provided initial advice, practical recommendations, and access to relevant governance resources on Club Hub to help the club review its existing arrangements and identify areas for improvement. This enabled club leaders to take a structured approach to implementing change and build confidence in their decision-making processes. 

As a result, the club has successfully introduced governance improvements that have strengthened its operating framework and positioned it for long-term sustainability. The work has also helped create new opportunities for partnership development, with the club now planning to work collaboratively with the local parks team to explore wider development opportunities. This not only supports the future needs of the club and its athletes but also demonstrates how strong governance can act as a foundation for broader community engagement and facility development. 

Club: Fitmums and Friends 
Club Support Manager: Heidi Bradley 

Fitmums and Friends deliver junior sessions across two sites within their club network for children aged 5 to 17, using England Athletics Run, Jump, Throw resources to support the development of fundamental athletic skills. The club wanted support to review the quality of its coaching offer, ensure it continued to meet the needs of its junior members, and reflect on the wider aims and outcomes of these sessions. 

Heidi Bradley observed a coaching session at each site to gain a better understanding of the participant experience and coaching environment. During the visits, she spoke with athletes, parents, volunteers and junior leaders. 

Following the observations, Heidi shared ideas and relevant resources, including Play Their Way, to further enhance the club’s child-centred approach to coaching and participant development. 

Through discussions with Heidi, the club reflected on the purpose of its junior programme. Whilst the sessions are built around the development of athletic skills through running, jumping and throwing activities, and some participants progress into competitive athletics, the club recognised that the primary aim is to help develop healthy, confident and active young people. 

As a result of Heidi’s support, the club is now exploring ways to further embed personal development within its sessions. Planned developments include: 

• Using open questioning techniques to encourage critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills. 

• Introducing opportunities for athletes to praise both themselves and others, helping to build confidence, self-belief and a positive team environment. 

• Providing structured opportunities for young people to give feedback on their own performance and on session content, encouraging reflection and ownership of their development. 

• Developing social and leadership skills by involving athletes in designing and leading their own games and activities. 

The club now feels confident that its sessions provide fun, engaging and developmentally appropriate experiences for young people of all abilities. By intentionally developing personal, social and emotional skills alongside athletic movement skills, Fitmums and Friends is creating an environment where junior members can thrive both in sport and in everyday life. 

Club: Wolverhampton & Bilston AC 

Club Support Manager: Scott Milne 

Following increased media attention after the European Championships, Wolverhampton & Bilston AC highlighted the challenges it was facing in meeting growing demand for athletics participation. While major events had inspired more children and young people to engage with the sport, pressures around coach capacity and ongoing track damage were limiting the club’s ability to accommodate and retain new athletes, creating a risk to both participation growth and the long-term club experience. 

In response, Club Support Manager Scott Milne proactively engaged with the club to better understand the challenges and identify areas where England Athletics could provide practical support. Through discussions with Club Chair Colin, a holistic picture was developed covering workforce capacity, facility issues and the wider operational challenges facing the club. While there was no single solution to address all of the issues, the conversations enabled targeted support and signposting to relevant England Athletics initiatives. 

A key area of focus was workforce development, with Scott introducing the club to the new coaching pathway and Sessional Coach qualification. This helped the club better understand how the new education offer can support future workforce growth by creating more opportunities for volunteers to become qualified coaches and deliver sessions independently, increasing capacity over time. Further discussions explored opportunities to modernise elements of club operations and strengthen the club’s longer-term resilience. 

The engagement has strengthened the relationship between England Athletics and Wolverhampton & Bilston AC, increasing the club’s awareness of the support available and establishing a clear pathway for ongoing collaboration. Scott will continue to work closely with the club to provide support around leadership, governance and workforce development, while also helping the club engage with key stakeholders to address facility challenges. This ongoing partnership will support the club in building greater capacity, improving sustainability and ensuring more athletes can access and benefit from opportunities within the sport. 

Club: Sedgefield Harriers 
Club Support Manager: Victoria Eames 

Sedgefield Harriers approached England Athletics seeking support to strengthen coach development, increase workforce capacity and ensure the long-term sustainability of its coaching programme. While the club recognised the need to grow and develop its coaching workforce, it was unclear on the most effective pathways and support available to achieve this. 

Recognising the importance of building a sustainable coaching structure, Club Support Manager, Victoria Eames, coordinated support from colleagues across the organisation, facilitating discussions with Scott Grace, Coach Development Manager, to explore the club’s current challenges, future ambitions and development needs. This enabled the club to access practical tools and resources to support coach development, including planning and learning materials available through the 365 platform, alongside opportunities to explore workshops and approaches to enhancing coaching practice. 

Building on this engagement, Paul Moseley, Coach Education Programme Manager, attended a club coaches’ meeting to discuss coaching practice, the new coach qualification pathway and opportunities for ongoing development. The session was well received, generating interest among several volunteers who are now considering progressing onto the Sessional Coach qualification. Conversations also provided an opportunity to review the club’s wider coaching structure, facility usage and the workforce capacity challenges that could impact future growth. 

As a result, the club has developed greater confidence in its workforce planning and identified clear opportunities to strengthen and expand its coaching offer. Potential funding opportunities, including the Sport England Movement Fund, were highlighted to help address capacity pressures through increased facility access and the development of additional qualified coaches. Ongoing support continues to focus on encouraging more volunteers to progress through the coaching pathway, helping to create a more resilient and sustainable coaching workforce. This will ensure the club is well placed to meet growing demand, support future development and enhance the experience of athletes for years to come.