Obituary Bob Beningfield  

May 232021
 

Obituary

It is my sad duty to inform the membership of the death of Bob Beningfield. Marion his wife, wrote that Bob died peacefully on Easter Sunday after a long illness.

If memory serves me right Bob came to the club in the mid 1970’s from a background with Frenford Youth Club. He was a friendly upright character who made an important positive contribution to the club. He liked to reminisce over a pint.

He loved to compete in the pole vault. He was ranked 17th best ever in the club rankings with a height of 3m 10cm and ranked 3rd as a vet., clearing 3m dead. He regularly represented the club in the pole vault at league meetings and was always prepared to pass on his experience to others. In time this led him to establish a group of young athletes, that included Dede Singh, Neil Keane and Wayne Hick. Bob entered these athletes and others under Frenford colours to compete in the London Youth Games. They went on to represent London in the National Youth Games in cross country and track, bringing home victory on a number of occasions. His first instinct was always to give.

Our sincere condolences go to his wife Marion.

Rest in peace Bob.

Gordon Crouch.

P.s. My thanks to Wayne Hick, Alun Jones and Gary Floate for their help with the above.

  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

  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