How Winter Training in the Valleys Sparked a New Club

Stroud and District Athletic Club was born out of a very practical winter dilemma. In 1979, Jackie Taylor was growing increasingly concerned about the logistics and travel required for her daughter, Kim, to make winter training nights out in Gloucester. Realizing the Stroud Valleys desperately needed an athletic club of their own, she took action.

The Pound in the Pot

An inaugural public meeting was called to see if the local community shared the vision. The response was overwhelming—more than 60 people packed into the room. To fund the club's very first steps and secure a future for local athletics, everyone present put a pound into a pot. With that simple, collective gesture, Stroud and District AC was officially born.

While Jackie Taylor provided the initial spark, the club’s early survival and structural guidance came from key mainstay pioneers Mollie and John Mills, alongside Colin Oberlin-Harris, who brought the vital athletic experience needed to turn those first pounds into a lasting legacy.

Source: The Citizen Article 1993 and Jackie Taylor Interview

The survival of Stroud & District AC in its earliest years was entirely dependent on a relentless grassroots fundraising campaign and a tight-knit coaching network. Archival committee reports and personal letters from 1980 to 1983 reveal how close the self-supporting club came to financial breaking point, and the community grit that pulled it through.

The Grassroots Experiment: 1980/81 Fundraising Campaign

In a stark warning to all club members, Fund Raising Committee Chairman Maureen Kerry made the stakes perfectly clear: "Without funds the club will cease to exist". The 1980/81 athletic season was treated as an operational experiment to determine exactly which local community events could keep SADAC solvent.

The club's tireless sub-committee organized a massive variety of local initiatives, resulting in an overall annual profit of £539.33:

• The Top Earners: A grand Sponsored Run proved to be the financial savior of the year, bringing in an incredible £213.26. Major Bazaars hosted at the local Sub Rooms also brought in vital capital, yielding £83.11.

• Stroud Street Visibility: The club established a regular presence on the high street, running multiple market stalls on the forecourt of the Subscription Rooms (raising £43.75 and £50.95 respectively).

• Local Festivals: SADAC integrated directly into historic district traditions, operating a charity stall at the Randwick Wap (£33.62) and running a heavily visited Tombola stand at the annual Stroud Show (£33.79).

• Grassroots Drives: Smaller operational revenue was scraped together through Christmas card sales (£18.90), a Rummage Sale (£25.75), a community Dance (£24.83), and a social Clothing Party (£5.43).

A Year on the Local Calendar

To keep the momentum rolling, the club published a packed schedule of social fixtures designed to engage parents and youth athletes across the district, routing items directly to a drop-off hub at 11 Dudbridge Hill.

The early-80s calendar featured an eccentric mix of competitive sports and local entertainment:

• An Auction at Paganhill Hall and a local Disco at the B.P. Club (with tickets priced at £1) kicked off the spring calendar.

• Social evenings were held at major local employers, including a Skittles Evening at the Redlers Club and a Jumble Sale at the Stonehouse Youth Club.

• The annual schedule culminated with coordinated team efforts at the Randwick Wap in May, the Stroud Show in July, and repeated morning drives on the Subs forecourt stretching all the way into October.

Early Coaching Wisdom & Injury Prevention

Behind the scenes, the athletic philosophy of the club was being actively steered by founding figures like Colin Oberlin-Harris. In a personal coaching letter dated April 18, Oberlin-Harris provided a rare window into the early advice passed down to the club's emerging distance stars.

He passionately advocated for smart progression over raw exertion, writing: "Try to avoid farther injury and stress—don't do any silly sprinting with the kids... I know this to my cost!". Oberlin-Harris heavily favored a regimented approach to flexibility, advising athletes to perform dedicated stretching routines at home in the evenings following a hard session—emphasizing its importance particularly on cold winter training days.

