On Friday evening, members of Sussex AA gathered in a conference room at Withdean Stadium in Brighton for the 2024 AGM.
It was a night to celebrate the county's many successes, from Brighton Olympic medallists Amber Anning and Toby Harries to one of our best-ever team performances at the English Schools' cross-country championships. The year also saw many international age-group selections, along with record-breaking club, county, and national performances.
The AGM also marked a transition in leadership. One of the county's most loyal servants, Chichester's Phil Baker, handed over the Presidential baton to another stalwart of Sussex athletics, Lewes AC’s Dave Leach. Both men have spent decades supporting athletics at a club and county level. We are deeply grateful for Phil's unswerving service and extend a warm welcome to Dave as the new figurehead.
We also send a special thank you to Steyning's Ron Penfold, a former President, who has stepped down from the Sussex Executive Panel. Ron’s dedication to race walking and county athletics has been second to none.
We are fortunate to have so many people in the county who are prepared to sacrifice their precious free time for our sport and are integral to its growth and development. Three such individuals were appointed as Vice Presidents: Fiona Newport of Crawley AC, Richard Carter of Brighton and Hove AC, and Peter Miller of Lewes AC. We congratulate and thank them all for their invaluable and ongoing contributions.
A special mention is needed for Kate Matthews, Sussex AA's longstanding Operations Manager. Kate is the driving force behind the success of so many of the county's events. She organises the fixtures and manages the administration to ensure everything runs smoothly. As if that was not enough, she is also the reluctant treasurer, so if any retired financial wizard would like to relieve her of that duty, please touch base.
Through Kate's annual report, the meeting celebrated and thanked the many volunteers who keep our sport alive in Sussex. We extend our gratitude to all the officials, coaches, county and club team managers, exec and club committee members, and all helpers - both regular and occasional. Without your support, our sport would not survive.
If you have time or interest, we encourage you to get involved. With an ageing population of supporters, particularly officials, the future of county competitions depends on new volunteers stepping up. Without your help, we cannot guarantee the same level of competitive opportunities in the years ahead. You can find out more about officiating or coaching here.
Members attending held a minute’s silence to remember the late, much-loved Robbie Fitzgibbon of Brighton Phoenix, whose death was announced last week.
Read the annual report here.