BIRTH OF
AS SEEN BY JOHN WHITEMAN
(AN ORIGINAL MEMBER)
THE HISTORY OF THE WESHAM 10K IS A NEW ITEM AT THE END OF THIS
ARTICLE
People were running around the streets all over
the
Round about that time John Baldwin, Bob Bamber and myself started running. As we were all
members of Lancashire County Fire
Brigade, it wasn’t long before we were all running in their colours, this
was mainly because there weren’t many clubs around and the Brigade was a member
of the 3A’s (Amateur Athletics
Association). So saving on our race entry fees.
John and Bob being
residents of Wesham introduced me to other people who either lived or worked in
the area, who also ran. One of those people was Mike Carter who was the then
Headmaster, (in those days you could use words like Headmaster/mistress) at St.Joseph’s R.C. School. Mike suggested that we met on Monday nights, for a group run and that
we could use the facilities at the school. This offer was taken up, so each Monday night off we would go and on
route discuss the previous day’s race.
New running clubs started to
emerge during the next two years and probably with this in mind, Mike and John may have met in the early part of 1984. An advert was placed in the Kirkham & Wesham Advertiser asking for anyone who was
interested in running to attend a meeting on the last Monday in January 1985
at the Lane Ends Pub. 36 people turned up and Wesham Road Runners was formed.
Initially the runners met at St. Joseph’s Primary School for a few
months and possibly due to the numbers attending the club transferred to the Community Centre.
A Committee was
chosen with Mike Carter being
elected Chairman. Wesham Road
Runners & Athletic Club was up and running. Soon after the meeting we
became full members of the 3A’s and a club constitution was drawn up which has
held good, with one or two minor amendments, to this day.
An
original Membership Card. Note
the Joining Fee £1 – Subscription
£1
Mike’s autocratic style of leadership was exactly what was required at that
time with his experience as a Headmaster being used to good effect. It wasn’t
long before he became affectionately known as CAPTAIN CARTER. (Who
remembers him ordering us to take “one sandwich each, from the tray”, and no
one dare disobey him).
Within no time at all Club
membership had soared to well over 200. Don’t we wish we had that many today!
Mike stood down as Chairman
at the A.G.M. in 1988 after ensuring that the Club had become well respected and certainly one of the largest in
the
Around 1990 the Landlord at the “Lane Ends” moved on, a change of
attitude to the club saw us moving our ‘drinks station’ to the “Royal Arms”.
As I indicated earlier in the report, when
we first used the Community Centre
in 1984, the facilities were given
to us free of charge. We did however pay a token fee for a number of years, but
into the 90’s the Council gradually
increased the charges. Towards the end of the 90’s it was felt that the fees
being asked were becoming more than the Club could afford. Couple this with the
numerous requests from the club asking for the showers to be repaired and
nothing was being done, it was decided that alternative arrangements should be
sought.
In 1999 we moved our base to Ribby Hall along with our ‘drinks
station’. Unfortunately, this venue didn’t meet our requirements. So, in 2001 we once again moved our base, this
time to
2005 will be our 21st
year as a club and also the 20th
year for our Annual 10K Race.
Let’s celebrate in style; the Club and
all concerned over the years deserve it. Talking about the Annual 10K Race, the
history of that event is another story.
History of
the Wesham 10k
The origins of the “Club” as seen by John Baldwin
Almost a quarter of a century ago, after a 10k race in Goosnargh
in September, a few of the locals who had competed, decided to return to
the Lane Ends for a pint or two. During the conversation Mike Carter
and myself thought that, maybe, we could form a local running club. I asked, the ‘then’ landlord, (Barry
Goddard and his wife Beryl), of the Lane Ends, if we could
use the upstairs function room to hold a meeting. They agreed and we set a date
for early November and placed an article in the local Advertiser.
Here, I add, that the first six who were in agreement were Mike Carter,
first Chairperson; Mick Ward, first Club Captain; Bob
Bamber, Jack Bell, Mike Gallagher and myself. Around forty people
attended that meeting, including first secretary, Val Tudgy, and first
treasurer, Frank Glenholme.
Regarding the club November Road Race: the first one was the Club
Championship – seven miles for the men, five for the women and, contrary to
a Wrinkly comment, both courses were measured with a surveyor’s wheel by
Mike Carter, Steve Ball and myself. I also had input to the first
eleven races by being given the dubious title of Race Director. I also obtained sponsorship for at least
seven of the first eleven.
I could go on for a while yet but it is all in the past and tide and time
wait for no man. I wish you all continued success for the future.
Written by John
Baldwin
Submitted: April
2007