📝 The Road to Accreditation (1979–1980) 

In the autumn of 1979, our founding members—led by the tireless Jackie Taylor—set out to transform a local interest in running into a formal athletic body. The journey was far from a simple sprint; it required navigating the administrative requirements of the Midland Counties Amateur Athletic Association (MCAA) and securing local facilities.

• Laying the Groundwork: By December 1979, the club had successfully negotiated the use of the Archway School facilities for training, with early supporters like Colin Oberlin-Harris providing critical backing for our initial facility hire agreements.

• A "Discover Sport" Beginning: To build our initial membership, we joined forces with the Stroud District Sports and Recreation Council for a "Discover Sport" afternoon in January 1980, inviting local residents to see what SADAC was all about.

• The Official Call: Our hard work culminated on February 4, 1980, when the MCAA Executive Committee formally accepted our application for affiliation.

🤝 The Spirit of the Foundational Era

This period wasn't just about obtaining stamps of approval; it was about defining the club's character. Whether it was navigating early challenges regarding athlete eligibility or securing gym time in the face of busy school schedules, those first members set a standard for organization that carries on in our committee rooms today.

"The best of Luck and may Stroud AC grow and grow in membership... I find that on average for every 20 members you have got, one at least is outstanding." — D. Helson Heal, Midland Counties Women's AAA (1979)

🏛️ Help Us Document Our Origins

While we have the official correspondence from 1979 and 1980, we are always looking for the stories that aren't in the letters.

• Were you there during the 1980 "Discover Sport" event?

• Do you have photos from our first training nights at Archway School?

If you have early club memorabilia or memories of our first sessions, please Contact Us. We want to preserve your story in The Vault so the next generation of Stroud athletes knows exactly how we got our start!

Every pound raised was directly funneled into essential track and field gear so local youngsters could train properly. By August 1980, founding Secretary Jackie Taylor submitted a development grant application listing the club's entire, hard-won training inventory:

• 2 Discus: (1kg and 2kg)

• 2 Javelins: (600g and 800g)

• 2 Shots: (5kg)

• 1 Set of Relay Batons

(Note: The committee was actively negotiating for a set of training weights to round out their modest arsenal).

In an ambitious move to secure high-profile patronage for the young athletic club, Jackie Taylor sent a formal letter directly to Gatcombe Park (Avening & Minchinhampton), inviting HRH Princess Anne to accept the Presidency of the club.

Operating entirely as a self-supporting venture, the committee hoped a local Royal President would emphasize how the club was filling a vital gap in the community by helping youngsters develop their athletic potential. Taylor enclosed a stamped addressed envelope, noting the club boasted an excellent committee and a highly qualified coach.

On 12th May, 1980, a polite but firm rejection arrived from Major N S Lawson, the Private Secretary to the Princess:

"Her Royal Highness was most touched that you should think of her but I see from your letter that your Club has only recently been formed. I am afraid The Princess could not consider your request until the Club has become properly established in the local community and has been in existence for a number of years."

🎽 The True Club Colours Revealed

While the early design competition looked to the Stroud Coat of Arms for initial inspiration, the official rulebook formalised a unique triple-colour design for race day:

• The Kit: A green vest featuring one red and one blue horizontal hoop, paired with green shorts.

• The Mandate: Rule 16 strictly stated that all members competing in fixtures must wear these official club colours to bring honour, respect, and credit to SADAC.

📕 Expulsion & The Dreaded "Black Book"

Financial commitment was vital to keeping the self-supporting club afloat. The committee held serious enforcement powers for members who fell behind on their dues:

• The Deadline: Annual subscriptions officially became due on October 1st each year.

• The Penalty: If a member fell six months into arrears, the committee could formally expel them via registered mail.

• The Black Book: The expelled runner's name and address were forwarded to the Midland Counties Amateur Athletic Association to be entered into a official "Black Book". This completely suspended the individual from competing in any meeting under A.A.A. laws until their club debt was cleared.

