In February 2014, our Chairman Iain Singer was approached by England Athletics to form a running group in Ashington. As Hirst Welfare Beginners our original base was the Hirst Welfare leisure centre in an area of Ashington called “The Hirst”. 

On Tuesday 6:30pm 4th March 2014 we started as a running group.  Initially there were less than 10 of us, we had one group doing run/walk with people of all different abilities and five of the original 10 are still members today.

We added a similar group but, on a Friday, and as a few months went by, we added 7:30 pm Tuesday as an “Intermediate Run” which simply involved a 3-mile run.  Days and times were chosen due to work commitments and at that time we only had one coach in place which was our Chairman, Iain Singer.

On 17th September 2014 we set up the Facebook group that members now use to keep in touch, support each other with training and find out about what goes on at the club. On 2nd December 2014, we had our first “club top” which was a long sleeve yellow top with the Hirst Welfare logo on.  

By 13th January 2015, we now had a Friday efforts group, the first being 12 x 30 s efforts at the cycle path running from Woodhorn to North Seaton.  

We as a running group were behaving now as a running club. We were doing all a club did without calling ourselves a club, so Iain met with England Athletics to take advice.  After that meeting in a coffee shop in Gosforth, Ashington Hirst Running Club as it is today was born.

17th February 2015 was the first written record of our intention to become a UKA affiliated running club and on 2nd March 2015 a meeting was held of all interested parties and we decided upon the name, club colours, committee and its officers.

By 31st March 2015 we had the club constitution and on 5th April we were a UKA affiliated Club.

Since 2014 we have grown on a weekly basis with new members coming along to join us at almost every session. We now run regular Couch to 5K courses as well as our running and efforts sessions, and as of now we are delighted to have over 150 members.

Location

Bothal Primary School Upper Site, High Market, Ashington. NE63 8NT

(Meet in the gym which is round to the left of the building)