The Baker family would like to express their gratitude for the support given by club members to the British Heart Foundation in the wake of John's death in August.

The BHF received a total of £779 from John's friends and the family's supporters, a sum which includes donations by numerous club members.

The family would like to say a big "Thank You" to all.

A recent addition to our ranks will be of particular interest to older members. Young Tilly Major, a bottom year U13, joined us from Herts Phoenix to maintain a family tradition. 

Tilly's parents are Paul Major and Sally Chapman, both of whom were good WGEL distance runners in their day. Paul's dad was Eric Major, a very fine distance man in the late 1950s/early 1960s who finished as high as 32nd in the English National CC. (John Hayward's review of the 1957 track season also had him as "Worst Turned-Out" due to the holes in his club vest!). And Sally Chapman's father is David Chapman, who ran as fast as 8.46 for the 3000m steeplechase and represented GB at the Rome Olympics in 1960.

So a fine heritage! We wish Tilly lots of enjoyment and success with her new club. She has reinforced an U13 Girls team which was already strong, and finished 3rd (2nd scorer) in the first Met League race of the season at Claybury last Saturday.

From L. to R.: John Hayward, Jill Chapman, Paul Major, Tilly, and Dave Chapman (photo by Sally Chapman)

The club was well represented at the England Athletics London Region Volunteer Awards on 1st October 2018. The Woodford Green Game Changers won the Spirit of 2012 award. Spirit of 2012 is the legacy charity from the London 2012 Olympics, and many of our Game Changers were inspired having had a taste of volunteering as kit carriers at last year’s World Championships and Para World Champs. This year our volunteers (aged 14-25) have enjoyed success team managing our YDL lower and upper age group teams to promotion, officiated at a range of events including UKWL fixtures. with 5 reaching their requirements to become level 1 officials, while several are taking their coaching assistant awards. Game Changers Coordinator Alan James accepted the award on behalf of the volunteers from England Athletics Chief Executive Chris Jones.

John Stow (below) was the runner-up in the prestigious Coach Of The Year category at the event held at a hotel in Kensington. WGEL was recognised as the runner-up in the Club Of The Year category.