Berni Mundy and the late Kevin Sheppard are credited with starting the first training sessions back in 1981 when they were preparing for the London Marathon. Within a short time a small group of runners were assembling by the Fountain in the Wells Market place for the Wednesday run every week. The new Club was called Cathedral City Striders to start with and then changed its name to Wells City Harriers in 1982.
(photo below of the 2007 u13 boys team with Frank Tickner's England Cross Country Champions Trophy)
HISTORY 1981-2012
Tony Williams (whose sons and grandsons also compete(d) for us) was one of the early members:
“For a Club to be completely successful a certain degree of humility and unselfishness must be prevalent with the top runners always ready to help those not so talented. Elitism must end at the finishing post, for even the slowest runner must be included in the general success of the Club.
When we start running we are all beginners and even now many of us, myself included, are being ‘overtaken’ by the wealth of talent that has developed in Wells. This bodes well for the future and I hope that in the years to come we will still find the same air of companionship at the club between fast and slow alike.
If that continues Wells City Harriers can only go from strength to strength.”
(from the Harrier newsletter, 1984)
1981 - Club established at the time of the early 1980's running boom and initially called the Cathedral City Striders with members meeting on a Wednesday evening by the Fountain in the market Place in Wells. Many were training for the local races and some for the London Marathon. Kevin Sheppard & Berni Munday were the founder members. The first Wells Scouts Fund Run was held in October 1981 attracting 584 finishers. In that edition and the following year we can spot the then, or soon to be, Harrier members (If they’re still active as members of the Harriers as at 2023 they are indicated here with an asterisk!) : in the 1981 edition: Phil Thomas, Steve Mottershead, Stuart Marsh, Tony Williams, Steve Masters(*), Matt Sparkes(*), Paul Curtis, Gordon McBride, Al Thorner (*), Bernie Mundy (*), Anita Edwards and Terry & Nicki Shawe; then in the 1982 Wells Run: Clive Thomas, Stuart Marsh, Tony Williams, Steve Mottershead, Paul Curtis, Mick Mills, Steve Masters(*), Roger Evans, Dave Williams, Kevin Sheppard, Anita Edwards, Terry Shawe, Andrew Piper (*), Ian Teasdale, Arthur Vernoum, John Buckley, Richard Angel, Nikki Curtis, Colin Turner, Pete Hughes, Sue Williams (apologies if I’ve missed any from the listings!)
1982 - Now re-named Wells City Harriers and starting to help some of the local community races at Shepton Mallet, Glastonbury and the Wells Scouts Fund Run. The Club also organised its own race 'The Mendip Half Marathon' - up Wookey Hole to Deer Leap, back into Priddy and then down the Old Bristol Road. The race was held annually for 3 or 4 years and gathered fame as a tough one to do (not for a fast time!). Steve Masters was one of the competitors in one of the races.
1983 - The Harriers win the local Avalon Cross Country League. Members found time to support town twinning arrangements with Paray le Monial (France) & Bad Durkheim (Germany). They met the German runners at Dover and ran a relay back to Wells, prior to the signing of the town-twinning documents. Clive & Angela Thomas were becoming leaders within the Club with Clive becoming the Harrier's first County Champion when he won the County AA 5000m track race in May 1983. Harrier Stuart Marsh started his King of Glastonbury sequence by being 1st Glastonian home at the local race from 1983 through to 1998 inclusive.
1984 - Harriers went across to Germany to run in a 100km relay race with runners from Paray le Monial and Bad Durkheim finishing in the German City. On December 10th 1984 Mary Rand became the Club’s Honorary President. Her Gold medal winning achievement in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics are forever commemorated in the Wells Market Place.
