Good evening everybody and welcome on behalf of Havering Mayesbrook Athletic Club to the annual presentation of the cross- country awards. We are grateful to our friends from AFC Hornchurch for allowing us to use this very pleasant facility.

The awards are being presented this evening by Club President, Kevin White. Kevin has been associated with the Club for more years than he cares to remember and has served the Club with great credit over the years as athlete, coach, team manager and mentor. Thank you Kevin for being with us. As ever, the respective team managers have selected most of the winners.

The 2009/2010 cross-country season was once again a successful one for the club. League and County medals and individual titles were won and there was excellent representation at inter-counties and at national level.  I would like to mention just some of the events in which Club athletes performed with credit during the season. In no particular order, these included the Essex Relays, Essex Schools and English Schools, Inter-Counties, National Cross-Country Championships (the senior ladies were 5^th), the South of England Championships, the European Cross Country Championship, the London Cross Country Championships, the London Mini Marathon and the inaugural Lord Mayor’s Mile. Many, many of the Club’s athletes – young and not so young – were involved in these events. We can be extremely proud of the achievements of all of them.

Weather wise, the winter sport is much more demanding on all concerned than track and field and the club’s coaches, team managers and parents should also be congratulated for making sure that athletes got to the starting line on time fit and well to wear the Club vest with such distinction.

There are two categories of award this evening – in each age group we have the Club Best Performance Award and also the Team Member Award. In addition, there are a couple of special awards at the end of the presentations.

We are going to start with the oldest age group and work our way down to the youngest. Ladies first and we start with the Club Best Performance for Lady Vets. An athlete who, over the years, has turned in countless excellent performances in the Havering Mayesbrook vest has won the award. Having been dogged with injuries for a number of seasons, it was good to see her back competing in so many races. She was always the Club’s highest finishing vet with top-20 places in her final two league races and also in the Vets Championships. JO SULLIVAN.

The Team Member award in this category goes to a dedicated athlete who this time last year, won the Senior Women’s Team Member award. She was our only ever-present member in the Essex League races throughout the season with her best performance overall in 29^th position. JANE HALLAM.

The next award is for Club Best Performance by a Male Veteran and it goes to another athlete who is a regular at this event, winning the award for the third consecutive season. In a league full of young athletes, this guy defies his age with his fantastic ability. Finishing in the top-20 in nearly every Essex League race earned him the league individual gold medal, which he equalled by winning the Vets’ Championship. Two gold medals in one season takes a lot of beating but anyone who sees him, knows just how much he puts into the sport. A worthy winner once again – MATT BLAND.

The Team Member award for male vets goes to the type of athlete that team managers love – someone consistently prepared to turn in a good honest performance for the team. Always there to encourage his team-mates, and ever present in the Essex League events. Someone who the young club members should try to emulate – PAUL BERRETT.

Returning to the ladies, we come to the Club Best Performance award for Senior Ladies and again it goes to a young lady winning the event for the second year in succession. Having been beset with injuries for much of the previous season, she bounced back to secure the Essex League title with two first and two second place finishes. In addition, she achieved a splendid silver medal in the South of England Championships. Sadly, she cannot be with us this evening but the award will be collected on behalf of HARRIET SCOTT by Dave Bland.

The Team Member award for Senior Ladies goes to an athlete who also featured here last season. She had another consistently good season always finishing in the top-45 and, in addition, she always made herself available to step in at the last minute if we were short of a full team. ANGIE THOMPSON

Returning to the men and the winner of the Senior Men’s Best Performance Award – this time for the fourth year in succession. Being the first Havering runner home in every event does not necessarily make for the best performance. However, this athlete’s consistency of top-10 finishes in the League earned him the distinction of being the Club’s first senior man for many years to obtain an Essex League county medal. He was also selected to represent the county in the world trials at Birmingham. His hard work and consistency shines through. ROB WARNER.

As with the ladies, the Team Member award for Senior Men goes to an athlete who whenever he appears in the Club vest, you know he will always give of his best. He was ever present in all of the league meetings giving him the position of 18^th in the senior men’s final standings. He is his own worst critic and is always striving to improve. A great asset to the team. NEILL COLLINS.

Moving on to the Club Best Performance award for under-20 Women and the award goes to a young lady who showed a committed and willing attitude throughout the season often finishing in the top-10 in the Essex league races and finishing 11^th overall. It’s good to see a new name on the trophy and it’s GEMMA PHILLIPS.

We come now to the Club Best Performance award for Junior Men and it goes to a young man who has come through the ranks and has shown commitment to the team. He took the transition to the senior ranks in his stride and acquitted himself well in a very strong league. Only injury prevented him from even better achievements. We will certainly hear a lot more in the future of CALLUM SUTTON.

The Team Member award for Junior Men goes to an athlete on whom injury also took its toll. He consistently improved throughout the season and hopefully next season will see him fulfil the potential and promise of the previous season. DANIEL SHANNEY.