👥 Committee Structure & Junior Parent Inclusion

The management framework was designed to ensure local parents had a direct voice in how the youth academy was run:

• The Executive Core: The club was managed by a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Minutes Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and a Coaching Officer.

• Parent Governance: To keep it a true family club, the rules allowed up to three parents of junior members (under 16s) to be elected directly onto the committee with "Associate Member" status.

• Youth Voting Rights: Demonstrating a remarkably progressive stance for the era, official voting rights at general meetings were extended to youth athletes over the age of 11.

📲 Mobile-First Quorum Reference Card

For a quick, scannable layout on smartphones, you can drop this breakdown into a Collapsible Group titled "How Early Club Votes Worked":

• Monthly Meetings: Held at least once every 8 weeks.

• Committee Quorum: Minimum of 5 members, which had to include at least one executive officer.

• General Meeting Quorum (AGM/SGM): Minimum of 15 members, which had to include at least three retiring officers.

• Rule Changes: Required a strict two-thirds majority vote from members present at a designated general meeting.

🏛️ The Original Club Constitution: Early Rules & Governance

• In the early days of Stroud & District Athletic Club, our community was built on more than just training sessions—it was built on a firm foundation of shared standards. When we look back at the 1983 Club Rule Book, we are reminded of the values that were instilled in every member from the very beginning.

• A Standard of Conduct

• Every new member was issued a copy of these rules upon joining, ensuring that whether we were training at Archway or competing across the Midlands, we were representing the club with the same level of discipline and pride. The document was clear: members were expected to wear the club colours—our iconic green vest with red and blue hoops—and to conduct themselves in a manner that brought "honour, respect, and credit" to the club.

Before the club had stable membership fees, Jackie spent the spring of 1980 writing to local and national businesses to raise funds and secure logistics. While corporate giants like Currys Ltd turned down the club's request (stating they restricted contributions strictly to registered charities), several local institutions stepped up to become founding patrons:

• Harry Mansfield Limited (Sports Retailer, London Road): Contributed a £5.00 cheque, accepted a Vice Presidency, and pledged to supply the club's first uniforms at "an extremely low price".

• Partridge Materials Handling Ltd (Woodchester): Delighted to support the new athletic venture, D.G. Partridge accepted a Vice Presidency and enclosed a substantial £25.00 donation.

• T. Butt & Son (Timber and Builders Merchants): Partner K.E.J. Hill accepted a Vice Presidency, contributing a £5.00 cheque under the commercial name.

• The Copeland-Chatterson Co. Ltd (Dudbridge): Director J.R. Flagg sent a £10.00 donation along with New Year wishes for the club's future success.

• Mitchell Cotts Transport Services (Dudbridge): Manager E.A.F. Gillespie officially authorised the club to use a commercial unit and trailer to build a float for the Stroud Show on July 19th, 1980.

• The Hour of Power: On April 5, 1981, the junior ranks staged a massive timed 1-hour sponsored run around the Archway School field to raise capital[cite: 9]. They cleared a staggering £213 profit[cite: 9].

• The Lap Records: Youth runner Brandon Wynn set the absolute distance record on the day, hammering out 18 complete laps (9 total miles) in a single hour[cite: 9]. Stephen Curtis and Sharon Willey secured the top fundraising spots by bringing in the highest volume of individual sponsors[cite: 9].

• Gloucestershire Woman of the Year: In 1981, minutes secretary Jane Frapwell was named "Gloucestershire Woman of the Year" for her tireless work with the athletic club and local causes, receiving her award directly from H.R.H. Princess Anne

Source - Tony Brown / Jackie Taylor Interviews and historic club documents

Before finding our footing at local schools, the club’s early committees spent years aggressively lobbying local councils and private businesses to build a dedicated training track in the Stroud area:

• The Marling School Joint-Use Agreement (1982): In November 1982, Stroud District Council's Arts and Recreation Officer, Peter Chalmers, officially coordinated a "Joint Use Agreement" between Gloucestershire County Council, Club Secretary Jackie Taylor, and Coaching Officer Colin Oberlin-Harris to formally establish a shared athletics track layout layout on the Marling School grounds.