1988 - After several years of training out of the Wells City Sports Club, in 1988 the Club relocated its training nights on a Wednesday to Wells Rugby Club. The Club inaugurated the Gerry Murray Memorial race in the Wells City Centre, with Clive Thomas as Race Director. Gerry was a Harrier member and teacher at the school in Cheddar. To start with the race was 8km in distance.The races were initially sponsored by Badgerline Bus Company and were held on a mid-week evening as part of an Avon & Somerset Series with races also held at Clevedon and Nailsea, and later at Bath (see photo below of the Series T-shirt from 1991)
1989 - The Club started to train on the new tartan track at Millfield main School in Street on a Tuesday evening, negotiated by Clive Thomas who was the Master in Charge of Athletics at Millfield Prep School. Having floodlights meant we could train quality sessions all through the year. Over the XC season, coaches were organised to take members to the Avalon XC League fixtures at Salisbury, Weymouth & Exeter and, led by team captains Paul Curtis and Rob Mylne, the Harriers won the League again. The Club was still predominantly a men's Harrier Club, but membership records show that 9 women had joined by this year. A small junior section was also established and in addition to being a cross-country and road running Club we became a track and field club too.
1990 - In October the Street Race Series was started, again under the Race Directorship of Clive Thomas. 6 races over the autumn/winter period as a time trial mainly for the Harriers, but with others coming along when they heard about it. The race conisted of 4 laps of a circuit in Street, run on the pavement starting & finishing on the corner of the High Street & Farm Road. It was slightly more than 5k. After a few years, we had to change the route to what is now the more familiar 5 lap circuit in order to avoid running past the Fire Station just in case there was a call out during the race! By chance the 5 laps were the equivalent of 5k. In this year we also heped the local junior/primary schools to set up their Mendip schools XC League. In these early years the Harrier committee used to meet on the first Wednesday of every month after the training session in the Wells Rugby Club HQ. Communicating with members involved phone calls and a printed newsletter which had to be posted out if the member didn't attend training. Twice a year the Committee also produced a blue printed fixture card with all the team events and key races listed.
1991 - In the early 1990's with the good coaching provided, through Clive & Angela Thomas, Marion & Chris Colman, and Rachel & Ian Humphreys and others, they enabled a number of youngsters to achieve national ranking status at various jumps and running events.At the November 1991 Avalon XC League fixture, which was combined with the South West XC Championships, 59 senior Harriers competed. By now, the annual end of the year Harrier parlauf event had been inaugurated by Clive & Angela. Based on their experience with their previous Club they organised it for Xmas Day! So the photo here below is at a snowy Millfield track on that day in 1991.
1992 - In April 1992 another town twinning arrangement took place with the Harriers sending a squad of members to Bad Durkheim in Germany. Photo below. Clarks CICA division agreed to sponsor the Gerry Murray Races for the first time. CICA also agreed to sponsor the Club kit. This sponsorship was arranged through Harrier member Tony Linford. After the running boom of the 1980's a number of small running groups had emerged in the local area and as some of them dwindled their members then joined the Harriers so we welcomed the runners from Street Runners (Ian Eddy and Terry KIngham) and from the Butleigh Runners (David Heeley, Paul Knight and others).
1993 - The Gerry Murray races were moved from a mid-week slot to the late May Bank Holiday with Road closures in place, and CICA funded prize money on offer, which attracted the country's top runners, two of whom seen in the photo below. A large squad of dedicated members underpinned the whole event. The first of a number of annual minibus trips to Normandy for the Argentan half and full marathon took place. The Club's 'unofficial' Sports psychologist Andy Smith gave one of his motivational talks to the members competing ('run without a watch'!).
