STAY SAFE AND FOLLOW THE LOCKDOWN GUIDELINES

All West Cheshire AC members should be following National Lockdown Guidelines and only exercising within the restrictions, so please abide by the rules and don’t bring the Club into disrepute.

Following the UK Government’s new national COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and the publication of bespoke instructions from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), England Athletics revised the current guidance for athletics and running on January 8^th.

PLEASE also remember that Brio Leisure who operate Ellesmere Port Sports Village have closed the facilities until further notice. The EPSV Facility Manager has told the Club not to train at the site, so all scheduled training sessions have been cancelled and the EPSV site remains closed.

We hope you and your family all stay safe and well during this difficult period. Once we know when we can use the athletics track again, we will be back in touch with the new arrangements.

PLEASE HELP TO STAY IN TOUCH

During this lockdown period when all competitions are suspended, I will do my upmost in keeping the Club Newsletter information and other content going.

I would welcome any contributions 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]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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

Daisy Johnson, Mary Radford, Liam Davoren, Megan Ithell, Tabitha Kantenga, Nick Duffy, Leo Evans, Olivia Stockton, Louis Tegg, Joanne Cartwright, Isabelle Falkingham, Oliver Edwards, Trevor Holmes.

And next week: Laura Turley, Millie Cooper, Gabriel Mikoleizik, Chloe Poole, Scott Wells, Archie Jackson, Ted Williams, Ellie Robinson, Dennis Wall, Karen Waugh, Sheila Whitta, Audra Goodall, Richard Smith, Matthew Stanley.

WOMEN IN COACHING PROGRAMME

The Women in Coaching Programme is a collaboration between England Athletics and British Athletics. The programme will focus on providing development opportunities to help upskill female coaches, officials, volunteers and other support staff whilst also addressing the issues of gender inequality in specific areas of the sport and providing a network and support system for women in athletics and running. Further details can be found here.

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.

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. 

WEEKLY QUADRATHLON @HOME

Are you missing the buzz of track and field competition while we’re all at home in lockdown? If so, then sign-up for England Athletics new fun weekly track and field Quadrathlon competition – open to anyone aged 9 or over and perfect for setting up at home! Details are here.

PROVISIONAL DATES FOR YOUR DIARY…

Subject to Covid-19 rules, West Cheshire AC’s first scheduled league match is planned for Saturday, April 24, at Preston, which is the first of five rounds in the Under 13/Under 15 Youth Development League Merseyside Division, with other matches taking place on Saturday, May 15 (at Bebington Oval), Saturday, June 5, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Saturday, July 17, (at Bebington Oval), and Saturday, September 4 (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

West Cheshire AC’s Under 17/Under 20 Youth Development League Merseyside Division five-round campaign gets under starters orders at Preston on Sunday, May 2, with other fixtures scheduled to be held on Sunday, May 30 (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, June 27, (at Bebington Oval), Sunday, July 25 (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), 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 Preston on Saturday, June 19, then hosting round three at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, July 11, and concluding the campaign at Trafford, on Sunday, August 1.

West Cheshire AC’s Cheshire League season is scheduled to start at Wrexham’s Queensway Stadium, on Sunday, May 23, before heading to Stockport on Sunday, June 20; East Cheshire on Sunday, July 4, and hosting the final round at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, August 29.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

From January 1st 2021, there will be 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 should by now have received 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]

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]

SUPPORT WITH TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

Funded training is currently available for employed people who live or work in Cheshire or Warrington. 

Fully covered for those who work for a company with under 250 employees (inc. self-employed), 40% funded for larger employers.

This really is a chance for people to access quality training and boost qualifications without the associated cost.

If anyone is interested contact Mark Shepherd on 07494 869 282.

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.

Run Leader Development Days are going virtual for 2021, featuring five interactive (taking place Mon Feb 1^st, 8^th, 15^th and 22^nd, and March 1^st). Sessions will discuss a mix of topics, tasks, group discussion, Q&As, and the final webinar is based around a virtual practical session. Each webinar will have a lead theme – enabling Run Leaders to develop their knowledge and skills in a wide variety of areas. All five webinars cost £30.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS WEBINARS

A revised list of England Athletics webinars can be found here.

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 – here.

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.

LOOKING BACK

2004 Olympic Men’s 4x100m Final, Ann Packer, and Sonia Lannaman. Enjoy…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DATSz4mjqtw

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0VFxZpDQY

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXgSlgxSmXY

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

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

WEBSITE: www.westcheshireac.co.uk

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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

Eddie Gore, Jill Gore, Tiahna Cliff, Cath McGrath, Milo Halliday, Jon Clarke, Jack Gannon, Henry Robinson, Ava Redmond, Florence Hart.

