A Christmas philanthrophic gesture of magnificent proportions will be coming the way for twenty lucky young athletes and five coaches as regards the World Athletics Championships in London next August following on from the recently held England Athletics Hall of fame and awards dinner.
Dave Barnett, managing director of Track and Field tours decided as it was the 25th anniversary of his company to donate a prize to the evening’s sweepstake consisting of places for 25 persons to attend the World Athletics Championships including accommodation and the lucky lot was drawn by Stephen Fowler of Bramhall who runs the “Naked Runner” sun glasses company and who decided to donate the prize to Stockport Harriers for all the happy times he had had in the club during his formative years.
Head of coaching and development Joe Frost at the Harriers was stunned to hear about the gesture and said “Being able to attend the World Athletics Championships in London in 2017 will likely be a once in a lifetime opportunity for the young athletes in the club, many of whom were just too young to engage with the London Olympics when they took place and it will undoubtedly be a huge inspiration and motivation for them”.
He went on to say, “Perhaps in ten years time we will see one of the young athletes inspired by this opportunity competing in a GB vest in a major championship and we are extremely grateful to Stephen for his very generous donation to the club and also to Track and Field tours for organising and donating the trip to celebrate their 25th anniversary year”.
Track and Field tours said “We are looking forward to organising a memorable trip for Stockport Harriers in the hope that some of the youngsters will be inspired to enjoy long careers as athletes and later as club officials too and London 2017 will hopefully provide that spark”.
This is not the first time that Lady Luck has come the way of the Harriers for in November 2014 the club`s name was first out of the hat as regards a “Great Run” series draw and then the lucky recipients were flown and accommodated in Ethiopia and many of them participated in the Addis Ababa 10 kilometre race and met with one of the world`s athletics heroes being the double Olympian 10,000 metre and world champion Haile Gebrselassie which will never be forgotten by the excited participants.
Users of Woodbank stadium are kindly requested to note that there will be no weekday daytime usage between January 3rd to 27th inclusive whilst the floodlights are attended to and repaired but evening and weekend sessions In January under the cover of temporary lights are currently unaffected by this necessary work.