NORTHERN LEAGUE MATCH AT BLACKBURN THIS SATURDAY IS CANCELLED

The Club’s scheduled Northern Track and Field League fixture this Saturday (22nd May), at Witton Park, Blackburn, has been cancelled because of concerns about the situation regarding Covid-19 in Blackburn.

The decision means that West Cheshire AC’s opening Northern Track and Field League fixture is now scheduled to be held at Blackburn, on Saturday, June 19.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Many happy returns to the following Club members who celebrate their birthdays this week:

Debra Erskine, Scarlett Whittall, Teresa Arvidsson, Andrew Howarth, Abigail Hutton, Ellen McMahon.

And Next Week: Daisy Ross-Maddock, Ellie Collins, Ian McLintock, Phoebe Arnold, Lexi Ireland, Clive Giddis, Adam Poole, Angela Tegg.

CHESHIRE TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE THIS SUNDAY

The Club will be in action this Sunday in a Cheshire Track and Field fixture at Macclesfield in a scaled down format for under 11s and under 13s. Only youngsters selected in advance should travel to the fixture. Good luck to all our athletes, officials, and parent helpers.

The second round of the Cheshire League will only be for Under 15s and Under 17s, at Macclesfield, on Sunday 20th June, and league officials are hoping that round 3 at Macclesfield and round 4 at Ellesmere Port will cater for all age groups.

Please note that the Club Committee has agreed to pay for every member who represents West Cheshire AC at this seasons Cheshire Track and Field League fixtures.

STARS OF THE SMALL SCREEN

Cheshire County Athletics Association has released a short film of the Cross Country event held in April. “It’s a ‘Thank You’ to everyone in Cheshire for staying strong through this pandemic and hopefully getting back to competition from now on,” Cheshire AA said. ”It’s not a ‘this is what happened in each race’ film because we wanted to showcase as many people who made it possible as we could, not just the winners. It’s for the organisers, the medical support staff, the timing people, the volunteers, all the officials, the people giving out numbers, and most importantly the athletes and coaches and parents. Everyone is important to a complex event like this and we recognise that fact. It’s also a bit of a reminder of what we all do this for; the preparation, the race, and the elation of finishing. It’s a love-letter to competition, to racing and to participation. And we make no apologies for that nor should you. Enjoy the rest of your season. We’ll be here with you every step of the way.” The film is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bsaMrULKpg This film has been created for all the clubs in Cheshire and can be shared freely on your website and social media channels. Just click the ‘Share’ button to receive the link to post on your own sites and pages. If you have any questions please contact Allan at: [email protected] Please ‘Share’ the film as widely and as often as you wish. We’d only ask that you ‘Subscribe’ to the Youtube channel, ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ as well as often as you can because then the Facebook page will gain ranking in the algorithms used. It’s your page, it’s your film, it’s our sport together.”

CLUB DISCOUNT AT RUNNERS NEED CHESTER STORE

Running supplies store Runners Need have created a club reward system. West Cheshire AC members are entitled to a 15% discount using a code to be circulated in an upcoming Club email. For those not aware Runners Need have an outlet at Cotswold Outdoors in Chester (amongst other places) and online too: www.runnersneed.com

This would be 15% off in store and online for Runners Need, Cotswold Outdoor and Snow and Rock.

CLUB WELFARE TEAM VOLUNTEERS URGENTLY NEEDED

Club Welfare Team Volunteers are needed to ensure that we provide a safe, supportive set-up in which any welfare or safeguarding issues can be reported and dealt with fairly, efficiently, and in line with England Athletics guidelines. Details of the role can be found: https://england-athletics-prod-assets-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/2020/03/England-Athletics-Welfare-Officer.pdf

If you would like informal advice on what is involved, please feel free to email club secretary, Julian Tegg, at: [email protected]

HELPERS WANTED FOR COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS

West Cheshire AC is scheduled to host the Cheshire Track and Field Championships at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22.

But County Officials secretary, Alan Morris, is currently struggling to find enough timekeepers and field judges, and we will need to allocate people to other roles such as Technical Manager, Seeding, Announcer, and Presentations, to ensure the event runs smoothly.

If you are available to help on August 21 and/or 22 can you please Alan at: [email protected]

CONGRATULATIONS!

Harriet Wheeler achieved new personal bests in the under 15 girls discus (19.73m) and hammer (25.13m), and launched the javelin to a mark of 32.77m at the Leigh Harriers Spring Throws Open Meeting after hitting a new shot best of 8.65 the day before at the Trafford AC Open Meeting.

Harriet was joined at the Trafford fixture by her sister, Eleanor, who posted new personal bests in the under 13 girls 75m (12.71) and 800m (3:15.2).

Charlotte Austin celebrated a hat-trick of new bests in the under 13 girls 75m (11.50), 150m (23.47), and high jump (1-15m), while Satine Wearden clocked new under 13 girls bests in the 75m (13.05), 150m (26.69), and 800m (2:47.27).

Theo Shepherd clocked new under 13 boys bests in the 75m (10.17) and 150m (19.96), and Macey Jones clocked a new under 13 girls 75m best of 10.87.

Macey Brett achieved a new under 15 girls 100m best of 14.24, while Rob Austin clocked new under 15 boys bests in the 100m (12.08) and 200m (24.79).

Ruby Phillips blasted her way to a new under 13 girls 150m best of 21.62, while Sophie Haslam achieved under 15 girls bests in the 200m (29.57) and 800m (2:27.64).

Aimee Phillips posted a new under 15 girls 300m best of 45.96, while Jess Lark clocked under 15 girls bests in the 300m (45.0), and 800m (2:25.20).

Luke Parker rounded the under 15 boys 1500m in a new best of 4:40.50, while Ruby Carlile cleared a new under 15 girls high jump best of 1-30m, and Luke Haslam launched the under 15 boys javelin to a mark of 25.80m.

Megan White has also recently competed at the Trafford Open Meetings and clocked an 800m time of 2:36.85.

2021 NORTHERN TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE

ENTRIES close on Friday 28th May for the Northern Under 20 and Senior Track & Field Championships taking place at Leigh Sports Villageon 12th and 13th June.

The prospectus for the Northern Athletics Start Fitness T&F Championships (Senior/U20) is now available here: www.northernathletics.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021/_Sr-Entry_prospectus-.pdf

Entries are open now at: https://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2021/

The U17/U15/U13 Championships are scheduled for the 14th and 15th August at Costello Stadium, Hull, and hopefully will be as close to ‘normal’ as possible.

ENGLISH SCHOOLS TRACK & FIELD CUP FIXTURE CANCELLED

Please note that the English Schools Track & Field Cup fixture scheduled to be held at EPSV on Wednesday 9th June has now been cancelled.

ONLINE COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

An updated list of England Athletics Coaching and Officials Courses and Workshops can be found here:

UPDATED PROVISIONAL DATES FOR YOUR DIARY…

Subject to Covid-19 rules, West Cheshire AC’s latest revised league season looks like this:

Under 13/Under 15 Youth Development League Merseyside Division: Saturday, June 5, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Saturday, July 17, (at Bebington Oval), and Saturday, September 4 (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

Under 17/Under 20 Youth Development League Merseyside Division: Sunday, May 30 (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, June 27, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, July 25 (at Bebington Oval), and Sunday, September 5, (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

West Cheshire AC’s North Premier West League squad will open their season on Saturday, May 22, at Blackburn, before heading to Wigan (still to be confirmed) on Saturday, June 19, then hosting round three at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, July 4, and concluding the campaign at Trafford, on Sunday, August 1.

West Cheshire AC’s Cheshire League season is scheduled to start at Macclesfield, on Sunday, May 23, before Macclesfield host round two and three on Sunday, June 20 and Saturday, July 24; and West Cheshire AC will host the final round at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, August 29.