The Team Member Award in the under-17 Women age group goes to another young athlete who year in, year out does her best for the Club. She finished 16^th overall in the Essex league with a series of fine runs. One of the first to chase the team manager for news of the next event, she competed in every League race showing a very willing attitude. PATSY  McWEENEY.

The Club Best Performance award for under-17 Men goes to a young man who has always performed to the best of his ability coming through the age groups. During the season, he was able to compete in four of the five League races finishing 3^rd, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th for a terrific bronze medal winning 3^rd overall. JAMIE BUCKLEY-STANTON.

The Team Member award for under-17 Men goes to another young athlete who demonstrated total commitment to the Club and the sport with five consistent runs in the Essex League for 16^th place overall. ROSS EARNEY.

We come now to the award for Club Best Performance for under-15 Girls and it goes to a young lady retaining the award she won last year. She had numerous problems with injury but still stayed in there for an overall placing of 5^th in the Essex League showing dedication and commitment throughout the season. REBECCA STANLEY.

The selection of the under-15 age group Team Member Award was an easy one for the team manager.  The winner did not miss one race and was ranked 14^th overall in the Essex League. She showed 100% commitment and could always be relied upon to turn out even when unlikely to feature among the scorers. She showed a fantastic attitude to the sport and the Club. SHANNON SULLIVAN.

The Club Best Performance award for under-15 Boys goes to a fine young man whose progress we have enjoyed watching since joining the Club. He had four top-5 positions in the Essex League gaining 5^th place overall. He has a big future in the sport and he is HOSEAH GIKUNGU.

The Team Member award in this under-15 Boys age group goes to a young athlete who also showed tremendous commitment during the winter season competing in all five League races, always in the top-20 and finishing a fine 10^th overall. Well done to THOMAS DAVIS.

We have reached the youngest age group and come now to the Club Best Performance award for under-13 Girls. This year it has been won by a young lady who competed in four of the five Essex League events (only a school event preventing her from competing in the other race). Nonetheless, she finished 3^rd overall, working extremely hard and showing her commitment to the Club.  She has tremendous potential – LYDIA HALLAM.

The team manager found it difficult to select an outright winner of the Team Member award in this under-13 Girls category and decided to share it between two girls. The first winner turned up for every race but her age enabled her to run in the under-11 races which took her out of the running for an overall Essex League ranking. Nonetheless, she showed commitment and dedication. The second winner had a great season ranking 9^th overall in the Essex League and, on the London stage, she also performed with great credit in the Mini Marathon and the Lord Mayor’s Mile. AMY BAGGS and HEIDI SURMAN-WELLS.

The Club Best Performance for under-13 Boys goes to a young man who in his first season for the Club showed excellent commitment and dedication. He competed in every Essex League race (a big ask for an under-13) and with a series of fine runs, took 10^th place overall. ADAM HILL.

The Team Member award for under-13 Boys has been won by another young man with his first real experience of cross-country who had four splendid Essex League runs. His overall finishing place was 14^th – a fine result for his efforts – and he also gained his first Essex vest. FRASER SCOTT.

We now come to the first of the special awards where the winners are selected by the Club’s Management Committee.

The first of these awards is for the Best Performance in the age groups under-20 – veteran inclusive not in league events but where the individual concerned is representing his or her self – for example in prestigious regional and national competitions.

In determining the winners, Committee members try to avoid athletes winning more than one award although a number of those athletes who have collected awards already this evening may have been ‘in the frame’ as possible winners of these awards.  

It goes to a young lady who has worn the Club vest increasingly successfully for some years now and of whom the Club is very proud. She had yet another successful season commencing way back in September when she won the Southend 10k road race. In October, she took the silver medal in the National 10 mile Championships and in February this year finished 4^th in the National cross Country Championships. Around this time, she was invited to join Kelly Holmes in her ‘On Camp with Kelly’ mentoring scheme and then, in March, she finished 3^rd in the World Cross Country Trials which gave her automatic selection for the World Championships in which she finished 33^rd.

The winner is FAYE FULLERTON who sadly cannot be here this evening but her award will be collected by her coach Warren Rowe.

The final award this evening is not presented every year because of the very special nature of the award. It is for Services to Cross Country and there have been some notable winners in the past including Eileen and Dave Naylor, Vic and Kathy Collins, Ann and Derek Drew, Dave Bland, Tim Pailthorpe, Debbie Appleton, Mike Munson and most recently, Pete Warner.

This year’s winner is very deserving of the award. For some years now, he has gone about his Team Manager responsibilities with enthusiasm and energy. It’s not easy to look after the boys under 13 – under 17 squad with many of the youngest new to the sport and others at the other end of the age range beginning to find other interests including beer and girls, but this man managed it in a very caring manner (often driving young athletes many, many miles to get to venues). Sadly, he has decided to call it a day but we are extremely grateful to him for his efforts on behalf of the young athletes and the Club. I’m very pleased to say that the award for Services to Cross Country goes to MICHAEL BUCKLEY-STANTON.

All photos have been reduced in size - if anyone wants copies of the originals please email

If any athlete or parent is concerned about the inclusion of any photo of themselves or their child , please drop a line to the above email address  asking that it be removed