Published at 16:07, Monday, 29 October 2012

RUNNING group the Walney Wind Cheetahs has received its biggest accolade to date, after being named Run England’s Group of The Year.

NATIONAL ACCOLADE: Run Leaders Christine Adams and Karen Bell, with their awards after Walney Wind Cheetahs were named Group of the Year at England Athletics National Awards 2012 HARRY ATKINSON REF: 50040332B000

Committee members Karen Bell and Christine Adams joined some of the biggest names in English athletics at the England Athletics Hall of Fame and National Volunteer Awards night in Birmingham on Saturday.

To receive such a prestigious national title in a particularly special year of sport is great testament to how far the Walney Wind Cheetahs have come, in just 12 months.

What started as a training group for more than 100 beginners to complete the Energy for Life Walney Family Fun Run, continued to involve hundreds more individuals and families interested in getting more active and healthier.

Six members are qualified Running Leaders, more than 80 members are registered with Run England and, during 2012, more than 150 people have attended training with total attendances exceeding 1,200.

Group leader, Ian Jones, said: “Every step every person has taken has won this award. That’s what’s contributed to it, without any question.”

The night saw volunteers who provide such an invaluable service to the sport honoured in the National Volunteer Awards as some of the biggest names in English athletics were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The Wind Cheetahs met Olympic Gold medallist Tessa Sanderson and European and Commonwealth 110m Hurdles champion Andy Turner.

“When we went up on stage they introduced the Walney Wind Cheetahs and said how it started, where we’ve come from, and how many people we’ve had and what we do in the community. And then all the cameras were going off and all we could see were flashes,” said Christine Adams, of Barrow.

“I will never forget it. It was the best moment of my entire life.”

Published by http://www.walneylocal.co.uk