NORTHERN ATHLETICS 5k CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2021 Northern Athletics 5K Road Race Championships will return to the Sunderland 5K – hosted by Sunderland Harriers. The event will be on the evening of Thursday, 22nd July 2021, (subject to govt. regulations). Entry details will be posted on the Sunderland Harriers website when available.

TRACK AND FIELD COMPETITION UPDATE

England Athletics updated their Return to Athletics and Running Guidelines on 13th May which can be found here: www.englandathletics.org/coaching/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

ENGLAND ATHLETICS RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT’S ROADMAP

England Athletics have outlined in an ‘athletics and running roadmap’ infographic what everything means at each stage. More detailed guidance will be provided they have received further information from Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Please note, all these dates are subject to the UK Government’s four-step roadmap to ease restrictions across England and the conditions which must be met before the country is able to move from one step to the next. More details: www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

COACHING WEBINARS

Take a look at the long list of EA webinars relating to running, jumping and throwing at this link: www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/

PLEASE HELP TO STAY IN TOUCH

I would welcome any contributions for the Club Newsletter from yourselves, any impending marriages, or additions to the family, any running or competing incidents, also anything to help everyone stay entertained. Currently the response has been excellent, but if you have anything that could make it into next week’s Newsletter – please email me at: [email protected]

COACHING COURSE UPDATE

England Athletics has started to publicise Virtual Coaching Courses on their website. Follow this link to find a list of virtual courses:www.athleticshub.co.uk/course-list/eng?what=Coaching%20Assistant%20&_ga=2.18717049.1392192673.1

Please get in touch with Dennis if you do book on the course at:[email protected]

HEATHER McLINTOCK’S PHYSIO OFFER

Heather McLintock has been in touch to say she is still able to offer physiotherapy if anyone is injured over this lockdown…Heather knows how important it is to exercise in this time so if she can keep people exercising that would be great. Heather’s email address is: [email protected]

JASON OSWELL’S LOCKDOWN PHYSIOTHERAPY 

Jason Oswell is now doing face to face Physiotherapy at the Athlete Factory gym in Chester. He is charging £30 a session to anybody from West Cheshire AC (normally charge is £45). His work email is now: [email protected] and his website is: www.jasonoswellphysio.com

RUN LEADER DEVELOPMENT DAYS…

England Athletics Run Leader Development Days is a series of informative and engaging workshops aimed at leaders and coaches from affiliated clubs and RunTogether groups. They are designed to bring leaders and coaches together in an environment where they can network and learn from each other by sharing skills and challenges, plus expand their knowledge of managing and growing groups, and enhance their understanding of technical skills in running.

Read more and book online at: 

Please get in touch with Dennis if you do book on the course at: [email protected] 

ENGLAND ATHLETICS WEBINARS

A revised list of England Athletics webinars can be found here: www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/

PLEASE HELP OUR CLUB WHEN YOU SHOP…

West Cheshire Athletic Club has registered with easyfundraising, which means over 4,000 shops and sites will now donate to the Club for FREE every time you use easyfundraising to shop with them. These donations will help SO MUCH, so please sign up to support us – it’s completely FREE and doesn’t take long at the following link:

STAYING IN TOUCH WITH DAN GILROY

Our Club President, Dan Gilroy, passes on best wishes to everyone at the club. Dan said he would welcome members to ring him and have a chat. His number is: 07594 464287.

ATHLETICS WEEKLY NEWS UPDATES

All the latest athletics news can be found on the Athletics Weekly website here: https://www.athleticsweekly.com/

HELP AND SUPPORT

Anyone requiring help and support while self isolating can contact the local council hotline number of 0300 123 7031.

This is a dedicated hotline number for those self isolating and who don’t have anyone to help. A call to this number will provide help organising food or medicine deliveries, or some sort of social contact. The number for the most in need is 0300 123 7031. It is open Monday to Sunday (8am-7pm).

ALSO – Please feel free to ring me (Dennis) if you want a chat or need any help or support. My numbers are: 0151 201 1254 and 07968 643038.

LOOKING BACK…

This week: Chris Chataway, Emil Zatopek, and Dick Fosbury. Enjoy…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPTTX71rOgI

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c4Z8cbcIiA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZsH46Ek2ao

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Members and parents are reminded to look at the following links for updates about the Club:

FACEBOOK: West Cheshire AC, West Cheshire AC Road Running, west cheshire ac jnr to u20 middle distance group

WEBSITE: www.westcheshireac.co.uk

CLUB WELFARE TEAM VOLUNTEERS URGENTLY NEEDED

Club Welfare Team Volunteers are needed to ensure that we provide a safe, supportive set-up in which any welfare or safeguarding issues can be reported and dealt with fairly, efficiently, and in line with England Athletics guidelines. Details of the role can be found: https://england-athletics-prod-assets-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/2020/03/England-Athletics-Welfare-Officer.pdf

If you would like informal advice on what is involved, please feel free to email club secretary, Julian Tegg, at: [email protected]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Many happy returns to the following Club members who celebrate their birthdays this week:

Lorraine McFaul, Christina Broome, Katie Clarke, Alexa Byrne, Megan Kettle, Thomas Renondeau, Logan Evans, Sarah Hughes, Jenny Palmer, Laura White.

And Next Week: Debra Erskine, Scarlett Whittall, Teresa Arvidsson, Andrew Howarth, Abigail Hutton, Ellen McMahon.

HELPERS WANTED FOR COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS

West Cheshire AC is scheduled to host the Cheshire Track and Field Championships at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22.

But County Officials secretary, Alan Morris, is currently struggling to find enough timekeepers and field judges, and we will need to allocate people to other roles such as Technical Manager, Seeding, Announcer, and Presentations, to ensure the event runs smoothly.

If you are available to help on August 21 and/or 22 can you please Alan at: [email protected]

CLUB ENDURANCE LEAGUE UPDATE

Keely Smith and Steve Fernyhough lead the men’s and women’s tables for April 2021 – the first of this year. Debra Bemand, Sarah Hibbert and Katie Clarke are all level on points behind Keely, as are Michael Young, Andy Carter, Tom Booth and Wullie McGarrell behind Steve.

Given the scarcity of racing opportunities, it is proposed that points gained in 2020 will be rolled over into the final 2021 tables – watch this space for more news.See near the bottom of the road running page on the Club website for tables, and races in which points were gained.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Carys Roberts and Sharon Stoll are celebration Club records.

Carys rounded the under 17 ladies 800m in a time of two minutes 15.60 seconds at the Trafford AC Open Meeting held at Longford Park Stadium.

And Sharon powered her way to a throw of 15.48m in the over 50 women’s discus.

The duo were joined at the event by Imogen Pughe who clocked a season’s best of 42.99 seconds in the under 17 ladies 300m, and added 13.83 in the 100m.

Ruby Wisbey posted 13.41 seconds and 28.59 in the under 17 ladies 100m and 200m respectively, and James Pascoe clocked 13.12 seconds in the senior men’s 100m.

DAVID SHEARER and Mark Davies represented West Cheshire AC at the Run Aintree Half Marathon.

Shearer covered the 13.1 miles course in a time of one hour 16 minutes 45 seconds for fourth spot in his over-35 men’s age category and 12th spot overall, and Davies posted 1:34:44 for 12th place in his over-40 age group and 89th position overall.

FELL RACES CANCELLEDThe Race Up The Beast on June 2, and the Druid Race on July 7 have been cancelled.Race organisers, Clwydian Range Runners said: “Whilst there are changes we could make to the format this year to make them COVID safe, our decision came down to the possible impact on the community and reputation of the club and races going forward.”Our races start and finish in the heart of the two villages and we’re not confident the locals would thank us for attracting 30, 60 or 90 runners.”We are looking towards the Dash in the Dark races which we hope will go ahead due to the venue bring completely different, and depending on the situation, may alter our races for next summer”.
DEESTRIDERS OFF ROAD GRAND PRIX PROVISIONAL DATES ANNOUNCED

Provisional Dates for the 2021 Deestriders Off Road Grand Prix Series at Shotton, are: Thursday, June 3 (7.30pm); Thursday, July 1 (7.30pm); Thursday, August 5 (7.30pm); Friday, September 3 (7pm, + Presentation if anything to present).