• The Rejection at Old Brewery Tip (1983): In March 1983, the club submitted a highly detailed proposal to construct a permanent 400m, 6-lane running track facility at the rear of the Copeland-Chatterson Co. Ltd factory at Dudbridge (Old Brewery Tip).

• The Corporate Dilemma: On March 31, 1983, the company secretary officially rejected the release of the land. While stating they were highly sympathetic to local sports, the land had already been allocated for a factory warehouse and unloading dock—noting that the club's ambitions had placed the firm in the "unusual position of having to reconcile its charitable activities and its more important production requirements"

Proposed Site Features (1982–1983 Plans)

• Track Layout: A 6-lane, 400m track was the centerpiece, requiring significant leveling, topsoil, and reseeding.

• Field Facilities: The plan included specialized areas for throwing and jumping, specifically:

  • Shot, Discus, and Hammer Circles: Concrete circles with safety cages.

  • Jumping Facilities: A 9m x 2.75m sand-filled long jump pit and a separate high jump landing area.

  • Water Jump: A concrete water-jump pit (3.66m x 3.66m, 0.6m deep) featuring a barrier with tap and drain.

• Clubhouse & Infrastructure: The plans detailed a clubhouse, changing rooms, and a gymnasium (approximately 20m x 7m).

• Multipurpose Space: The site plan also accommodated a rugby pitch (100m x 60m) and hard-standing areas for car parking

Following a serious roadside collision involving junior star Sean Brosnan, the club took immediate steps to reform local road safety

• The Incident: Brosnan was struck while running on the highway. While the police pursued prosecution against the vehicle driver, the club faced intense local public scrutiny regarding group training safety

• The Emergency Reform: Chairman Bill Cratchley immediately formed a strict 4-man emergency sub-committee consisting of himself, Norman Long, Colin Oberlin-Harris, and Mr. Mills

• The Actions: This taskforce was ordered to design formal group training protocols, manage the emergency ambulance invoicing, and post notices to recruit club volunteers to undergo certified first aid courses with the Red Cross

🏛️ 1. Major Constitutional Update: Proposed Rule 17 (Trustees)

To support the club's ongoing efforts to transition to a permanent location, the committee introduced a fundamental structural rule change on its 1984 AGM agenda:

• The Proposed Rule: "The Club through its Committee shall have the power to appoint not more than four Trustees with such powers as are necessary for said Trustees, or their successors, to purchase, take a Lease or otherwise acquire and hold, land or buildings and any real or personal property for such consideration and terms as may be considered expedient".

📈 2. Financial Overview: The Most Successful Year Ever

The 1983/1984 financial statement shows an unparalleled excess of income over expenditure of £2,817.52. Treasurer Richard Lee noted that the club had successfully managed to increase its income every year of its five-year existence.

Key Revenue & Event Insights:

• The Half Marathon Effect: The 1983 Half Marathon was the primary growth driver, producing a total profit of £1,565.57. The upcoming 1984 Half Marathon was already looking strong, posting a provisional profit of £1,366.78 ahead of a major upcoming £1,600 bill for finisher medals.

• The Heineken 7 Deficit: The Heineken 7 Beer Race suffered from a direct fixture clash with the London Marathon. Despite the conflict, it still generated an actual profit of £98.09, though Whitbreads still owed the club a remaining balance of £27.60 at the close of the financial ledger.

• Surging Memberships: Reflecting an influx of new talent, annual subscription revenues jumped significantly from £308.00 to £551.50.

• The Levy Compromise: After a long, staunch refusal to pay any 50p unattached runner levies to the Midland A.A.A.s for the previous season's fixtures, the club successfully brokered a compromise, settling the debt entirely for a lump sum of £100.00.

