Trustees Update - October 2026

Welcome to the first update from your club trustees! We want to give members a flavour of the work taking place behind the scenes, the decisions being made on your behalf, and the things we're looking at to make Epsom & Ewell Harriers an even better club.

There is a lot involved in keeping the club running, from maintaining our facilities and supporting our coaches to organising competitions and planning for the future. Here are some of the highlights from our meeting on 7 October.

We will try to publish similar information after each of our quarterly meetings. If you have any suggestions how the format can be improved, please tell a friendly trustee. Names can be found at the end.

Improving our facilities

The track: One of our biggest long-term projects is the future of the track. Resurfacing is now on the council's radar, and we're beginning to explore what work is needed and how it could be funded. England Athletics has offered to help us build a case and investigate potential funding opportunities. We need an independent assessment of the track before we can determine the best way forward. We're also considering whether this project could provide an opportunity to improve other facilities as part of this work, such as a potentially installing steeplechase water jump.

This is a substantial undertaking which may take several years to deliver, and there is still plenty to work through, but getting the process moving is an important first step.

The clubroom: We're continuing to improve the space members use before and after training. A new fridge-freezer has been installed, and we've selected a coffee machine, with plans for a suitable worktop and a small sink to make it practical to use. We hope this will make the clubroom an even more welcoming place to spend time together.

The new television is already being put to use in coaching sessions, helping us make better use of the equipment available.

Other facilities: The council has installed a brand new defibrillator outside the Harrier Centre by the main doors facing the football pitches, and a replacement battery is in place in our own defibrillator which can be found inside the foyer opposite the main entrance door to the building. We're looking into improving the outdoor water fountain, including applying for a grant.

Supporting our coaches and volunteers

Our coaches, team managers and volunteers are essential to the club, and we're keen to make sure they have the support they need.

There are some encouraging signs on coaching recruitment, with a potential new coach shadowing a session, a new assistant helping with sprints, and further interest in coaching on Mondays. We are also looking at what kit coaches need to feel comfortable and be easily identifiable at sessions.

We need more volunteers to help keep the club thriving, and we are particularly looking at succession planning for team management. In particular we are currently looking for two new team managers for the juniors, one for the Ebbisham League and one for U14/U16 Sportshall.

If you've ever thought about getting more involved, whether as a coach, official, team manager or in another volunteer role, please do get in touch. You don't have to be an experienced athlete to make a valuable contribution.

Competitions and club kit

We've agreed a list of races for which the club will pay members' entry fees. Trustees are responsible for managing the club's finances and must approve significant expenditure in advance, but until now there has been little clarity on which events the club pays entry fees for. We'll make this information available on the website and communicate it, so members know which events are covered and team managers know how to claim eligible entry fees. There is a process where payments for additional races, not currently on the approved list, can be requested and approved. The list is not fixed forever, and there have already been amendments based on feedback.

We're also investing in an electronic starting system, which will give our starters an alternative to traditional starting guns. Many prefer not to carry guns these days, and borrowing the equipment from other clubs each time we host an event is not ideal.

On kit, we've been reviewing how we manage club stock. The plan is to continue moving to selling kit exclusively through Pressio rather than buying more stock to keep in the cupboard. We'll keep this under review, particularly for items such as hoodies where the ones we have in stock are really quite nice and good value for money. You might want to consider one for the cross country season!

One important point for junior members and parents: some of the older red and yellow T-shirts held in the club's stock are no longer suitable for competition. The current competition vests and T-shirts (for juniors and adults) are available from Pressio. We'll make sure this is clearly explained on the shop website, to help everyone turn up to competitions in the correct attire.

Looking after our members

Member welfare remains important to the trustees. As part of our ongoing focus on safety, two Police Community Support Officers are due to join Matt Turner's session on Tuesday 13 October to speak with women members about personal safety and violence against women.

Planning for the future

Our proposed lease agreement with Epsom & Ewell Borough Council covering the track and clubroom is with the council's legal team. This is an important part of securing the arrangements for our facilities over the longer term.

We also reviewed and approved the club's quarterly expenses and are preparing the accounts for approval ahead of the AGM.

The AGM will take place on Friday 20 November 2026. It's an important opportunity to hear more about the club, ask questions and get involved in its future. Trustee roles will also be an important part of the preparations, and we'll share further information about vacancies and opportunities to contribute. A formal announcement will be sent in the next couple of weeks.

We're reviewing the format of the club's awards as well, aiming to recognise athletes' achievements in a way that is meaningful and manageable. The change of age groups for junior members this year would mean that every event in every age group would have a new record. Unfortunately we can’t hand out that many prizes (the AGM is only an hour long!), but we will aim to recognise your achievements.

A club that works together

Running a club like Epsom & Ewell Harriers involves a great deal of work that isn't always visible during training or on competition day. From negotiating with the council and maintaining equipment to supporting volunteers and managing competition entries, our aim is to make sure the club continues to serve its members well.

We hope these updates help you understand what the trustees are working on and why. If you have suggestions, questions or would like to get involved, we'd be pleased to hear from you.

Thank you to everyone who gives their time and energy to make Epsom & Ewell Harriers such a great club.

The Epsom & Ewell Harriers Trustees

• David Clarke - Chairman
• Chris Glencross - Secretary
• Dan Johnson - Treasurer
• Di Norman - Coaching Secretary
• Vanda Caulfield - Facilities Manager
• David Blunt - Membership Secretary
• David Howell - Trustee
• Guy Laister - Trustee
• Neil Henderson - Trustee
• Simon Bean - Trustee