Woman 'thankful' as athletics club marks 40 years

Cirencester Athletics Club was set up in June 1985

A woman said she is "thankful" for the friends she has gained after joining an athletics club nearly 40 years ago.

Ruth Fulford, from Andoversford, Gloucestershire, has spent more than half her life as a member of Cirencester Athletics Club, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in June.

The club, which has around 250 members, will hold an event for past and present members to celebrate.

Ms Fulford said the club has given her a great social circle and kept her fit and healthy into retirement.

Ms Fulford said she loves running with other members in Cirencester, because "the park is beautiful and you can run for miles".

When she joined the club in September 1985, she was juggling being a mum of three and working nights as a nurse at Cheltenham General Hospital.

"My eldest daughter was running for the school and wanting to go out training and I didn't want her going by herself. I said 'I can run, I'll come with you' and I couldn't keep up with her."

So when she saw a sign up sheet for the newly-formed club, she "joined there and then".

"When you go out for a run and you hear the birds singing out in the countryside with the fresh air and get everything back in perspective again," she added.

Ms Fulford (left) and Pam Wheeler, have recently handed over the reins as secretary and chair of the club

Ms Fulford, who has run 11 marathons - including the London marathon seven times - said the sport has given her "lots of energy, wonderful fitness, and lots of pleasure" as well as new friends.

She was club secretary for some years alongside Pam Wheeler as club chair, and said the pair were pleased to be handing over to younger members as the club had "evolved again".

Nick Wall, from Mitchenham, is a coach at the club after joining in 2012, and said he wants people to enjoy running and athletics.

"It's about looking at what they're doing, knowing what they want to do and helping them achieve that objective," he added.

"The club has got bigger and bigger over the years. And it's a great reflection on society that people are still coming here after 40 years," he added.