📊 3. 1984 Membership Fee Restructuring

Driven by a sharp increase in the cost of hiring Archway School facilities and rising national affiliation fees, the committee officially adopted a subscription price increase:

• Family Membership went up to £8 from £5

• Senior membership Went up from £4 to £5

• Junior Membership went up from £2 to £2.50

(Note: A floor proposal by M. Chandler to enforce upfront subscription collections upon an athlete's first attendance was dropped because it was deemed too difficult to administer and inherently unfair to newcomers trying out athletics for a brief window.)

🏆 4. The 1984 Annual Award Winners

The presentation of trophies was handled by Mr. Vickers from the Stroud Building Society. The records note that Chairman Bill Cratchley ceremonially presented a custom scroll to Club Coach Colin Oberlin-Harris, granting him formal Life Membership for his foundational work since the club's inception.

To update your Roll of Honour page, here is the complete 1984 prize list:

• The Bateman Cup (All-Round Athlete): Sarah Hodge

• The Nemo Cup (Male Track & Field): Sean Brosnan

• Mr. & Mrs. Mills Trophy (Female Track & Field): Sally Cross

• The Club Award (Male Cross Country): Shared jointly by Sean Brosnan and Mark Fairley

• The Jackie Taylor Award (Female Cross Country): Sarah Hodge

• The Chairman's Cup (Road Running): Ron Ellis

• Stroud Building Society Members Trophy: Shared jointly by Richard Lee and Colin Oberlin-Harris

📑 5. Retrospective: Notes from the 1983 AGM Log

The accompanying minutes from the previous year's AGM (held September 30, 1983) outline a few critical milestones from that transitional phase:

• The Block Vote: Bill Cratchley officially assumed the role of Chairman in 1983 after the new executive roster was proposed and carried unanimously en bloc. Retiring Chairman Paul Jarvis was thanked for his leadership and for combining his executive duties with the Secretary's report.

• Early Corporate Sponsors: The 1983 logs highlight the first formalized corporate sponsorships for open events: Stroud Building Society (5 Mile), Auto-Rentals and Sandoe Luce Panes (Half Marathon), and Skol alongside Gloucester Insurance Services (Beer Race).

• Award-Winning Floats: The club relied heavily on community fundraising, spending weeks building large theatrical floats on transport lorries for the annual Stroud Carnival parade. They built a "Muppets" float in 1981, took 2nd Prize (£10) in 1982 for an "Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves" display, and secured Highly Commended in 1983 for an "Oliver" themed float.

• The Minchinhampton Common Beer Race: Hosted out of the New Lodge Inn on Minchinhampton Common on May 15, 1983, this iconic 3-lap, 7-mile race was sponsored by Halls Oxford & West Brewery (featuring Skol Lager). It was famously won outright by junior runner Kim Taylor—who didn't even drink beer!

• The Meningitis "Tactic": In the mid-1980s, Stroud made national news due to a local outbreak of meningitis. While a serious matter, the Stroud junior cross-country lads discovered a cheeky way to use the town's notoriety to clear out crowded starting pens at the regional Gwent League fixtures by coughing loudly and shouting, "We're from Stroud!", causing the surrounding packs to instantly scatter.

• The Indomitable Ron Ellis: The 80s cross-country squad was defined by immense characters, none more so than Ron Ellis (winner of the 1983 Top Road Runner Award). Tony Brown recalled Ron sprinting ahead, stopping to be violently sick into a hedge as the pack caught up, and instantly sprinting away again—repeating this routine multiple times a race out of an absolute refusal to lose his position.

• The Fun Runner 5 Banishment: Gloucester AC hosted an annual Fun Runner 5 mile race with a brilliant rule: if you ran faster than 30 minutes, you were officially banned from ever entering it again. For competitive SADAC runners, the ultimate badge of honor was turning up to the race with the explicit goal of getting themselves permanently banned from a fun run!

Source - Tony Brown / Jackie Taylor Interviews and historic club documents