JUNIOR FELL RUNNING INVITEJunior 2021 I/C Fell Running Championships –  Help Cheshire to shine at the Junior I/C Fell Running Championships.For many in Cheshire, fell running goes under the radar. And yet, many runners will set off for their Sunday runs and enjoy the beauty of running off road and in the hills!Fell running except at its most extreme form is no different to that! Particularly at junior levels.Cheshire is looking for recommendations from mums and dads, club coaches etc. for nominations for consideration for the Junior I/C Fell Running Championships on Sunday, June 13. Details are here:  https://britishintercountiesfellrunningchampionships.wordBe in the running to be selected to wear the county vest…test your skills against the other counties. Help to put Cheshire fell running on the map!  If you want to nominate someone that you believe would be proud to wear the vest, email Team Manager Nick Bishop at: [email protected]

2021 NORTHERN TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE

Dates for the Northern Track & Field Championships are confirmed. The Senior/U20 Championship will take place at Leigh Sports Village on 12th and 13th June. The original venue of Wavertree is unavailable due to it’s use as a vaccination centre, so Joe Galvin and Leigh Harriers have stepped in to host the event – the first championship event since February 2020.

The prospectus for the Northern Athletics Start Fitness T&F Championships (Senior/U20) is now available here: 2021_Sr Entry_Prospectus –

Entries are open now at: https://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2021/

Any updates on goernment restrictions will come via email from Sportsoft and will be posted on the NA site and Facebook page. Please read the prospectus carefully as it contains several notes relevant to the current Covid-19 guidelines.

The U17/U15/U13 Championships are scheduled for the 14th and 15th August at Costello Stadium, Hull, and hopefully will be as close to ‘normal’ as possible.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS COMBINED EVENTS CHAMPIONSHIPS ENTRIES OPEN

Entries are now open for the England Athletics Senior and Under 20 Combined Events Championships being held at Bedford on Saturday and Sunday, 29th and 30th May. The closing date is 17th May, and the entry link is: https://athletics-uk.org//england/

ONLINE COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

An updated list of England Athletics Coaching and Officials Courses and Workshops can be found here:

UPDATED PROVISIONAL DATES FOR YOUR DIARY…

Subject to Covid-19 rules, West Cheshire AC’s latest revised league season looks like this:

Under 13/Under 15 Youth Development League Merseyside Division: Saturday, June 5, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Saturday, July 17, (at Bebington Oval), and Saturday, September 4 (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

Under 17/Under 20 Youth Development League Merseyside Division: Sunday, May 30 (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, June 27, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, July 25 (at Bebington Oval), and Sunday, September 5, (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

West Cheshire AC’s North Premier West League squad will open their season on Saturday, May 22, at Blackburn, before heading to Wigan (still to be confirmed) on Saturday, June 19, then hosting round three at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, July 4, and concluding the campaign at Trafford, on Sunday, August 1.

West Cheshire AC’s Cheshire League season is scheduled to start at Macclesfield, on Sunday, May 23, before Macclesfield host round two and three on Sunday, June 20 and Saturday, July 24; and West Cheshire AC will host the final round at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, August 29.

NORTHERN ATHLETICS 5k CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2021 Northern Athletics 5K Road Race Championships will return to the Sunderland 5K – hosted by Sunderland Harriers. The event will be on the evening of Thursday, 22nd July 2021, (subject to govt. regulations). Entry details will be posted on the Sunderland Harriers website when available.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS CLUB CONFERENCE

England Athletics is hosting its virtual Club Conference 2021 on Saturday 15 May – supporting volunteers and clubs.

The free online conference offers a fantastic opportunity for individuals in a range of club roles to come together and hear from keynote speakers, join interactive workshops, network and share examples of best practice. The conference is designed to further support England Athletics affiliated clubs, and their volunteers, as our sport continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A series of sessions will take place throughout the conference on Saturday 15 May, with club volunteers able to join for the whole day or for either the morning or afternoon only. The conference activity is tailored to suit club volunteers of all levels and experience – including club leaders, committee members, welfare officers, volunteer coordinators and those in other club support roles, as well as anyone who may be thinking about volunteering to support their club in the future.

The varied programme will include keynote speaker presentations, themed workshops and club networking sessions. The morning session will focus on support to volunteers around building resilience and leading in uncertain times. During the afternoon, the conference offers sessions on club development specifically focusing on volunteer and member experiences, innovation and adapting to change.

CLUB TRAINING HAS RETURNED

Club training at EPSV has restarted and training groups are now also permitted to meet off-site to help everyone get back into a routine.

The Club has resumed track training in small Covid secure groups and we are operating over threeevenings (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) and Saturday morning.

Athletes wanting to attend training sessions need to book through their coach. Hopefully after 3 months (end of June), if the situation continues to improve we can then revert to larger groups.

Group track training MUST only start by implementing the same strict club rules and guidelines that were in place when we last trained. There must be NO deviations from this if we are to stay COVID safe and to avoid criticism from the public.

You must only come to training if your health allows. If for any reason you have been in contact with somebody who has tested positive for Covid-19 then you MUST NOT come to training for 10 days. Always report any problems to your coach/leader, so that others can be alerted.

Please continue to act safely and make sure you have paid your annual club membership fee, and be aware of the new Cashless system being implemented for EPSV Track Training Sessions (further details below).

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT…

There is a change to the way in which club members are asked to pay for attending training sessions at Ellesmere Port Sports Village. Rather than paying by cash, members will be asked to top up their accounts online, via a link to our club membership system. As members attend each session, their accounts will be debited by the cost of each session.
You will receive an email from West Cheshire AC, containing a link to the top-up system. From there, you will be able to top-up by between £10 and £100, and set both regular top-up amounts and warnings to prompt you when your account is low.
The cashless payment system will be provided by Nifty Entries, who maintain our current online club membership system. They also provide similar cashless training payments systems to other clubs, on the same basis of only paying for the sessions that you attend, from your own account.
Please let us know if you have any questions, by replying Dennis at: [email protected]

EARLY 2021 OPEN TRACK AND FIELD MEETING

Sat, 15 May – Trafford Open U15s. Entry Details: www.traffordac.co.uk/

TRACK AND FIELD COMPETITION UPDATE

England Athletics updated their Return to Athletics and Running Guidelines on 26th March which can be found here: www.englandathletics.org/coaching/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

ENGLAND ATHLETICS RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT’S ROADMAP

England Athletics have outlined in an ‘athletics and running roadmap’ infographic what everything means at each stage. More detailed guidance will be provided they have received further information from Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Please note, all these dates are subject to the UK Government’s four-step roadmap to ease restrictions across England and the conditions which must be met before the country is able to move from one step to the next. More details: www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

COACHING WEBINARS

Take a look at the long list of EA webinars relating to running, jumping and throwing at this link: www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/

ITEMS NEEDED FOR CHARITY AUCTION FOR CLUB FUNDS

Club coach, Paul Fairweather, and his wife Karen, are planning to organise a charity auction in the next 3-6 months to help raise money for Club funds.

They can host the auction and provide access to a worldwide market of buyers of vinyl and music memorabilia in addition to Sports, TV and Film memorabilia.

In May 2020 Paul and Karen raised £179k for the NHS & Feeding America through a charity auction of items donated by musicians associated with Island Records. There were some amazing lots that were donated and it shows the potential with the right sort of push.

In the North West we obviously have a good pool of musicians, big sporting clubs, and sports/TV stars that people may know who could donate something. 

