Getting clubs ready for 2025: January round-up

England Athletics’ Club Support team provides a valuable and comprehensive service to our clubs: engaging in two-way conversation; acting upon club feedback; providing support and guidance; and ensuring that our affiliated clubs are well-placed to grow and thrive.

Each month, our team is out and about, up and down the country, visiting clubs in-person as regularly as possible, alongside their ongoing digital communications with clubs. Below is a round-up of their activity in January including visits to Fairlands Valley Spartans, Collingwood AC, Northampton AC, South West cross country, Wigan Harriers, and North Eastern Harrier League with Blaydon Harriers, Birtley AC, and Washington Running Club.

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Elsewhere, across the month, the team has:

• Provided in-person and virtual support to clubs around the Club Standards.
• Visited clubs including Fairlands Valley Spartans, Northampton AC, Collingwood AC, Wigan Harriers, Guildford and Godalming, and Cornwall Athletics Academy.
• Provided facility support for Stockwood Park and Dartford.
• Visited and offered advice on competition opportunities to TeamBR – a relatively new club looking to build for the future.
• Attended Lincolnshire County AA and Leicestershire Road Running Association meetings to share information with clubs about preparing for the new affiliation year, Regional Council elections and answer club queries.
• Worked with the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Council to set up a webinar on ‘Building a successful road race’.
• Held bespoke support meetings with Totley AC, Wakefield Harriers, Belper Harriers, Penistone Footpath Runners and Southwell Running Club, providing a range of advice, including working with under-18s and risk assessments.
• Met with County Welfare Officers in the East Midlands, to understand what they have on offer to support clubs, and to help shape their programme for the coming months.
• Held a North East club forum focused on club coaching, attended by North Shield Poly, Morpeth Harriers, Tyne Bridge Harriers and Houghton Harriers.
• Held bespoke meetings with Prestwich AC and Chorlton Runners, discussing club development plans, marketing and inclusivity.
• Delivered a club vision session to 30 attendees from Somer AC.
• Held a strategy meeting with Birmingham-based clubs, including Birchfield Harriers and the universities.
• Delivered bespoke club support to Kingston and Poly Harriers AC, GMAX Academy, Momentum Track Academy, Queer Running Club and MOJO Running Fitness, around a variety of topics. 

Emma Hurst, Senior Club Support Manager, said:

"Our overwhelming focus this month has been providing clubs with all of the support that they need as we approach the new affiliation year. In order to prioritise safety in clubs, this year will see clubs need to achieve Club Standard 6: Safeguarding, in order to reaffiliate.

"Our team has delivered in-person and virtual advice to clubs to help them with this process, and have been pleased to see the shared commitment and enthusiasm within clubs to ensuring that - via this standard - our clubs are seen and proven to be safe, welcoming environments."

This month, we created new web content to help clubs with the new affiliation process; launched our Club Leadership Programme, with 54 participants from 33 different clubs; received applications for the Club Improvement Fund; and begun to plan for 2025/2026 Regional Club forums and Regional Volunteer Awards.

Your Club Support team

As always, we would encourage clubs to get in touch with their Club Support Manager if they would like support with Club Standards or club matters:
 
Sarah Friday (North West and North East): sfriday@englandathletics.org | 07912070640
Heidi Bradley (Yorkshire & Humber and East Midlands): hbradley@englandathletics.org | 07968498701
Kirsty Fardell (East and South East): kfardell@englandathletics.org | 07714077363
Amy Murtagh (London): amurtagh@englandathletics.org | 07500910897
Rich Ayling (South West and West Midlands): rayling@englandathletics.org | 07718 394751
Megan Weir (Club Support Manager) mweir@englandathletics.org | 07442 776379
Emma Hurst (Senior Club Support Manager) ehurst@englandathletics.org | 07921 060306