1994 - Three of the Club's members were active postholders for the Somerset County AA, with Clive Thomas as Chairman, Paul Chadwick as Secretary, later as Treasurer & XC Secretary, and Ian Humphreys as men's team manager. They helped guide and shape County athletics for a very long time - supporting the County AA Championships and arranging Championship XC courses etc. A special Sunday afternoon training session was held at Millfield track to celebrate our Hon Presidents's Olympic Achievements from 30 years previously at Tokyo. Mary Rand attended and was accompanied by Lyn Davies (Long Jump Gold, 1964), Ken Matthews (Race Walk Gold, 1964) and Mary Peters (Olympic Pentathlon Gold at Munich, 1972). A number of the Harrier committee members attended a Gala Dinner hosted by former Welsh Rugby Player & BBC commentator Cliff Morgan. The Club competed for the first time in the South West Athletics League, starting in Division Three and gaining instant promotion, celebrated by a mug given to all of the Harriers who competed.Paul Chadwick team managed a Harrier team at the inaugural Cotswold Way Relay races for the first time, until retiring from this post in 2019. Photo below shows that very first team
1995 - The Club's Annual trip to the South Of England XC Championships at Parliament Hill, London, was a major day out with an early morning coach organised to take the runners there. The Gerry Murray Races hosted the British Veterans 5km Championships and the CICA sponsorship was added to with Mendip Council support. The races were accompanied by a specially organised pole vault event that also took place in the Wells Market Place, arranged by Harrier member Elspeth Turner.Throughout the period 1994-1997 the Gerry Murray 5km race was to provide the fastest 5k road times in the UK. Former European 5000m Champion, Jack Buckner, came and spoke one year at a specially organised evening Q&A. By the end of 1995 the Harrier team had again been promoted in the South West Athletics League, from Division 2 to Division 1. Harrier members had also started to compete and win at the Southern Fell Running Championships, thus demonstrating that the Club was for all athletic dsiciplines.
1996 - Partly as a result of a members survey, the Club held initial discussions with Yeovil Olympiads (Bill Whistlecroft) to see how the two Clubs could work better togather. As County AA Secretary, Paul Chadwick organised the Somerset Race Series to encourage all Clubs to work together and in its first year with 6 Clubs involved it was called the 'CICA 6' with sponsorship. In later years, Roy Smart (of Crewkerne RC) and Brian Beale (Burnham Harriers) worked with Paul to expand the Series and gain new sponsorship. Harrier Wayne Speake won the inaugural Series Trophy. Olympian Kiriss Akabusi was the Harrier's Annual Dinner speaker and he gave a very thought-provoking account of his upbringing and the challenges he had faced. On the social front there was the first Club social trip by minibus to Snowdonia where the fell running section in particular were able to enjoy some training.
1997 - At the AGM a proposal to merge with Yeovil Olympiads was deferred in favour of more discussions. Mike Derbidge, Ken Derham and Richard Angel stood down from the committee - each after 10 years in their respective posts of Chairman, Secretary and Press Officer. Tatiana Storie, Helen Rutter, Rachel Wray and Angela Thomas organised the Club's first Running Sisters programme to encourage more women runners - it was the first of many such initiatives to encourage newcomers, now using the 'Couch to 5k' label.
1998 - The first Harrier to gain a TeamGB vest was Amber Gascoigne, selected initially for the junior World XC Championships and later for the World Junior Games. The Gerry Murray races this year were the last to be held after a ten year span - due to a lack of sponsorship, some problems with the course, and a decline in volunteers. (That's a date typo on the1998 programme below!) The Club was, however, already assisting a number of other local races with advice, guidance and practical support - the Babcary Race (Gary Tubridy); the Butleigh Race (Dave Heeley); the Baltonsborough Race (the Hennessys); and the Shepton Mallet race (Sue Rushforth); the Glastonbury Fun Run (Glastonbury Town Council).
1999 - The Club continued to grow and more juniors were selected for TeamGB and Team England. Clive Thomas's coaching was well respected and he attracted a number of top athletes to seek his advice and coaching.
2000 - The Partnership agreement with Yeovil Olympiads was signed in September 2000 meaning that YOAC members automatically became first claim for the Harriers at Road, offroad and cross- country teams; and Harrier members automatically became first claim members of YOAC for Track & Field. This has worked well for both Clubs as together we have been able to play to our individual Club strengths and then to punch above our weight at regional and national level competitions - often being the only Somerset Club taking part at such a level. Pete Darton was the first member of YOAC to join a Harrier team when he ran at the Southern Road Relays that month.
