Introduction to our prospective new club Chair – Peter Thompson

Dear all,

Following a wide recruitment process and the call for nominations recently closed, I’m pleased to introduce your prospective new club Chair: Peter Thompson. His is the only nomination being put forward for election at the upcoming AGM on Monday, 17th October, and the committee is recommending him to the club.

I will let Pete introduce himself with the words below. He will be supported in a handover process by myself and the other committee members. This is really an excellent result for the club. As I’ve previously written, I’m not leaving the club, just handing on the baton to an extremely capable Chair.

Best regards,

Keith Clarke, current Chair

 

Pete’s Manifesto:

I have been involved in sport for 50 years! As a 14 year old, I set my heart on winning an annual school 1,500m race for which the victor was awarded a coveted trophy. I first won it as the youngest person in the race, successfully defended it twice more, and my lifetime love of sport was born!

Over the years, I have gone on to win many County Championship medals on the track, road, and XC, 8 British Masters Gold medals, and represented G.B Age Groupers at Duathlon. I am 64 now, but I have never lost my motivation, continue to train every day, and still get very nervous before races!

At other sports clubs, I held positions such as Vice Chairman, Club Captain, Head Coach, and Publicity person. For the past two seasons, I have managed C&C’s Men’s SAL team. In my working career I have experience in managing teams of people, and, since 2015, with my wife Clare, we have successfully run our own Personal Training business.

I am very excited, if a little daunted, at the prospect of being C&C Chairperson. I know it will be a challenge, lots to learn, people to get to know, and Keith, and Neil before him will be hard acts to follow! The size of the Club membership, the quality of its athletes and coaches, the club spirit, and the way events put on by the club run so smoothly – to maintain these standards will not be an easy task. I also know though, that the new Chair will be supported by a brilliant team of people that make up the backbone of the club.

My style is to adopt what I call a “3 E’s” approach; Energy, Enthusiasm, and Encouragement! I would love to see C&C continue to succeed at every level: providing a doorway for people into athletics in the first place, providing everything that is required to enable all club members to become the best that they can be, succeeding at County, Area, National and even International level. But also to do this while retaining club spirit and morale, excluding nobody, and being accepting and respectful of everyone.

I would want C&C as a club to continue to be seen as a really positive benefit to the area, helping people’s physical and mental health, and enhancing their lives. I hope that a lifetime of involvement in sport has given me the skills that this role will require. Keith has described this moment as “handing on the baton”. What I can say is that if the baton is passed to me I will go with it to the best of my ability. C&C as a club has a long and proud history.

If I were to become the Club Chair I would be very happy to play a part in helping to add more successful chapters to the story.