Club History

In late October 2007 Jon Morgan and Alison Birch placed a letter in the Whitchurch Herald inviting people to a meeting in the Dodington Lodge Hotel to see if there was any interest in forming a Running Club in Whitchurch, Shropshire.

Aided by Simon Parsons, the meeting took place on the 13th November. To everyone’s amazement some 35 people attended! There was clearly a need for a club. The first training session took place the following Tuesday when more than 25 people turned up. The club was in business.

Soon training runs were taking place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Whitchurch Rugby Club. On the 16th December eleven club members participated in the Helena Tipping 10k. The name Whitchurch Whippets was unleashed on an unsuspecting athletics world!

The club was officially formed on the 18th December prior to the Club’s first Xmas Social – fittingly held at the Dodington Lodge.

In April 2008 the Club's affiliation to England Athletics was confirmed.

Autum 2008 saw the club enter a men's team in the North Wales Cross country league. A year later the men were joined by the women.

The club reached 100 members in early July 2010.

After 9 years service, Simon Parsons stood down as Chairman in 2017. Simon was replaced by club stalwart John Dillon.

2018 saw the club move from being an adult only club to being open to people aged 16 and over.

Club Organisation

The Club is managed by a Committee that meets bi-monthly.

The Club's AGM is held each June. The Hon President is nominated annually by the Committee and ratified by the membership. The other Club Officers are elected at the AGM.

The current committee is made up of the following:

President - Jon Morgan

Chairman - Fiona Leatham

Treasurer - Dean Richards

Hon. Secretary - Alison Birch

Membership Secretary - Jen Spencer

Club Captain - Simon Phillips

Coaching & Welfare - Fiona Leatham / Nikki Shingler

Social Secretary - Janice Eastwood

Press Officer - Cathy McAllister

Adam Richards

Keith Cotton

Liz Featherstone

Katie Webster

Dave Thornton

The club constitution may be found here.