2001 - Foot & Mouth disease meant that all off-road races were cancelled this year meaning that other than the track, the roads became the only option for training and racing. The Harrier's womens team finished its highest position ever at the National Road Relays -15th - with a team of Amber Gascoigne, Claire Stephenson, Jane Livings, Claire Wallington, Elaine Priest, and Sam Blackwell. The Club arranged its first subsidised Physio service with a local provider and this carried on for a number of years on an 'opt-in' basis, with members paying a small optional additional fee at the beginning of the membership year.
2002 - The Harrier's mens team achieved their highest position to date when they finished 28th in the National 6-stage Road Relays with a team of Carl Morris, Jon James, Ben Tickner, Andy Hennessy, Eddie Richards and Pete Darton. A new Development plan was adopted by the Club, informed by a member's survey. Colin Turner & Paul Chadwick compiled the first written history of the Harriers celebrating 21 years, and Pete Hughes edited a Club Photo montage for its front cover as seen below. The Wednesday training session was probably still the largest training section in the Club at the time. Some seen here are still running now in 2023....
2003 - A few of the Harrier coaches decided to strike out on their own to coach just juniors and have their own Club (Mendip AC). The Harrier committee however, backed the objective of keeping the Harriers as a Club which catered for all ages at all athletic disciplines. During the summer some of the experienced coaches, such as Karen Nicodemi, Lawrence Whitehead and Rachel Wray returned to help coach the juniors whilst a new cohort of members were trained up to become coaches - starting with Paul Chadwick & Helen Rutter, and then subsequently followed over the next few years by Graham Goldsmid, Kaye Watts, Clive Gibbons and Jeremy DeQuidt. These coaches helped to reinvigorate the Junior section under Clive Thomas's mentoring and the Monday junior sessions were soon back to catering for over 50 juniors.
2004 - The Senior Women were 5th at the Southern XC Championships - their highest ever position.
2005 - The Harrier Senior Men achieved their highest ever team position of 2nd at the Southern Road Relays at Aldershot. By this year, the Wednesday training group had started regular 'pub runs' in the summer months and Terry Kingham, seen above, took all on an excellent run around Westhay Moor Reserve - see photo above - before we alighted on the Railway Inn. The Club also continued to hold its Annual Dinner, with Stuart Marsh inevitably hosting a Quiz that taxed most of us. In the summer holidays, the Harrier's Monday coaches started to organise each year a low cost, 3 or 5 day athletic training camp for youngsters by hiring the Millfield track. These were held every summer for some 10 years with coaches taking unpaid time off their ordinary work to attend and coach. Photo below from the Harrier's Running, Jumping & Throwing camp in 2006
2006 - By now, there had been moves afoot in Wells to again organise a local race and inevitably some senior Harriers had taken the lead. Andrew Deamer and his family, in particular, succesfully organised the Wells Fun Run, later called the Wells Festival of Running, for many years. They had to cope with all sorts of challenges over the years such as when a new Morrisons Supermarket was built with its access road across the original route, but overall it was a big hit, and raised money for local causes. (Photo below from May 2006). The Harrier Senior Men were 2nd again at the Southern Road Relays at Aldershot. The Avalon XC League had been replaced by the Wessex XC League some years earlier and the Harrier juniors and seniors were winning many of the individual and team awards - see photo below from the end of the 2006/07 League season. But by now the League was beginning to see a diminution in quality of competition as some of the bigger traditional Clubs, like Somer AC, Salisbury AC & Pewsey Vale, left and the fixtures on offer weren't as attractive.
2007 - The Harriers had their first individual national champion when Frank Tickner won the 2007 English XC Championship race up in Sunderland - he was 400m clear of the 2nd placer that day. (photo below). The Harrier Senior Men achieved their highest team position to date of 5th at the English XC Relays with a team of Andy Hennessy, Ben Tickner, Adrian Marriott, and Frank Tickner. The Harrier Senior Men also achieved their first top ten placing at the National Road Relays with an 8th place. Following consultation with our partners at Yeovil Olympiads (Geoff Cole & Annette Weale) the Harrier committee decided to join the Gwent XC League from October 2007 which would entail longer journeys but higher quality. Previously some of our top athletes had competed in the League as guests. Now we were fully paid up League members and then for a number of years, Paul or Clive would drive a minibus from Street, whilst Geoff from Yeovil would drive one from there to ensure we could get a good turn out at these fixtures. The photo below is from the Singleton Park, Swansea fixture which was our very first Club appearance in this League. The senior men started out in Division 4.
