England Club of the Year, Buxton AC
Buxton Athletics Club: A club based on inclusivity, fairness and opportunity for all. Buxton aims to provide opportunities to develop talent irrespective of background. This Derbyshire based club is the 2017 Club of the Year!
Their work with the Thomas Theyer Foundation (in memory of a Buxton AC junior member) has cemented them as a fundamental part of the local community. The club raised over £2,500 for the charity this year, that aims to provide respite care and support for local disadvantaged groups. Alongside this, the club hosts a monthly 5k to raise funds for local charities, organisations and parent teacher associations, and offer free after-school clubs to local schools.
Volunteers are at the heart of this family centred club, and there is a pro-active approach to recruiting and nurturing them, partly through funding training and qualifications. College students are also provided with work experience opportunities, coaching and access to free training. This approach has seen Buxton recruit four Coaching Assistants, parent volunteers and two Run Leaders from the Target 5k group.
The Target 5k group has also brought more than 60 new runners into the club, of which approximately 80% are female. Many of these have struggled with low self-esteem and body image issues, citing Buxton AC and the environment it provides as supporting their ability to overcome these challenges.
The ethos of the club and the commitment of its volunteers demonstrates their commitment to developing talented athletes; this resulted in outstanding performances including English Junior Fell Championships Team Silver, Individual Gold/Silver, British Uphill Championships Team Bronze, Individual Gold/ Silver and a clutch of medals at county level. These represent the best results in the club’s history!
Buxton is committed to supporting all its members with community ethics at its heart and volunteers as its foundations. Whatever your ability Buxton has a place and pace to suit all needs. A worthy winner of the National Club of the Year 2017!
Money raised is used to support low income families, to ensure there are no boundaries to participation at Buxton; this includes subsidised social events, club/specialised kit, free race entries and transport.
Keep up the good work!