If you can help or would like like to get involved please email Dennis at: [email protected]

More information can be found at Paul and Karen’s website here: https://www.omegaauctions.co.uk/

PLEASE HELP TO STAY IN TOUCH

I would welcome any contributions for the Club Newsletter from yourselves, any impending marriages, or additions to the family, any running or competing incidents, also anything to help everyone stay entertained. Currently the response has been excellent, but if you have anything that could make it into next week’s Newsletter – please email me at: [email protected]

COACHING COURSE UPDATE

England Athletics has started to publicise Virtual Coaching Courses on their website. Follow this link to find a list of virtual courses:www.athleticshub.co.uk/course-list/eng?what=Coaching%20Assistant%20&_ga=2.18717049.1392192673.1

Please get in touch with Dennis if you do book on the course at:[email protected]

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS FOR SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY COURSE

UK Coaching is organising a course to gain the confidence to be able to support people experiencing mental health problems, and help them to thrive inside and outside of your sessions. The link is here: www.ukcoaching.org/courses/learn-at-home/mental-health-awareness-for-sport-plus

HEATHER McLINTOCK’S PHYSIO OFFER

Heather McLintock has been in touch to say she is still able to offer physiotherapy if anyone is injured over this lockdown…Heather knows how important it is to exercise in this time so if she can keep people exercising that would be great. Heather’s email address is: [email protected]

RUN LEADER DEVELOPMENT DAYS…

England Athletics Run Leader Development Days is a series of informative and engaging workshops aimed at leaders and coaches from affiliated clubs and RunTogether groups. They are designed to bring leaders and coaches together in an environment where they can network and learn from each other by sharing skills and challenges, plus expand their knowledge of managing and growing groups, and enhance their understanding of technical skills in running.

Read more and book online at: 

Please get in touch with Dennis if you do book on the course at: [email protected] 

ENGLAND ATHLETICS WEBINARS

A revised list of England Athletics webinars can be found here: www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/

PLEASE HELP OUR CLUB WHEN YOU SHOP…

West Cheshire Athletic Club has registered with easyfundraising, which means over 4,000 shops and sites will now donate to the Club for FREE every time you use easyfundraising to shop with them. These donations will help SO MUCH, so please sign up to support us – it’s completely FREE and doesn’t take long at the following link:

STAYING IN TOUCH WITH DAN GILROY

Our Club President, Dan Gilroy, passes on best wishes to everyone at the club. Dan said he would welcome members to ring him and have a chat. His number is: 07594 464287.

ATHLETICS WEEKLY NEWS UPDATES

All the latest athletics news can be found on the Athletics Weekly website here: https://www.athleticsweekly.com/

HOME PENTATHLON UPDATE…

If you haven’t completed the Home Pentathlon yet, please give it a go and let me know how you get on. The link can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6DK6xTdLkmwBkVBUkZZ2L_oTT6VXErNO

CATHRYN WOODALL’S WORK-OUT INVITE…

Club member and Farndon physio Cathryn Woodall has posted crab walk and squatvideo exercises on her Farndon physio Facebook page here:https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=601025713836494

Cathryn is also thinking of doing a Facebook live/Zoom video of a 20-30 minute exercise routine, if anyone is interested. 

JASON OSWELL’S LOCKDOWN PHYSIOTHERAPY 

Jason Oswell has been in touch to say he is doing Physiotherapy video consultations during lockdown. If anybody has any issues he is prepared to provide a consultation to anybody from the club for £10. His email address is: [email protected]

And Jason’s new website can be found here: https://www.sportsphysiotherapyonline.co.uk/

HELP AND SUPPORT

Anyone requiring help and support while self isolating can contact the local council hotline number of 0300 123 7031.

This is a dedicated hotline number for those self isolating and who don’t have anyone to help. A call to this number will provide help organising food or medicine deliveries, or some sort of social contact. The number for the most in need is 0300 123 7031. It is open Monday to Sunday (8am-7pm).

ALSO – Please feel free to ring me (Dennis) if you want a chat or need any help or support. My numbers are: 0151 201 1254 and 07968 643038.

UPDATED ONLINE ATHLETICS WEBINARS

In these unprecedented times, I wanted to draw your attention to some of the great resources available online. England Athletics is expanding its campaign to support Athletics and Running for everyone @home, with a focus on ‘Running @home’ support and advice. The homepage can be accessed here: https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/There are many webinars, interviews and tips from top coaches and athletes on how to stay conditioned and focused.In addition, there are some fantastic videos for 4-11 year olds on the Funetics webpage put together in conjunction with England Athletics. The videos demonstrate parents and children (aged 4-11) taking part inFUNactivities based on fundamental core movement skills: running, jumping and throwing. Funetics is a programme that has been designed to reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 and 2. At this time when our children are currently schooling at home, we hope that these video activities will support the need for education to continue at home.  You can access the videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIIvWCjutNqP4ZSY2FSEQVwThe link to other updated webinars can be found here: https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/here: https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/running-at-home/and here:https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/club-support-webinars/

STAYING FIT AND HEALTHY

The links below offer a range of advice on exercises we can all do while confined indoors.

MIND provides a series of workouts at the following link: https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/sport-physical-activity-and-mental-health/get-active-feel-good/staying-active-at-home/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=info&utm_content=stayingactiveathometips&fbclid=IwAR3NWJ5fNXYr6uqQYN_DCnaK3u2mzIaNkVkeOXbPuN70Qj837OdCnNJ7EV

Sport England is offering tips, advice and guidance on how to stay active around the home on this link: https://www.sportengland.org/news/how-stay-active-while-youre-home

Youth Sport Trust is providing healthy tips including a series of 60-second Challenges on this link: https://www.youthsporttrust.org/free-home-learning-resources-0

Realbuzz has provided strength and conditioning exercises to help avoid injury: https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/running/article/strength-and-conditioning-exercises-for-runners-to-help-you-avoid-injury/

LOOKING BACK…

This week: Steve Cram, Liz McColgan, Kris Akabusi. Enjoy…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSbNBiE7w7I

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRu1r4e5mmE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PEdNfnRbAc&t=15s

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Members and parents are reminded to look at the following links for updates about the Club:

FACEBOOK: West Cheshire AC, West Cheshire AC Road Running, west cheshire ac jnr to u20 middle distance group

WEBSITE: www.westcheshireac.co.uk

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/westcheshireac

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/westcheshireac/

Keely and Steve lead the men’s and women’s tables for April 2021 – the first of this year. Debra, Sarah and Katie are all level on points behind Keely, as are Michael, Andy, Tom and Wullie behind Steve.

Given the scarcity of racing opportunities, it is proposed that points gained in 2020 will be rolled over into the final 2021 tables – watch this space for more news.

See near the bottom of the road running page for tables, and races in which points were gained.

CLUB WELFARE TEAM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Club Welfare Team Volunteers are needed to ensure that we provide a safe, supportive set-up in which any welfare or safeguarding issues can be reported and dealt with fairly, efficiently, and in line with England Athletics guidelines. Details of the role can be found: https://england-athletics-prod-assets-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/2020/03/England-Athletics-Welfare-Officer.pdf

if you would like informal advice on what is involved, please feel free to email club secretary, Julian Tegg, at: [email protected].

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Many happy returns to the following Club members who celebrate their birthdays this week:

Harley Shakespeare-Wetton, Charlie Hyde, Ethan Ackroyd, Lucy Ashcroft, Jane Barker, Ruby Carlile, Nolan Heller, Matthew Bailey, John Driscoll, Charlotte Blackstone, Jacob Clark, Sammy Hollins, John Parlevliet.

And Next Week: Lorraine McFaul, Christina Broome, Katie Clarke, Alexa Byrne, Megan Kettle, Thomas Renondeau, Logan Evans, Sarah Hughes, Jenny Palmer, Laura White.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Several Club members celebrated personal best performances ahead of the new track and field league campaign.

Lewis Parsons, Jessica Lark, Sophie Haslam, Ruby Phillips, Luke Parker, and Kara Stoll all impressed at the latest Trafford AC Open Meeting held at Longford Park Stadium.