And Next Week: Daisy Johnson, Mary Radford, Liam Davoren, Megan Ithell, Tabitha Kantenga, Nick Duffy, Leo Evans, Olivia Stockton, Louis Tegg, Joanne Cartwright, Isabelle Falkingham, Oliver Edwards, Trevor Holmes.

EPSV TRACK CLOSED DURING LOCKDOWN

With Lockdown restrictions now in place, Brio Leisure who operate Ellesmere Port Sports Village have closed the facilities until further notice.

The EPSV Facility Manager has told the Club not to train at the site, so all scheduled training sessions have been cancelled.

We hope you and your family all stay safe and well during this difficult period. 

Once we know when we can use the athletics track again, we will be back in touch with the new arrangements.

CLUB FINISHES RUNNER-UP

West Cheshire AC finished runner-up in the England Athletics Club of the Year category at the England Athletics National Volunteer Awards. The winners were Blackheath and Bromley AC. 

PROVISIONAL DATES FOR YOUR DIARY…

Subject to Covid-19 rules, West Cheshire AC’s first scheduled league match is planned for Saturday, April 24, at Preston, which is the first of five rounds in the Under 13/Under 15 Youth Development League Merseyside Division, with other matches taking place on Saturday, May 15 (at Bebington Oval), Saturday, June 5, (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Saturday, July 17, (at Bebington Oval), and Saturday, September 4 (at Wavertree, Liverpool).

West Cheshire AC’s Under 17/Under 20 Youth Development League Merseyside Division five-round campaign gets under starters orders at Preston on Sunday, May 2, with other fixtures scheduled to be held on Sunday, May 30 (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), Sunday, June 27, (at Bebington Oval), Sunday, July 25 (at Ellesmere Port Sports Village), 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 Preston on Saturday, June 19, then hosting round three at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, July 11, and concluding the campaign at Trafford, on Sunday, August 1.

West Cheshire AC’s Cheshire League season is scheduled to start at Wrexham’s Queensway Stadium, on Sunday, May 23, before heading to Stockport on Sunday, June 20; East Cheshire on Sunday, July 4, and hosting the final round at Ellesmere Port Sports Village on Sunday, August 29. 

2021 CHESHIRE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Cheshire AA committee has agreed to hold the Cheshire Cross-country Championships subject to Covid-19 rules on Saturday, April 17, at Betley Farm in Staffordshire. The original scheduled date of Saturday, February 20, is no longer possible. Another County Meeting will be held on Monday, March 15, to confirm arrangements and open entries or to cancel the event completely.

2021 CHESHIRE TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

West Cheshire AC has agreed to host the Cheshire Track and Field Championships on Saturday and Sunday, May 8 and 9, subject to Covid-19 rules and Ellesmere Port Sports Village being available. 

2021 CHESHIRE AND NORTH WEST ROAD RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cheshire has been asked by Greater Manchester to host the North West Road Relay Championships on Sunday, September 12, at Birchwood, Warrington, subject to the availability of the venue and Covid-19 rules.

HAVE YOUR SAY ABOUT EQUAL ACCESS TO CROSS COUNTRY RACE DISTANCES

The English Cross-country Association along with the 3 Areas is urging everyone to complete a consultation survey. ECCA say you should put 0 (zero) in question 6 re: distance that events should be equalised at, you can then proceed to the later questions and add your comments if status quo is to be maintained or otherwise.

The survey can be found here.

Alternatively, you could email to voice your concerns at: [email protected]

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

From January 1st 2021, there will be 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 should by now have received 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]

REVISED ENGLAND ATHLETICS GUIDANCE

Following the UK Government’s new national COVID-19 restrictions and the publication of bespoke instructions from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), England Athletics revised the current guidance for athletics and running on January 5th.

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]

WHY NOT BECOME ONE OF OUR QUALIFIED OFFICIALS?

Places are being booked very quickly for the Level 1 Field Officials online courses. The dates available are Wed 13 Jan, Thu 28 Jan, Sat 30 Jan and Sun 21 Feb and the course costs £20.

Take your first step on the pathway to becoming a qualified athletics official.  Book via Athletics Hub .

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

SUPPORT WITH TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

Funded training is currently available for employed people who live or work in Cheshire or Warrington. 

Fully covered for those who work for a company with under 250 employees (inc. self-employed), 40% funded for larger employers.

This really is a chance for people to access quality training and boost qualifications without the associated cost.

If anyone is interested contact Mark Shepherd on 07494 869 282.

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.