2008 - In January, the Harrier Senior Men were 5th at the Southern XC Championships at Parliament Hill. In March the Harrier senior men won the Gwent Division 4 title and were promoted to Division 3
2009 - The success in the Gwent XC League continued - the Senior men again won their Division and were now promoted from 3 to 2. Meanwhile the Novice Boys and u13 boys won their Age groups and those performances along with other junior results gave us the Best Junior Club award from the Gwent XC League. The good coaching throughout the age groups was starting to pay dividends. In March 2009 we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the running of the Street 5k Series with a cake.
2010 - Again, following the final fixture in March, the Senior Men's team was promoted from Division 2 of the Gwent League to Division 1. At the Southern Road Relays at Aldershot in September, the u13 boys team was 2nd. whilst the u15 girls were also 2nd; and the u15 boys team was 4th at the same venue. On the coaching front in the 2010's, we welcomed Tom Dukes, Rex Whitcombe, Al Thorner, Chris Collier and Isaac Whitcombe as coaches to work with the Monday juniors, augmenting the good work that Paul Chadwick & Graham Goldsmid continued. The Tuesday sessions were still overseen by Clive Thomas, and then later with assistance from Adrian Marriott and by the mid-2010's Jon James and Simon Prior becoming qualified as coaches. Also in the mid-2010s, to support beginners on a Wednesday evening Lynne Elstob & Sharon Bowles became qualified as Leadership in Running Coaches.
2011 - The Senior Men once again excelled with winning outright the Division 1 title at the Gwent XC League. (Above the Gwent League plates awarded for the Harriers as they went up the Divisions and for the best Junior Club in 2009). Meanwhile, the u15 girls were 1st at the SW XC Championships; whilst the u15 boys were 2nd at the same SW XC Chamionships and then later that month were 9th at the Southern XC Championships. Later in the autumn the u15 boys team were 2nd at the National Road Relays at Sutton Park.
2012 - The highlight of the year was undoubtedly the welcoming back to Wells of our Hon President Mary Rand. One of the early Harrier stalwarts, Tony Williams, worked behind the scenes to ensure that in this London 2012 Olympic Year that Mary would be recognised for her Olympic achievement back in 1964, with the Freedom of the City of Wells. Tony organised and orchestrated a wonderful procession in the City, replicating some touches that had taken place in 1964, followed by a formal Dinner at the Wells Golf Club. Harrier members old and young took part in the procession waving the flags! That's Tony leading the way below, Mary was in an open topped vintage car behind! Mary also joined us at a Monday training session (photo below) to inspire the next generation of youngsters. The original Pathe News coverage of the procession from 1964 can be seen here. A few Harrier committee members took part in the formal proceedings enacted by the City Council for her to receive her honour. Meanwhile, in competition, the strength in depth across all age groups continued to be revealed: At the Gwent XC League after the final fixture in March : the u15 girls were 2nd; the u15 boys were 2nd; the u17 women were 3rd; and the u17 men were 2nd.
MORE HISTORY to FOLLOW - if you think we have missed any relevant or important detail in the potted history above then please let us know. Most photos and some/most of the text by Paul.
Photo below of a big Harrier turn out at the Full Monty Cute multi-terrain race when it used to start & finish by Montecute House.
The Harriers have been fortunate to have a number of 'driving forces' throughout its history - otherwise we wouldn't have been as successful as we have been. Many who have served on the committee, or as coaches, as officials, or as team managers etc have given up hours of time - some every week, for many years if not decades. To continue to be successful, all new members and parents of juniors should stop and think 'what can I do to help?'. The sum of the parts is much greater than the individual elements. We try to formally acknowledge the voluntary efforts of our members every year, and for some we have granted them Hon Life Membership.