Lewis shaved 0.2 off his under 15 boys 100m best and 0.8 off his 200m best with a times of 11.82 and 23.69 seconds respectively to rank him number two in the UK for his age group in the 100m and number one in the UK for the 200m.

Jessica (45.60 seconds) and Sophie (46.61) clocked new under 15 girls 300m bests, while Ruby powered her way to a new under 13 girls 150m best of 21.73 seconds and rounded the 800m in a new seasons best of 2:28.21.

Luke, after posting 17 minutes 53 seconds at the Mid Cheshire 5k Road Race the night before, clocked a new under 15 boys 800m personal best of 2:17.39.

And Kara launched the under 15 girls hammer to a new best distance of 28.12m, and spun the discus to a new personal best mark of 16.35m.

Other West Cheshire AC members in action at Trafford included Holly Bosworth who cleared 1.41m in the under 15 girls high jump, Aimee Phillips who rounded the under 15 girls 1500m in 5:16.90, and Satine Wearden who posted 13.34 and 27.40 in the under 13 girls 75m and 150m respectively.

DANNY PADDOCK clocked 17:19 at the Mid Cheshire 5k Road Race at Kingsley, ahead of Jodi Bemand who posted 19:26 for sixth spot in her under 21 lady age group, Andy Carter (19:27 for 15th position in his over 50 age category), Deb Bemand (22:27 for 12th spot in her over 45 lady age group).

FELL RACES CANCELLEDThe Race Up The Beast on June 2, and the Druid Race on July 7 have been cancelled.Race organisers, Clwydian Range Runners said: “Whilst there are changes we could make to the format this year to make them COVID safe, our decision came down to the possible impact on the community and reputation of the club and races going forward.”Our races start and finish in the heart of the two villages and we’re not confident the locals would thank us for attracting 30, 60 or 90 runners.”We are looking towards the Dash in the Dark races which we hope will go ahead due to the venue bring completely different, and depending on the situation, may alter our races for next summer”.
DEESTRIDERS OFF ROAD GRAND PRIX PROVISIONAL DATES ANNOUNCED

Provisional Dates for the 2021 Deestriders Off Road Grand Prix Series at Shotton, are: Thursday, June 3 (7.30pm); Thursday, July 1 (7.30pm); Thursday, August 5 (7.30pm); Friday, September 3 (7pm, + Presentation if anything to present).

JUNIOR FELL RUNNING INVITEJunior 2021 I/C Fell Running Championships – Help Cheshire to shine at the Junior I/C Fell Running Championships.For many in Cheshire, fell running goes under the radar. And yet, many runners will set off for their Sunday runs and enjoy the beauty of running off road and in the hills!Fell running except at its most extreme form is no different to that! Particularly at junior levels.Cheshire is looking for recommendations from mums and dads, club coaches etc. for nominations for consideration for the Junior I/C Fell Running Championships on Sunday, June 13. Details are here: https://britishintercountiesfellrunningchampionships.wordBe in the running to be selected to wear the county vest…test your skills against the other counties. Help to put Cheshire fell running on the map! If you want to nominate someone that you believe would be proud to wear the vest, email Team Manager Nick Bishop at: [email protected]

2021 NORTHERN TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE

Dates for the Northern Track & Field Championships are confirmed. The Senior/U20 Championship will take place at Leigh Sports Village on 12th and 13th June. The original venue of Wavertree is unavailable due to it’s use as a vaccination centre, so Joe Galvin and Leigh Harriers have stepped in to host the event – the first championship event since February 2020.

The prospectus for the Northern Athletics Start Fitness T&F Championships (Senior/U20) is now available here: 2021_Sr Entry_Prospectus –

Entries are open now at: https://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2021/

Any updates on goernment restrictions will come via email from Sportsoft and will be posted on the NA site and Facebook page. Please read the prospectus carefully as it contains several notes relevant to the current Covid-19 guidelines.

The U17/U15/U13 Championships are scheduled for the 14th and 15th August at Costello Stadium, Hull, and hopefully will be as close to ‘normal’ as possible.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS COMBINED EVENTS CHAMPIONSHIPS ENTRIES OPEN

Entries are now open for the England Athletics Senior and Under 20 Combined Events Championships being held at Bedford on Saturday and Sunday, 29th and 30th May. The closing date is 17th May, and the entry link is: https://athletics-uk.org//england/

ONLINE COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

An updated list of England Athletics Coaching and Officials Courses and Workshops can be found here:

UPDATED PROVISIONAL DATES FOR YOUR DIARY…

Subject to Covid-19 rules, West Cheshire AC’s latest revised league season looks like this:

Under 13/Under 15 Youth Development League Merseyside Division: Saturday, June 5, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Saturday, July 17, (at Bebington Oval), and Saturday, September 4 (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

Under 17/Under 20 Youth Development League Merseyside Division: Sunday, May 30 (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, June 27, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, July 25 (at Bebington Oval), and Sunday, September 5, (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

West Cheshire AC’s North Premier West League squad will open their season on Saturday, May 22, at Blackburn, before heading to Wigan (still to be confirmed) on Saturday, June 19, then hosting round three at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, July 4, and concluding the campaign at Trafford, on Sunday, August 1.

West Cheshire AC’s Cheshire League season is scheduled to start at Macclesfield, on Sunday, May 23, before Macclesfield host round two and three on Sunday, June 20 and Saturday, July 24; and West Cheshire AC will host the final round at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, August 29.

NORTHERN ATHLETICS 5k CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2021 Northern Athletics 5K Road Race Championships will return to the Sunderland 5K – hosted by Sunderland Harriers. The event will be on the evening of Thursday, 22nd July 2021, (subject to govt. regulations). Entry details will be posted on the Sunderland Harriers website when available.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS CLUB CONFERENCE

England Athletics is hosting its virtual Club Conference 2021 on Saturday 15 May – supporting volunteers and clubs.

The free online conference offers a fantastic opportunity for individuals in a range of club roles to come together and hear from keynote speakers, join interactive workshops, network and share examples of best practice. The conference is designed to further support England Athletics affiliated clubs, and their volunteers, as our sport continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A series of sessions will take place throughout the conference on Saturday 15 May, with club volunteers able to join for the whole day or for either the morning or afternoon only. The conference activity is tailored to suit club volunteers of all levels and experience – including club leaders, committee members, welfare officers, volunteer coordinators and those in other club support roles, as well as anyone who may be thinking about volunteering to support their club in the future.

The varied programme will include keynote speaker presentations, themed workshops and club networking sessions. The morning session will focus on support to volunteers around building resilience and leading in uncertain times. During the afternoon, the conference offers sessions on club development specifically focusing on volunteer and member experiences, innovation and adapting to change.

CLUB TRAINING HAS RETURNED

Club training at EPSV has restarted and training groups are now also permitted to meet off-site to help everyone get back into a routine.

The Club has resumed track training in small Covid secure groups and we are operating over threeevenings (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) and Saturday morning.

Athletes wanting to attend training sessions need to book through their coach. Hopefully after 3 months (end of June), if the situation continues to improve we can then revert to larger groups.

Group track training MUST only start by implementing the same strict club rules and guidelines that were in place when we last trained. There must be NO deviations from this if we are to stay COVID safe and to avoid criticism from the public.

You must only come to training if your health allows. If for any reason you have been in contact with somebody who has tested positive for Covid-19 then you MUST NOT come to training for 10 days. Always report any problems to your coach/leader, so that others can be alerted.

Please continue to act safely and make sure you have paid your annual club membership fee, and be aware of the new Cashless system being implemented for EPSV Track Training Sessions (further details below).