Run Leader Development Days are going virtual for 2021, featuring five interactive (taking place Mon Feb 1^st, 8^th, 15^th and 22^nd, and March 1^st). Sessions will discuss a mix of topics, tasks, group discussion, Q&As, and the final webinar is based around a virtual practical session. Each webinar will have a lead theme – enabling Run Leaders to develop their knowledge and skills in a wide variety of areas. All five webinars cost £30.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS WEBINARS

A revised list of England Athletics webinars can be found here.

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 – here.

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.

LOOKING BACK

Kip Keino, Evelyn Ashford, and John Regis. Enjoy…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_9AAy7yZTc

www.youtube.com/watch?v=86h0iLXu9eo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd4F_O5NuZ0

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

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

WEBSITE: www.westcheshireac.co.uk

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/westcheshireac

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

ROY ORFORD R.I.P.

Roy Orford died on 19th December 2019 aged 89, and his funeral was held on 11th January 2021.

Roy was a Vice-President of West Cheshire AC and formerly a member of Chester & Ellesmere Port AC (CEPAC) who he became involved with when his son Mark became interested in athletics. Roy became heavily involved in helping at the club and also took up distance running until a number of years ago.

Everyone at West Cheshire AC would like to pass on their condolences to his family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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

Brian Beattie, Zofia Roberts, Freddie Rotherham, Keely Smith, Megan White, Mia Jones, Alex Rutherford, Pam Ackroyd, Isaac Holmes, Ingrid Tait, Jack Collier, Danielle Erskine, Ilika Jose Maria, Anna Woolgar.

And Next Week: Ethan Greenland, Tom Yates, Joe Foy, Joe Tabberer, William Rawson, Daniel Tabberer, William Wright, Sophie Madden.

EPSV TRACK CLOSED DURING LOCKDOWN

With Lockdown restrictions now in place, Brio Leisure who operate Ellesmere Port Sports Village have closed the facilities until further notice.

The EPSV Facility Manager has told the Club not to train at the site, so all scheduled training sessions have been cancelled.

We hope you and your family all stay safe and well during this difficult period. 

Once we know when we can use the athletics track again we will be back in touch with the new arrangements.

2021 ENGLISH SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS CANCELLED

The scheduled English Schools Cross Country Championships in March at Hop Farm, Kent, has been cancelled.

Kent Schools AA has offered to host the championships in 2022 which makes complete sense with the amount of planning that they put into the 2021 event. The proposed date is Saturday 12th March 2022, hopefully at Hop Farm.

A ‘Virtual English Schools Cross Country Championships’ will be held this year. Further details will be announced soon, requiring athletes to run a 2k or 5k course (depending on age group) at a venue that has a measured course already. Park run courses are ideal for this and this will be suggested as part of the rules. A simple google form will allow the athlete to send their times in, along with a verification from a coach or teacher. New Balance will support this event with prizes and merchandise for athletes. This will also be a county team event.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

From January 1st 2021, there will be 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 should by now have received 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]

REVISED ENGLAND ATHLETICS GUIDANCE

Following the UK Government’s new national COVID-19 restrictions and the publication of bespoke instructions from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), England Athletics revised the current guidance for athletics and running on January 5th.

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]

WHY NOT BECOME ONE OF OUR QUALIFIED OFFICIALS?

Places are being booked very quickly for the Level 1 Field Officials online courses. The dates available are Wed 13 Jan, Thu 28 Jan, Sat 30 Jan and Sun 21 Feb and the course costs £20.

Take your first step on the pathway to becoming a qualified athletics Official.  Book via Athletics Hub .

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

SUPPORT WITH TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

Funded training is currently available for employed people who live or work in Cheshire or Warrington. 

Fully covered for those who work for a company with under 250 employees (inc. self-employed), 40% funded for larger employers.

This really is a chance for people to access quality training and boost qualifications without the associated cost.

If anyone is interested contact Mark Shepherd on 07494 869 282.

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.

Run Leader Development Days are going virtual for 2021, featuring five interactive (taking place Mon Feb 1^st, 8^th, 15^th and 22^nd, and March 1^st). Sessions will discuss a mix of topics, tasks, group discussion, Q&As, and the final webinar is based around a virtual practical session. Each webinar will have a lead theme – enabling Run Leaders to develop their knowledge and skills in a wide variety of areas. All five webinars cost £30.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS WEBINARS

A revised list of England Athletics webinars can be found here.

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 – here.

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.

LOOKING BACK

Dai Greene, Hannah England, and Steve Cram, and Seb Coe. Enjoy…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hur8ve5cHs8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prhi4FyDRr8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHgc2oi49X4

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

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

WEBSITE: www.westcheshireac.co.uk

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/westcheshireac

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