We have some dedicated committee members which has given us excellent stability.
Past Chairpersons:
1986-1996 Mike Derbidge;
1996- 2003 Clive Thomas;
2003- 2015 Paul Chadwick;
2015- 2016 Simon Prior;
2016- 2023 Graham Goldsmid;
2023- Ed Tickner
Amongst our current coaches, Paul Chadwick & Graham Goldsmid have now been coaching almost 20 years.
Beyond the finish line recalls some of our members who are no longer with us but who have contributed in some small way to making the Club what it is.
COMPETITIONS
We currently (2023) compete as a team in the following:
Track & Field (competing as Yeovil Olympiads)
British National Championship (u17s upwards). We are the only Somerset Club at a national level - we were Division One winners & promoted in 2022!
South West Athletics League (all age groups u13 upwards) - 2nd in 2022 out of 13 teams
We also team manage and support individual athletes to compete at regional and national track & field competitions, including some that compete at Indoor track and field during the winter season.
Road (competing as Wells City Harriers)
'Southern' and National Road Relays 6 stage and 12 stage events for men; 4 stage & 6 stage for women; 3 stage for girls and boys
Cross-Country (competing as Wells City Harriers)
Gwent XC League
Wessex XC League
Somerset XC Championships
South West XC Championships
Southern XC Championships
National XC Championships
National XC Relays
Fell Running (competing as Wells City Harriers)
Southern Fell Running Championships
Cotswold Way Relay & other long distance relays
ROLL OF HONOUR
HON LIFE MEMBERS
For services to the Club or to sport:
Berni Mundy (Founder Member)
Elspeth Turner
Tony Linford
Colin Turner
Angela Thomas
Clive Thomas
Karen Nicodemi
John Reynolds
For athletic achievement (Selection to compete for Britain (i.e. TEAMGB) as a Wells City Harrier)
Amber Gascoigne
Andy Hennessy
Ben Tickner
Frank Tickner
Adrian Marriott
Oliver Fox
Luke Prior
Elise Thorner
Ollie Thorner
Harry Barton
INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS:
NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Selection for Team GB at WORLD XC Championships & at EUROPEAN XC & Track Championships: Frank Tickner (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011);
Selection for Team GB at WORLD XC Championships: Ben Tickner (2005)
Selection for Team GB at EUROPEAN u23 Track & Field Championships (1999) 3000m Steeplechase: Andy Hennessy
Selection for Team GB at WORLD Junior XC Championships: Amber Gascoigne (1998)
Selection for Team GB at Marathon (Toronto): Adrian Marriott (2007)
Selection for Team GB at WORLD XC Championships (2019) & at EUROPEAN XC Championships (as a Junior 2015 & as an u23 2018) and at the Edinburgh XC International: (2015) Oliver Fox
Selection for Team GB at WORLD Junior XC Championships: Luke Prior (2017)
Selection for Team GB at EUROPEAN Track & Field Championships (under 18, 2018 & under 23, 2021 & Seniors, 2022): Elise Thorner (Steeplechase);
Selection for Team GB at EUROPEAN Track & Field Championships(under 18) Ollie Thorner (Decathlon) (2018)
Selection for Team GB at Manchester International for u'20 team Harry Barton (110m Hurdles) (2021)
Selection for England at Steeplechase at both Junior & Senior Level: Laura Parker (2010)
Selection for England at Senior Level, Lotto Cross Cup, Ann Taswell
Selection for England Juniors at Brussels Lotto Cross Cup Isobel Glaisher & Oliver Fox (2014)
Selection for England u23s at Rennes 10k road race Oliver Fox (2019)
Selection for England u20s at Elgiobar XC International (Spain): Luke Prior (2017)
Selection for England u20s at InterTrust Games (Channel Isles) 1500m: Elise Thorner(2018)
Selection for England u20s at Trofeo 10k Road Race (italy): Dan Maydew (2022)
Selection for Wales u20s (2015) at Antrim Home Countries International: Matthew Dickinson
Selection for Wales u20s (2017) at Cardiff Celtic International: Oliver Dickinson
National (English) XC Champion: Frank Tickner (2007 & 2009)
UK Inter-Counties Champion: Frank Tickner (2007 & 2013)
Welsh XC Silver medalist u20s: Matthew Dickinson (2015)
National Senior Steeplechase Bronze: Elise Thorner (2022)
National u23 Steeplechase Champion: Laura Parker (2010); Laura was also British Universities Champion at Steeplechase in 2010.