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT…

There is a change to the way in which club members are asked to pay for attending training sessions at Ellesmere Port Sports Village. Rather than paying by cash, members will be asked to top up their accounts online, via a link to our club membership system. As members attend each session, their accounts will be debited by the cost of each session.
You will receive an email from West Cheshire AC, containing a link to the top-up system. From there, you will be able to top-up by between £10 and £100, and set both regular top-up amounts and warnings to prompt you when your account is low.
The cashless payment system will be provided by Nifty Entries, who maintain our current online club membership system. They also provide similar cashless training payments systems to other clubs, on the same basis of only paying for the sessions that you attend, from your own account.
Please let us know if you have any questions, by replying Dennis at:[email protected]

EARLY 2021 OPEN TRACK AND FIELD MEETINGS

Sun, 9 May – Trafford Open U17s-Seniors. Entry Details: www.traffordac.co.uk/

Sat, 15 May – Trafford Open U15s. Entry Details: www.traffordac.co.uk/

TRACK AND FIELD COMPETITION UPDATE

England Athletics updated their Return to Athletics and Running Guidelines on 26th March which can be found here: www.englandathletics.org/coaching/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

ENGLAND ATHLETICS RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT’S ROADMAP

England Athletics have outlined in an ‘athletics and running roadmap’ infographic what everything means at each stage. More detailed guidance will be provided they have received further information from Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Please note, all these dates are subject to the UK Government’s four-step roadmap to ease restrictions across England and the conditions which must be met before the country is able to move from one step to the next. More details: www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

COACHING WEBINARS

Take a look at the long list of EA webinars relating to running, jumping and throwing at this link: www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/

ITEMS NEEDED FOR CHARITY AUCTION FOR CLUB FUNDS

Club coach, Paul Fairweather, and his wife Karen, are planning to organise a charity auction in the next 3-6 months to help raise money for Club funds.

They can host the auction and provide access to a worldwide market of buyers of vinyl and music memorabilia in addition to Sports, TV and Film memorabilia.

In May 2020 Paul and Karen raised £179k for the NHS & Feeding America through a charity auction of items donated by musicians associated with Island Records. There were some amazing lots that were donated and it shows the potential with the right sort of push.

In the North West we obviously have a good pool of musicians, big sporting clubs, and sports/TV stars that people may know who could donate something. 

If you can help or would like like to get involved please email Dennis at: [email protected]

More information can be found at Paul and Karen’s website here: https://www.omegaauctions.co.uk/

PLEASE HELP TO STAY IN TOUCH

I would welcome any contributions for the Club Newsletter from yourselves, any impending marriages, or additions to the family, any running or competing incidents, also anything to help everyone stay entertained. Currently the response has been excellent, but if you have anything that could make it into next week’s Newsletter – please email me at: [email protected]

COACHING COURSE UPDATE

England Athletics has started to publicise Virtual Coaching Courses on their website. Follow this link to find a list of virtual courses:www.athleticshub.co.uk/course-list/eng?what=Coaching%20Assistant%20&_ga=2.18717049.1392192673.1

Please get in touch with Dennis if you do book on the course at:[email protected]

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS FOR SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY COURSE

UK Coaching is organising a course to gain the confidence to be able to support people experiencing mental health problems, and help them to thrive inside and outside of your sessions. The link is here: www.ukcoaching.org/courses/learn-at-home/mental-health-awareness-for-sport-plus

HEATHER McLINTOCK’S PHYSIO OFFER

Heather McLintock has been in touch to say she is still able to offer physiotherapy if anyone is injured over this lockdown…Heather knows how important it is to exercise in this time so if she can keep people exercising that would be great. Heather’s email address is: [email protected]

RUN LEADER DEVELOPMENT DAYS…

England Athletics Run Leader Development Days is a series of informative and engaging workshops aimed at leaders and coaches from affiliated clubs and RunTogether groups. They are designed to bring leaders and coaches together in an environment where they can network and learn from each other by sharing skills and challenges, plus expand their knowledge of managing and growing groups, and enhance their understanding of technical skills in running.

Read more and book online at: 

Please get in touch with Dennis if you do book on the course at: [email protected] 

ENGLAND ATHLETICS WEBINARS

A revised list of England Athletics webinars can be found here: www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/

PLEASE HELP OUR CLUB WHEN YOU SHOP…

West Cheshire Athletic Club has registered with easyfundraising, which means over 4,000 shops and sites will now donate to the Club for FREE every time you use easyfundraising to shop with them. These donations will help SO MUCH, so please sign up to support us – it’s completely FREE and doesn’t take long at the following link:

STAYING IN TOUCH WITH DAN GILROY

Our Club President, Dan Gilroy, passes on best wishes to everyone at the club. Dan said he would welcome members to ring him and have a chat. His number is: 07594 464287.

ATHLETICS WEEKLY NEWS UPDATES

All the latest athletics news can be found on the Athletics Weekly website here: https://www.athleticsweekly.com/

HOME PENTATHLON UPDATE…

If you haven’t completed the Home Pentathlon yet, please give it a go and let me know how you get on. The link can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6DK6xTdLkmwBkVBUkZZ2L_oTT6VXErNO

CATHRYN WOODALL’S WORK-OUT INVITE…

Club member and Farndon physio Cathryn Woodall has posted crab walk and squatvideo exercises on her Farndon physio Facebook page here:https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=601025713836494

Cathryn is also thinking of doing a Facebook live/Zoom video of a 20-30 minute exercise routine, if anyone is interested. 

JASON OSWELL’S LOCKDOWN PHYSIOTHERAPY 

Jason Oswell has been in touch to say he is doing Physiotherapy video consultations during lockdown. If anybody has any issues he is prepared to provide a consultation to anybody from the club for £10. His email address is: [email protected]

And Jason’s new website can be found here: https://www.sportsphysiotherapyonline.co.uk/

HELP AND SUPPORT

Anyone requiring help and support while self isolating can contact the local council hotline number of 0300 123 7031.

This is a dedicated hotline number for those self isolating and who don’t have anyone to help. A call to this number will provide help organising food or medicine deliveries, or some sort of social contact. The number for the most in need is 0300 123 7031. It is open Monday to Sunday (8am-7pm).

ALSO – Please feel free to ring me (Dennis) if you want a chat or need any help or support. My numbers are: 0151 201 1254 and 07968 643038.

UPDATED ONLINE ATHLETICS WEBINARS

In these unprecedented times, I wanted to draw your attention to some of the great resources available online. England Athletics is expanding its campaign to support Athletics and Running for everyone @home, with a focus on ‘Running @home’ support and advice. The homepage can be accessed here: https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/There are many webinars, interviews and tips from top coaches and athletes on how to stay conditioned and focused.In addition, there are some fantastic videos for 4-11 year olds on the Funetics webpage put together in conjunction with England Athletics. The videos demonstrate parents and children (aged 4-11) taking part inFUNactivities based on fundamental core movement skills: running, jumping and throwing. Funetics is a programme that has been designed to reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 and 2. At this time when our children are currently schooling at home, we hope that these video activities will support the need for education to continue at home.  You can access the videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIIvWCjutNqP4ZSY2FSEQVwThe link to other updated webinars can be found here: https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/here: https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/running-at-home/and here:https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/club-support-webinars/

STAYING FIT AND HEALTHY

The links below offer a range of advice on exercises we can all do while confined indoors.

MIND provides a series of workouts at the following link: https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/sport-physical-activity-and-mental-health/get-active-feel-good/staying-active-at-home/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=info&utm_content=stayingactiveathometips&fbclid=IwAR3NWJ5fNXYr6uqQYN_DCnaK3u2mzIaNkVkeOXbPuN70Qj837OdCnNJ7EV

Sport England is offering tips, advice and guidance on how to stay active around the home on this link: https://www.sportengland.org/news/how-stay-active-while-youre-home

Youth Sport Trust is providing healthy tips including a series of 60-second Challenges on this link: https://www.youthsporttrust.org/free-home-learning-resources-0

Realbuzz has provided strength and conditioning exercises to help avoid injury: https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/running/article/strength-and-conditioning-exercises-for-runners-to-help-you-avoid-injury/

LOOKING BACK…

This week: Hannah Cockroft, Johnnie Peacock, and KJT. Enjoy…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8heHLczrlE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsPsDc3JPhI

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXiof3ahFoE

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Members and parents are reminded to look at the following links for updates about the Club:

FACEBOOK: West Cheshire AC, West Cheshire AC Road Running, west cheshire ac jnr to u20 middle distance group

WEBSITE: www.westcheshireac.co.uk

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/westcheshireac

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/westcheshireac/ 

Club Welfare Team Volunteers are needed to ensure that we provide a safe, supportive set-up in which any welfare or safeguarding issues can be reported and dealt with fairly, efficiently, and in line with England Athletics guidelines. Details of the role can be found: https://england-athletics-prod-assets-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/2020/03/England-Athletics-Welfare-Officer.pdf

if you would like informal advice on what is involved, please feel free to email club secretary, Julian Tegg, at: [email protected].

