Newspaper Articles about Worcester Joggers
Worcester Standard January 15th 2004
Red tape row set to trip up Joggers
Members of a Worcester jogging club have run into a red tape row after the UK's top athletics body suggested people in the city would be "easily confused" by its name. Worcester Joggers want to join the Midland Counties Athletic Association (MCAA) but bosses UK Athletics insist its name would cause too much confusion with the already- affiliated Worcester Athletic Club. Michael Foster, MP for Worcester, wrote to UK Athletics bosses accusing them of being stuck in the past, and suggesting people in Worcester were easily confused. However, UK Athletics wrote back reinforcing the view that Worcester Joggers will not be allowed to affiliate unless they change their name. Mr Foster said: "It really is time that the blazer brigade who run UK sport realise that their petty rules only drive people away from sport. Worcester is big enough to have a joggers club dedicated to runners who enjoy a healthy lifestyle as well as a successful athletic club." Peter Gilbert, chairman of Worcester Joggers, said: "If Worcester residents want to do athletics, they can join the athletic club but if they want to join a jogging club they can join us- people should have the choice. It is insulting that UK Athletics think the people of Worcester cannot tell the difference between two similar names." To add insult to injury, Watford Harriers and Watford Joggers and Havering Athletic Club and Havering 90 Joggers have been allowed to affiliate to their respective local bodies. Mr Foster intends to write to the Sports Minister asking for his intervention in the matter.
Worcester Evening News January 10th 2004
Worcester: City Athletes in name Battle
Jogging club runs into identity crisis. Joggers in Worcester have run into a political storm, after Britain's top sporting body suggested people in the city would be easily "confused" by their clubs name. UK Athletics has told Worcester Joggers, which has 50 members, to change its name if it wants to be an oficially recognised organisation, because another athletics club already has the word "Worcester" in its title. Officials said if the joggers was allowed to affiliate to the Midland Counties Athletic Association (MCAA), it would lead to "unnecessary confusion for the local community" with Worceter Athletic Club. Now Worcester Joggers, members of which race competitively and which has a strong charitable and social side, fears it may have to scrap around £800 worth of branded equipment if UK Athletics does not back down. "We certainly don't see the two names as confusing, with football no one is confused about Manchester United and Manchester City," said club chairman Peter Gilbert. "We often run to raise money for various charities, have a wide age range of runners and in no way do we see ourselves as being in competition with Worcester AC." Other parts of the UK have been allowed more than one club to contain the same place name including Watford Harriers and Watford Joggers; Havering Athletic Club and Havering 90 Joggers and Dulwich Park Running Club and Dulwich Runners AC. Now City MP Mike Foster has intervened in the row and is writing to Sports Minister Dick Carbon. " Do UK Athletics think people in Worcester are stupid? Of course they can tell the difference between a joggers club and an athletics club," said Mr Foster. "It really is time that the blazer brigade who run UK sport realise that their petty rules only drive people away from sport." A spokesman for UK Athletics said the name would cause problems. " Having two clubs with the same name- irrespective of the appended AC or Joggers- can lead to unnecesary confusion for the local community," he said. And Ian Atkins, secratary of Worcester AC, said the club also opposed any decision to allow the Joggers io affiliate as "Worcester". "For at least the last 10 years the rules have stated that the sport cannot allow one group to affiliate with an almost duplicate name as another club anymore," he said. "There has already been confusion in the past with who are our members and theirs, and if they use the Worcester name it will cause future problems". Mr Gilbert said the Joggers were now waiting for an official response from UK Athletics.
Bromsgrove Messenger December 24th 2003
Santas Raise Charity Cash
A Wychbold Jogger and runners from across the county,all dressed as FatherChristmas have helped to raiase money for Leukaemia Care. Vicki Hassler and eight other members of Worcester Joggers were among 315 Santa Clauses who ran a 3.5 mile course starting and finishing at Worcester City Football club earlier in the month. Vicki, who has run the London Marathon twice, was also part of the first four-person team home at the event along with Peter Gilbert, Lisa Gregory and Terry Thompson. She said"It was really good fun. A lot of people came out to watch and I think it could be something that could really take off.
Each Jogger pledged to raise £25 for the charity with the winning team raising £200 between them. Fellow Worcester Jogger Debbie Christian even walked the course on crutches following knee surgery. And next year there are plans to attempt the record for most people dressed as Santa running for charity. Worcester Joggers meet every Monday from 7 pm at Perdiswell SPorts Centre in the city.
Worcester Evening News 15th November 2003
Spanish Ace Flies in Slog
Athletics: Nineteen members of Worcester Joggers took part in the Sodbury Slog near Chipping Sodbury , Gloucestershire. Conditions were dry for a very testing cross-country eight mile cross country race!
First in for the Joggers was Asier Abaitua Erezuma, from Bilbao,Spain, in a very fast time for the course of one hour eight minutes.
Other members taking part were Nick Maloney, Richard Sowden , Nigel Pritcett, Nick Hooper, John Fry, Richard Kemp, Philip Miles,ollie Davey,Les Robertshaw, Terri Thompson, Vicki Hasler, Pat Owen, Brendon Connolly,Jeremy Parker,peter Gilbert, Drew Stanley, Viv Keeble, Kim Bray.Worcester Evening News 12th November 2003
Dublin joy for marathon men
Two members of Worcester Joggers have completd their fourth marathon of the year. Stuart Wild and Alan Taylor both competed in the Dublin marathon, having completed the London, Edinburugh and Cardiff events. Wild, running his 31st marathon in total, finished in four hours 21 minutes 17 seconds, while Taylor clocked 3:35. Belinda Neal, who also ran the London Marathon earlier this year, finished just four seconds behind Wild in Dublin in 4:21.21 while fellow club members Julie Bate ran her first marathon, finishing in 4:11 to achieve her target of between 4:00 and 4:30.
Vicki Hasler, the publicity manager for Worcester Joggers also ran the London Marathon along with 10 other team members raising collectively over £3,000 for the Esther Benjamin Trust and other local charities such as St Richards Hospice. Worcester Joggers meet every Monday at 7pm outside Perdiswell Sports Centre, with sessions also on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings.They are an informal group of runners who are supportive and sociable. No one is left to run on his or her own. All abilities and ages are welcomed.
Worcester Standard 6th November 2003
Four Marathons in one year! Mission Accomplished
Seasoned Worcester Joggers members include Stuart Wild and Alan Taylor who have each run four marathon's this month alone - with 56-year-old Stuart notching up a massive 31 in all! In contrast, Julie Bate and Ed Gerrard, both from St Peters, ran their first marathon in Dublin on Sunday. In between all the exercise the group takes time to meet socially at events such as balti meals and bowling evenings. Publicity officer Vicki Hasler said the group was always looking for new members. "A warm welcome is guaranteed," she said. For more information visit www.worcester-joggers.co.uk.