National u20 110m Hurdles Silver Harry Barton (2021)
National u17 3000m Track Gold Tom Webb (2023)
Regional Championships
Cross Country First/Gold medal Southern XC Championships: Frank Tickner (2008 & 2013) & Ben Tickner (2012)
Runner up/Silver Medal Southern XC Championships: Ben Tickner (2011) & Frank Tickner (2014) & Matthew Dickinson (u20 2015)
Third/Bronze Medal Southern XC Championships: Ann Taswell (1999) & Amber Gascoigne (2004) & Isobel Glaisher (u17w 2014)
Track & Field:First/Gold medal for Southern T&F Championships u20s 5000m on the track Luke Prior (2017)
Fell Running The Harriers have also provided the individual gold medalists/Champions at the annual Southern Fell Running Championships on a number of occasions: Helen Rutter (1995 & 1996); Laurie Phippard(nee King) (2004); Jenny Moore (2007); and Paul Chadwick (1996). Paul continues to administer these Championships (3 races over a weekend on the Isle of Wight in September) on behalf of the South of England Athletic Association, in conjunction with Ryde Harriers.
Amongst other notable hill-running achievements, Chris Kelsey was the first Club member to achieve the completion of the 'Bob Graham Round' within 24 hours. Oli Frost also achieved the feat in 2014. John Reynolds (2015) & Oli Frost (2016) have also completed the Ultra Trail Mt Blanc.
Somerset Race Series: A number of Harriers have won outright the Somerset Race Series over the years since it was inaugurated in 1996: Jenny Moore (6 times); Wayne Speak (3); Paul Levick; Les Lock; Denise Hoogesteger; Angela Thomas; Sue Cook; Jon Gilling; Nathan Young; Kieran Young; Tim Hawkins; Ali Blaney; Christian Green; Matt Lusby
English Schools Champions/Medal winners at Cross-country: Frank Tickner (Inter Boys Champion, 2000); Emily Smith (Junior Girls Champion, 2010); Dan Maydew (Senior Boys, 2021 virtual event); Silver medal - Oliver Fox (Senior Boys 2015); Bronze medal - Sophie Nicholls (Inter Girls - 2022)
In addition to Frank & Emily, a number of the Club's juniors have been selected to compete for English Schools at the international schools match: Oliver Fox (2011 & 2013 & 2015), Isobel Glaisher (2012), Sam Sommerville (2012);
English Schools Champions/Medal winners at Track & Field: Elise Thorner Inter-girls 1500m Steeplechase Champion (2017); Harry Barton (Senior Boys, 110m Hurdles, 2021)
whilst Emily Smith was also 1500m Steeplechase silver medalist (Senior Girls 2014); and Sophie Hamilton was 1500m bronze medalist at the same Championships (Junior Girls 2014).
Elise selected to represent English Schools at the SIAB match July 2017. Sophie Nicholls selected 2022.
A number of the Club's veterans have been selected to compete for Wales or England at Masters XC Matches: Angela Thomas (Wales); Dickie Wythe, Les Lock, Jon James, Jenny Moore & Clive Harwood (England). Tim Hawkins has been selected as a V40 representative for England at Masters Marathon distance.