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Many happy returns to the following Club members who celebrate their birthdays this week:

Neil McIntyre, Jack Nash, Harvey Tegg, Holly Coates, Johnny Goodall, George Mann, Milly James, Alex Duffey, Hannah Moorhouse, Matthew Smithdale, Thomas Wilde, Thomas Wilson, Andrew Leishman, Michael Young.

And Next Week: Harley Shakespeare-Wetton, Charlie Hyde, Ethan Ackroyd, Lucy Ashcroft, Jane Barker, Ruby Carlile, Nolan Heller, Matthew Bailey, John Driscoll, Charlotte Blackstone, Jacob Clark, Sammy Hollins, John Parlevliet.

MANY THANKS!

The Club would like to pass on it’s thanks to all those helpers and officials who made part two of the West Cheshire AC Track & Field Trials held on Thursday, 29th April, such a success.

CONGRATULATIONS!

SIX new West Cheshire Athletic Club records were smashed in three events last weekend.

Keely Smith and Michael Young improved their own outright club Marathon records, while Wullie McGarrell (MV55) and Sarah Hibbert (FV50) broke age-group Marathon records, Brian Wright (MV65) broke his age group 10k record; and Jon Clarke (MV65) smashed his age group 100m record.

Keely clocked two hours 58 minutes 10 seconds at the Cheshire Marathon, ahead of Michael who posted 2:31:06, and Wullie completed the 26.2 miles in 2:58:05 for first spot in his age group. 

Sarah won her over-50 age group with a time of 4:07:37 at the Goodwood Running Grand Prix Marathon, while Brian posted 44:02 for first position in his age group at the Goodwood Running Grand Prix 10k. 

Jon travelled to Trafford’s Longford Park Stadium to compete in the St Helens at Sutton AC Sprint Meeting and posted 11.32 seconds for 60m.

2021 NORTHERN TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE

Dates for the Northern Track & Field Championships are confirmed. The Senior/U20 Championship will take place at Leigh Sports Village on 12th and 13th June. The original venue of Wavertree is unavailable due to it’s use as a vaccination centre, so Joe Galvin and Leigh Harriers have stepped in to host the event – the first championship event since February 2020.

The U17/U15/U13 Championships are scheduled for the 14th and 15th August at Costello Stadium, Hull, and hopefully will be as close to ‘normal’ as possible.

Entry details for both events will be available in the next few weeks and will appear on the Northern Athletics website and Facebook page and on the Sportsoft website.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS COMBINED EVENTS CHAMPIONSHIPS ENTRIES OPEN

Entries are now open for the England Athletics Senior and Under 20 Combined Events Championships being held at Bedford on Saturday and Sunday, 29th and 30th May. The closing date is 17th May, and the entry link is: https://athletics-uk.org//england/

ONLINE COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

An updated list of England Athletics Coaching and Officials Courses and Workshops can be found here:

UPDATED PROVISIONAL DATES FOR YOUR DIARY…

Subject to Covid-19 rules, West Cheshire AC’s latest revised league season looks like this:

Under 13/Under 15 Youth Development League Merseyside Division: Saturday, June 5, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Saturday, July 17, (at Bebington Oval), and Saturday, September 4 (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

Under 17/Under 20 Youth Development League Merseyside Division: Sunday, May 30 (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, June 27, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, July 25 (at Bebington Oval), and Sunday, September 5, (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

West Cheshire AC’s North Premier West League squad will open their season on Saturday, May 22, at Blackburn, before heading to Wigan (still to be confirmed) on Saturday, June 19, then hosting round three at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, July 4, and concluding the campaign at Trafford, on Sunday, August 1.

West Cheshire AC’s Cheshire League season is scheduled to start at Macclesfield, on Sunday, May 23, before Macclesfield host round two and three on Sunday, June 20 and Saturday, July 24; and West Cheshire AC will host the final round at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, August 29.

NORTHERN ATHLETICS 5k CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2021 Northern Athletics 5K Road Race Championships will return to the Sunderland 5K – hosted by Sunderland Harriers. The event will be on the evening of Thursday, 22nd July 2021, (subject to govt. regulations). Entry details will be posted on the Sunderland Harriers website when available.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS CLUB CONFERENCE

England Athletics is hosting its virtual Club Conference 2021 on Saturday 15 May – supporting volunteers and clubs.

The free online conference offers a fantastic opportunity for individuals in a range of club roles to come together and hear from keynote speakers, join interactive workshops, network and share examples of best practice. The conference is designed to further support England Athletics affiliated clubs, and their volunteers, as our sport continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A series of sessions will take place throughout the conference on Saturday 15 May, with club volunteers able to join for the whole day or for either the morning or afternoon only. The conference activity is tailored to suit club volunteers of all levels and experience – including club leaders, committee members, welfare officers, volunteer coordinators and those in other club support roles, as well as anyone who may be thinking about volunteering to support their club in the future.

The varied programme will include keynote speaker presentations, themed workshops and club networking sessions. The morning session will focus on support to volunteers around building resilience and leading in uncertain times. During the afternoon, the conference offers sessions on club development specifically focusing on volunteer and member experiences, innovation and adapting to change.

CLUB TRAINING HAS RETURNED

Club training at EPSV has restarted and training groups are now also permitted to meet off-site to help everyone get back into a routine.

The Club has resumed track training in small Covid secure groups and we are operating over threeevenings (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) and Saturday morning.

Athletes wanting to attend training sessions need to book through their coach. Hopefully after 3 months (end of June), if the situation continues to improve we can then revert to larger groups.

Group track training MUST only start by implementing the same strict club rules and guidelines that were in place when we last trained. There must be NO deviations from this if we are to stay COVID safe and to avoid criticism from the public.

You must only come to training if your health allows. If for any reason you have been in contact with somebody who has tested positive for Covid-19 then you MUST NOT come to training for 10 days. Always report any problems to your coach/leader, so that others can be alerted.

Please continue to act safely and make sure you have paid your annual club membership fee, and be aware of the new Cashless system being implemented for EPSV Track Training Sessions (further details below).

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT…

There is a change to the way in which club members are asked to pay for attending training sessions at Ellesmere Port Sports Village. Rather than paying by cash, members will be asked to top up their accounts online, via a link to our club membership system. As members attend each session, their accounts will be debited by the cost of each session.
You will receive an email from West Cheshire AC, containing a link to the top-up system. From there, you will be able to top-up by between £10 and £100, and set both regular top-up amounts and warnings to prompt you when your account is low.
The cashless payment system will be provided by Nifty Entries, who maintain our current online club membership system. They also provide similar cashless training payments systems to other clubs, on the same basis of only paying for the sessions that you attend, from your own account.
Please let us know if you have any questions, by replying Dennis at:[email protected]

EARLY 2021 OPEN TRACK AND FIELD MEETINGS

Sat, 1 May – Trafford Open U15s, at Stretford. Entry Details: www.traffordac.co.uk/

Sat, 1 May – Nuneaton Spring Special Open. All age groups. Entry Details: https://entry4sports.co.uk/#/

Sun, 9 May – Trafford Open U17s-Seniors. Entry Details: www.traffordac.co.uk/

Sat, 15 May – Trafford Open U15s. Entry Details: www.traffordac.co.uk/

TRACK AND FIELD COMPETITION UPDATE

England Athletics updated their Return to Athletics and Running Guidelines on 26th March which can be found here: www.englandathletics.org/coaching/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

ENGLAND ATHLETICS RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT’S ROADMAP

England Athletics have outlined in an ‘athletics and running roadmap’ infographic what everything means at each stage. More detailed guidance will be provided they have received further information from Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Please note, all these dates are subject to the UK Government’s four-step roadmap to ease restrictions across England and the conditions which must be met before the country is able to move from one step to the next. More details: www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

COACHING WEBINARS

Take a look at the long list of EA webinars relating to running, jumping and throwing at this link: www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/

ITEMS NEEDED FOR CHARITY AUCTION FOR CLUB FUNDS

Club coach, Paul Fairweather, and his wife Karen, are planning to organise a charity auction in the next 3-6 months to help raise money for Club funds.

