An athletics club has been celebrating winning two awards and receiving a runners-up prize at the England Athletics Regional Awards on Sunday.

Awards were presented across eight categories at the ceremony at the Athenaeum in Bury St Edmunds to the individuals and projects in the East Region that went ‘above and beyond’ to ensure that athletes, athletics and communities thrived.

Stevenage and North Herts AC was shortlisted for the Community Project of the Year for the holiday programme it organises at Easter and during the summer which provides 24 days of athletics for 40, eight to14 year-olds, including youngsters on free school meals, who are provided with a hot meal while having fun.

The programme gives everyone the opportunity to try all events, including pole vault and hammer, and introduces them to timekeeping and field judging.

Nick Ward collected the runner-up award on behalf of the club.

Nick, along with Barry Mainstone, Libby Taylor and Dan Mainstone, ran the programmes assisted by the club’s coaching assistants and leaders.

Meanwhile, there was individual recognition for Sarah Berry and Norma Harris who won the Newcomer to Volunteering Award and Services to Athletics and Running prize respectively.

Sarah’s daughter joined the club three years ago and her mother volunteered to help at matches when her daughter was competing.

She became a L1 Track and Timekeeper in 2023 and officiated in all the leagues the club participates in during this year, having also become treasurer and a member of its management committee.

Norma was nominated along with two other stalwarts from the region – Noel Moss (Cambridge and Coleridge) and Peter Cassidy (Loughton AC) - having ‘clocked up’ more than 135 years of volunteering between them.

Norma has coached, officiated and held many club, county and regional positions over the years.

The trio all received the award as joint winners from Mattthew Dalton, East Region chair.