TEAM SUCCESS
(The following list includes only the performances as Wells City Harriers - in addition we have contributed to many excellent team performances when competing as Yeovil Olympiads AC at Track & field team events) Top performances - top ten - only included here
Senior Men: 2nd at Southern 6 stage Road Relays (2005 & 2006); & 4th (2007); & 5th (2004)
5th at English XC Relays (2007)
5th at Southern XC Championships (2008); & 7th (2010)
8th at English Road Relays (2007)
9th (12 to score) at Southern XC Championships (2010)
7th at Southern 12 stage relays (2008)
1st at Gwent XC League Div 1 (2010/11);
1st Gwent XC Div 2 (2009/10);
1st Gwent XC Div 3(2008/09);
1st Gwent XC Div 4 (2007/08) - our first year In this League
1st Gwent XC Div 3 (2021/22);
1st Gwent XC Div 2 (2022/23).
2nd at SW XC Championships (2011 & 2018)
3rd at Gwent Xc League Div 1 (2011/12)
1st at Tri-County XC Championships (2012)
Senior Women: 1st at SW XC Championships (2011)
1st at Cotswold Way Relay (1995,1996 & 1997) (as Mendip Mudlarks)
5th at Southern XC Championships (2004)
Veteran Men: 1st at Cotswold Way Relay (1999)
3rd V50 team at Southern Road Relays (2014)
2nd V40 team at Gwent XC League (2012/13)
3rd V50 team at Gwent XC League (2011/12 & 2012/13)
u17 women:
6th at National Road Relays (2022)
1st at SW XC Championships (2013)
7th at Southern Road Relays (2018)
9th at Southern XC Championships (2010)
1st at Gwent XC League (2012/13)
3rd at Gwent XC League (2011/12)
u17 men: 1st at SW XC Championships (2013)
2nd at Gwent XC League (2011/12 & 2012/13 & 2014/15)
5th at Southern Road Relays (2014)
6th at Southern Road Relays (2013)
u15 girls: 1st at SW XC Championships (2011 & 2013)
10th at Southern XC Championships (2011)
2nd at Southern Road Relays (2010) & 7th (2011)
3rd at Southern Road Relays (2014)
2nd at Gwent XC League (2011/12)
3rd at Gwent XC League (2014/15)
u15 boys: 2nd at English Road Relays (2011)
1st at SW XC Championships (2018)
2nd at SW XC Championships (2011 & 2013)
1st at Gwent Xc league (2012/13)
2nd at Gwent XC League (2011/12)
9th at Southern XC Championships (2011)
4th at Southern Road Relays (2010) & 9th (2011 & 2018)
u13 girls: 5th at English Road Relays (2013)
2nd at Southern Road Relays (2013)
2nd at SW XC Championships (2018)
10th at Southern XC Championships (2009)
u13 boys: 1st at Gwent XC League (2008/09 & 2010/11)
2nd at Southern Road Relays (2010) & 5th (2009) & 6th (2011)
3rd at SW XC Championships (2018)
2nd at Gwent XC league (2012/13)
3rd at Gwent XC League (2011/12)
6th at Southern XC Championships (2008 & 2010) & 9th (2005)
Novice Boys: 1st at Gwent XC League (2008/09)
3rd at Gwent XC League (2011/12)
Juniors: Top Junior Club perfomances Gwent XC League (2008/09)
(more team performances at Championships & Leagues to be added; Please advise Paul of any outstanding team or individual performances not on this page)
We make Annual awards to our members for their achievements and a note of those awards appears in our Annual Report to the Membership made at the AGM every May. One of the awards given out at the Annual Dinner is the prestigious Bog Seat award presented to the Harrier who has done the daftest thing the previous year - many of the committee have proven to be talented at this! A list of the Bog Seat winners is here.
For those who enjoy delving into the past, there are also old photos and race reports from previous incarnations of the website.
There is a printed Wells City Harriers History publication covering the first 21 years of the Club that was edited by Colin Turner & Paul Chadwick (2002). Ask them if you want to read the details.
Below; u15 girls team at the English Road relays (2015) - Elise in the middle subsequently selected for TeamGB at u18, u23 & senior level; whllst Sophie on right gave up athletics in order to concentrate on her hockey and is now part of the GB Hockey squad & won Commonwealth Games Gold medal for Team England in 2022.