They can host the auction and provide access to a worldwide market of buyers of vinyl and music memorabilia in addition to Sports, TV and Film memorabilia.

In May 2020 Paul and Karen raised £179k for the NHS & Feeding America through a charity auction of items donated by musicians associated with Island Records. There were some amazing lots that were donated and it shows the potential with the right sort of push.

In the North West we obviously have a good pool of musicians, big sporting clubs, and sports/TV stars that people may know who could donate something. 

If you can help or would like like to get involved please email Dennis at: [email protected]

More information can be found at Paul and Karen’s website here: https://www.omegaauctions.co.uk/

PLEASE HELP TO STAY IN TOUCH

I would welcome any contributions for the Club Newsletter from yourselves, any impending marriages, or additions to the family, any running or competing incidents, also anything to help everyone stay entertained. Currently the response has been excellent, but if you have anything that could make it into next week’s Newsletter – please email me at: [email protected]

COACHING COURSE UPDATE

England Athletics has started to publicise Virtual Coaching Courses on their website. Follow this link to find a list of virtual courses:www.athleticshub.co.uk/course-list/eng?what=Coaching%20Assistant%20&_ga=2.18717049.1392192673.1

Please get in touch with Dennis if you do book on the course at:[email protected]

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS FOR SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY COURSE

UK Coaching is organising a course to gain the confidence to be able to support people experiencing mental health problems, and help them to thrive inside and outside of your sessions. The link is here: www.ukcoaching.org/courses/learn-at-home/mental-health-awareness-for-sport-plus

HEATHER McLINTOCK’S PHYSIO OFFER

Heather McLintock has been in touch to say she is still able to offer physiotherapy if anyone is injured over this lockdown…Heather knows how important it is to exercise in this time so if she can keep people exercising that would be great. Heather’s email address is: [email protected]

RUN LEADER DEVELOPMENT DAYS…

England Athletics Run Leader Development Days is a series of informative and engaging workshops aimed at leaders and coaches from affiliated clubs and RunTogether groups. They are designed to bring leaders and coaches together in an environment where they can network and learn from each other by sharing skills and challenges, plus expand their knowledge of managing and growing groups, and enhance their understanding of technical skills in running.

Read more and book online at: 

Please get in touch with Dennis if you do book on the course at: [email protected] 

ENGLAND ATHLETICS WEBINARS

A revised list of England Athletics webinars can be found here: www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/

PLEASE HELP OUR CLUB WHEN YOU SHOP…

West Cheshire Athletic Club has registered with easyfundraising, which means over 4,000 shops and sites will now donate to the Club for FREE every time you use easyfundraising to shop with them. These donations will help SO MUCH, so please sign up to support us – it’s completely FREE and doesn’t take long at the following link:

STAYING IN TOUCH WITH DAN GILROY

Our Club President, Dan Gilroy, passes on best wishes to everyone at the club. Dan said he would welcome members to ring him and have a chat. His number is: 07594 464287.

ATHLETICS WEEKLY NEWS UPDATES

All the latest athletics news can be found on the Athletics Weekly website here: https://www.athleticsweekly.com/

HOME PENTATHLON UPDATE…

If you haven’t completed the Home Pentathlon yet, please give it a go and let me know how you get on. The link can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6DK6xTdLkmwBkVBUkZZ2L_oTT6VXErNO

CATHRYN WOODALL’S WORK-OUT INVITE…

Club member and Farndon physio Cathryn Woodall has posted crab walk and squatvideo exercises on her Farndon physio Facebook page here:https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=601025713836494

Cathryn is also thinking of doing a Facebook live/Zoom video of a 20-30 minute exercise routine, if anyone is interested. 

JASON OSWELL’S LOCKDOWN PHYSIOTHERAPY 

Jason Oswell has been in touch to say he is doing Physiotherapy video consultations during lockdown. If anybody has any issues he is prepared to provide a consultation to anybody from the club for £10. His email address is: [email protected]

And Jason’s new website can be found here: https://www.sportsphysiotherapyonline.co.uk/

HELP AND SUPPORT

Anyone requiring help and support while self isolating can contact the local council hotline number of 0300 123 7031.

This is a dedicated hotline number for those self isolating and who don’t have anyone to help. A call to this number will provide help organising food or medicine deliveries, or some sort of social contact. The number for the most in need is 0300 123 7031. It is open Monday to Sunday (8am-7pm).

ALSO – Please feel free to ring me (Dennis) if you want a chat or need any help or support. My numbers are: 0151 201 1254 and 07968 643038.

UPDATED ONLINE ATHLETICS WEBINARS

In these unprecedented times, I wanted to draw your attention to some of the great resources available online. England Athletics is expanding its campaign to support Athletics and Running for everyone @home, with a focus on ‘Running @home’ support and advice. The homepage can be accessed here: https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/There are many webinars, interviews and tips from top coaches and athletes on how to stay conditioned and focused.In addition, there are some fantastic videos for 4-11 year olds on the Funetics webpage put together in conjunction with England Athletics. The videos demonstrate parents and children (aged 4-11) taking part inFUNactivities based on fundamental core movement skills: running, jumping and throwing. Funetics is a programme that has been designed to reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 and 2. At this time when our children are currently schooling at home, we hope that these video activities will support the need for education to continue at home.  You can access the videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIIvWCjutNqP4ZSY2FSEQVwThe link to other updated webinars can be found here: https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/coaching-webinars/here: https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/running-at-home/and here:https://www.englandathletics.org/about-us/athletics-at-home/club-support-webinars/

STAYING FIT AND HEALTHY

The links below offer a range of advice on exercises we can all do while confined indoors.

MIND provides a series of workouts at the following link: https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/sport-physical-activity-and-mental-health/get-active-feel-good/staying-active-at-home/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=info&utm_content=stayingactiveathometips&fbclid=IwAR3NWJ5fNXYr6uqQYN_DCnaK3u2mzIaNkVkeOXbPuN70Qj837OdCnNJ7EV

Sport England is offering tips, advice and guidance on how to stay active around the home on this link: https://www.sportengland.org/news/how-stay-active-while-youre-home

Youth Sport Trust is providing healthy tips including a series of 60-second Challenges on this link: https://www.youthsporttrust.org/free-home-learning-resources-0

Realbuzz has provided strength and conditioning exercises to help avoid injury: https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/running/article/strength-and-conditioning-exercises-for-runners-to-help-you-avoid-injury/

LOOKING BACK…

This week: Iwan Thomas, Lynn Davies, and Mary Peters. Enjoy…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiVROddCw9E

www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2R0UGw2cc0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmrLisn-fkw&t=31s

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Members and parents are reminded to look at the following links for updates about the Club:

FACEBOOK: West Cheshire AC, West Cheshire AC Road Running, west cheshire ac jnr to u20 middle distance group

WEBSITE: www.westcheshireac.co.uk

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/westcheshireac

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/westcheshireac/