Ilford AC 2021 AGM 22 March  

Feb 242021
 

Message from General Secretary

Having been forced to hold an “emergency” EGM/AGM last year and regrettably still being unable to have a “physical” meeting the committee proposes a virtual AGM this year. Notice as attached.

Anyone wishing to participate in this meeting (on Microsoft Teams) please notify me at ilfordacsec@gmail.com before the 22nd so I can send you the link.

Any items for discussion under any other business and any nominations (with detailed reasons and a seconder) for Life Membership to be notified to me by 15th March.

Similarly if anyone wishes to be nominated and seconded for a committee role or honorary position (as per the attached list) also send to me by 15th March. In absence of any other nominations the persons in column 2 on the list are proposed by the committee and will be voted for election on block.

As President Gary Floate’s normal two year term of office has been devastated by the pandemic situation he has been proposed and seconded for a third year in 2022/23.

Stay well and fit.

Andy Catton
General Secretary

pdf icon IlfordACPositionsandNominations.pdf
pdf icon IlfordACAGMAgenda.pdf

  BILL GARRETT R.I.P.  

Jan 202021
 

BILL GARRETT R.I.P.

Ilford AC members are mourning the passing of popular former race walker Bill Garrett, who turned out for the Cricklefields-based Club between the mid-70s & mid-90s.  Never a leading light, Mr.Garrett was a good solid back-up walker who could be relied on. Twice he closed home winning Ilford teams in Southern Area 50 Kilometres’ Championships, on both occasions around a bleak deserted Basildon industrial estate. On a more popular course around Battersea Park’s Queen’s Carriageway he was the Club’s 3rd scoring finisher (of 4) when winning a Southern Area 10 Miles’ Championship so claiming the coveted “Garnet Cup”.  He was proud when awarded race walking’s 10 kilometres-in-an hour badge, achieved in an Essex County AA 10,000 metres championship on Hornchurch Stadium’s track. Garrett twice race walked London Marathons, raising money for “The Marriage Guidance Council” and “Relate” – they being the same charity, having changed names between his first and second completions. He also appeared in triathlons.
He suffered a couple of notable setbacks.  In a Southern Area Garnet 10 Miles, Ilford with 3 men home waited for 4th scorer Bill to clinch certain team victory, when the man himself was “pulled” for a bent knee 15 yards from the finishing line on a bracing Clacton-on-Sea esplanade.  Not downhearted Bill was Ilford’s Club 3rd scorer a year later at Battersea Park in a winning “Garnet” quartet.  In an Essex County AA 3,000 metres championship at Hornchurch Stadium, organisers combined all categories into a composite event.  Each category had race numbers issued from 1 upwards.  We saw Murphy’s Law on the first bend of lap 1 when a youth was disqualified wearing No.8, resulting in a loud call of this number.  A startled judge panicked as 2 disgruntled No’s 8 trudged towards him unpinning numbers – a transgressing youth and Bill.  Bill lost much ground before it dawned on the judge what had gone wrong – so Bill rejoined the race – and finished it!
A keen supporter of Ilford’s social functions he suffered back complaints in his later time with the Club, which he didn’t attribute to athletics but a daily commute to inner London on decades’ old Central Line rolling stock which always gave a bumpy ride. Mr, Garrett worked in telecommunications and was presented with an engraved tankard in appreciation when retiring to Forfar in the mid-90s, where he died aged 86.

 

  John Weightman RIP  

Jan 012021
 

It is with great sadness that I am informing you that John died on Monday, 28th December 2020.
You will remember him as a loyal, long serving and talented thrower.
There are no funeral arrangements as yet but COVID restrictions would make attendance difficult.
His son David can be contacted on tel. no. 01277 654329.
Regards
Ray Radley
Such sad news to hear of John Weightman’s passing. I have so many happy memories of him being such a formidable member of our track team. He had such quiet composure, I always knew that maximum points or very close to it were assured in the events covered by John and his great partner Bill Bushnell. what a deadly duo they were. They will be greatly missed, both were exemplars of their art. as art it surely was.

Rest in Peace Lads, Gordon Crouch

Very sorry to hear of John Weightman’s passing. He was a regular and absolutely key team colleague in nearly all of the track & field events I participated in from my joining the Club in 1957.  I even holidayed with him with a group of Ilford athletes back around 1963, in a minibus driven by Ray Radley.  I seem to recall that John was competing in Southern League meetings until he was around 60.  He was a gentle soul who was able to channel his aggression entirely into propelling his discus out of the circle.  Quite possibly the highest points scorer in Ilford AC T&F history. Sadly I learned only recently that Bill Bushnell, our key javelin thrower of the same era, passed away in April or May last year. John Batchelor

Another Ilford legend departed.   John was indeed a “super thrower” an absolute stalwart of Ilfords Southern League team throughout the 1960’s, ’70’s and in to the ’80″s.   He remains in the top of the club all time lists 3rd Discus, 4th Hammer & 5th Shot. And was Essex County Champion Shot (1962) and 5 times Discus winner (1962 – 66)   Sad to end 2020 with yet another Ilford / Essex athlete passing on.   Andy Catton

  Baby Maya  

Dec 012020
 

Great news from Ilford AC’s Double-Olympian Neringa Masilioniene as her second born baby safely arrived this morning (Monday) – a sister for Jokubas who was born last year.
Writes Neringa :

Delivered my baby girl this morning at Harlow hospital. 
Momma and baby are doing well 

  Peter Ryan R.I.P. (1954-2020)  

Nov 132020
 

Ilford AC are mourning the death of one of their leading lights – Pete Ryan – who died peacefully in his sleep during the night and failed to rise this morning (Friday).  He was a pancreatic cancer sufferer in his final years.   He was a lifelong Sheffield Wednesday supporter and enjoyed watching football – having viewed Thursday evening’s match on television before retiring.
Peter, aged 66, a retired Police Constable, was a proud Yorkshireman who moved south to this area in the 70s – and stayed!
He was a tall man with a long stride and a formidable athlete in both running and race walking events, at a variety of distances, and one who also represented the British Police in representative matches.
His best moment came at Newmarket in 2003 when he won the British 100 Miles’ Walking Championship in 19 hours 57 minutes and 35 seconds. Dave Ainsworth.

How very sad indeed; this photo was taken only 3 years ago this very weekend.
Pete travelled the country competing, this was the Forres Harriers 10k event from Brodie Castle and I was the lead cyclist.
The previous year Pete turned up at the Glen Moray (distillery) 10k.
I was timekeeping and looked up in time to see an ‘old school’ race walker finishing. Turned out to be Pete whom I had not seen for years.
As I said, sad news , great bloke, will write to him.

Thanks,

Alex Ross