A celebration of 25 years of Belle Vue Racers, held at Rain Bar, Manchester on Friday 26th September 2014. Here is the full text of Lynda’s speech:
“25 years – and where have they gone? It doesn’t seem that long since we were celebrating our 20th. This celebration sees club members here from Swinton Running Club. Welcome Swinton – I am very pleased to see you all. Also it’s good to see Shirley Aldridge here who is a past member of BVR (she is now a coach at East Cheshire Harriers). My late husband Eddie Cheetham had a hand in the start of Swinton Running Club and I am pleased to say that they are still going as strong as BVR today. Also there are quite a few BVR members from the past with us tonight.
I am glad to say that I still get a lot of pleasure and rewards from being the coach at BVR. It’s good to see the improvements in our novice runners and also the progression of others that you may think have reached their goals. It shows what determination we have at the club to achieve even more goals. Simon Stead went out to conquer Everest Base Camp and achieved it. Alison will be moving up a category this year and I can already feel the buzz of what she aims to achieve. Annie always leaves me in awe and hopefully will continue to do so. Andy went out the South Africa to compete in a 52 mile race and yes he did it. Steve Mycio is on his way to conquer Everest Base Camp, so he can’t be with us tonight. All these goals take a lot of training, focus, guts, determination and being just a little bit mad? All these challenges and yet all still continue to support the club championing races.
A big thanks to all who have put so much effort into tonight. Annie, Julia, Gill, Lisa, Tina and Sue – and hopefully I haven’t forgotten anyone. Many thanks also to all who help to organise our two races from start to finish – we can’t do it without your help. Thanks to James and Frank our other coaches who give me such a lot of support. Also to my best friend Christine who also supports the club so much. Not many of you know that tonight is the venue where James met his partner Beth and they are here tonight to celebrate again.
Part of the 25 year celebration was a 25K run which we did on 7th September. This route took in our old club base at Pink Bank Lane plus Debdale Park and Reddish Vale. We started and finished at the Carousel Pub. This was very well attended and once again well organised. After tonight’s event we have one more celebration – yes 25 laps of the track and I hope that you can all count?
Biggest thanks I have left to last. Thanks Barry for not only coming into my life and taking the plunge in marrying me but also for all the hard work that you do alongside me to make BVR what it is today.
Enough now I think you all get the gist of the speech – let’s get on to announcing our championship results …”
