Sneyd Striders - setting the pace for Club Standards

Sneyd Striders Running Club (SSRC) are an adult-only road running club based in Walsall. England Athletics Club Support Manager Rich Ayling has worked closely with the club, both to complete their Club Standards and more recently, when they were forced to relocate premises.

Helping the club plan ahead, he started working with the Club Chair on the relocation project in the Summer of 2024 so that when their previous home - Sneyd Community Association - closed to make way for housing developments, they were ready to take on the challenge of their new location in the November.

Relocation has a silver lining

However, every cloud has a silver lining and the change of venue to the Short Heath Royal British Legion Clubhouse has given Rich and the club the opportunity to develop a vision and a clear plan - and this has led to some fantastic partnership work within the community.

“Richard has been a critical friend to the club. He has been accessible to our Chair and Secretary on many minor issues and we have been able to contact him (by email and telephone) for advice as required.”

More recently, since the club were fully compliant with Club Standards, Rich provided some additional support to help the club re-locate and develop a clear vision and plan for the future.

Compliancy challenges

SSRC started from a strong position, as the club has been running for over 40 years. So their constitution and policies were there, but needed some updating. Sneyd Striders were one of our very first affiliated clubs to achieve all the England Athletics Club Standards. We asked Club Chair John Dargavel which was the most challenging to complete.

They found Standard 6 was the most difficult because it was in three parts, and although they were compliant in most, getting a Welfare Officer appointed and trained took time.

“We trained a female into the role but due to the fact that the club is roughly 50/50 split by gender, there was some reluctance for some male members to discuss issues with a female.”

The club went about appointing an additional male volunteer to be trained.

“It has worked well; the female remains the lead for the club and both welfare officers have a great working relationship.”

John adds that compliance to all seven Club Standards has ensured that the club remains focused and can offer members the best offer possible in a safe and transparent manner. It has also ensured that the club can apply for financial assistance and they have been successful in this over the past two years (and previously) to help with club storage facilities and to train more Running Leaders via the England Athletics LiRF course.

Top tips to help you tick off the Standards

Sneyd Striders are a real inspiration and role model for other clubs across the country. We asked them what their top tips were to those clubs who may be struggling:

• Take your time
• Seek advice from your Club Support Manager
• Talk to other local clubs who are compliant
• Do not be afraid to seek advice, collaborate or mentor others
• Be prepared to put in the effort over the short term for a long term gain

Commitment to their community

We can't leave out mentioning some of the amazing community projects the club have undertaken recently. Sneyd Striders are no strangers to supporting the community and have previously been recognised by England Athletics through our Regional Volunteer Awards programme the past few years, for their contribution to both the sport and the community.

Sneyd Striders have raised in the region of £500 to go towards six defibrillators to support the local community. They care passionately about the mental and physical well-being of the community and organise a series of events throughout the year. Their 5 and 10 mile Pudding Run sold out this year and was a great success. Most recently they have been providing fundraising support for Short Heath Lest We Forget - a community interest company that aims to assist the public, veterans, and local businesses in the area.