Final Chance to buy your Christmas Meal Ticket, Enter the Baltonsborough Christmas pudding race and XC Update.

Details: Written by: Alexander Coombs; Created: 29 November 2024; Last Updated: 29 November 2024; Hits: 307

In this article we have all your December updates, including your final reminder to purchase a ticket to our annual Christmas meal, information about all things cross country, enter the Baltonsborough Christmas Pudding race, and we have another Meet the Harrier interview for you to read.

Wells City Harriers Christmas Meal

Friday 6th December, Wells Golf Club

Please note this is your last chance to buy your ticket for the Christmas meal. Online tickets close at 23:30 on Friday 29th November. The evening will include the club London Marathon ballot draw, ceilidh and the presentation of the Bog Seat Award. You still have time to make a nomination. Have you witnessed anything worthy of a mention or nomination? If you have any nominations for this year’s award, please email them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Below is the menu choice for our Annual Christmas Meal, at Wells Golf Club, held on Friday 6th December. The subsidised cost is £20 (£15 for juniors). Non-member partners welcome (+£5).

Buy your tickets here.

Please pay your £20 prior to the evening.

Alternatively, you can pay using the card machine on a training evening or with cash, emailing the secretary (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) with menu choices.

Mains:

Roast turkey with stuffing & pigs in blankets

Rare topside of beef with Yorkshire pudding

Smoked haddock risotto with prawn

Gnocchi ricotta with pea puree & baby gem

Beetroot Wellington (Vegan)

Desserts:
Christmas pudding with a cream rum sauce

Rich chocolate mousse

Traditional trifle

Baltonsborough Christmas Pudding Race

The Baltonsborough Christmas Pudding race is back for another year. It is to be held on Sunday December 22nd. The five mile route starts at the race HQ from the village hall, Ham Street. The race will start at 11:00am. All finishers will receive

a Christmas pudding. Christmas fancy dress is encouraged but not essential. All profits raised from this race will go to the charity Rowan Romania. This is a UK charity that was founded by a group of Baltonsborough villagers in 2004, and is still run and primarily supported by Baltonsborough villagers. The charity is committed to supporting adults with special needs in a long-stay psychiatric hospital in Zarnesti, Romania. This hospital has around 150 patients, and is severely overcrowded and under-funded. Further details about the charity can be found at: www.rowanromania.com.

To enter the race, click here.

For more information about the race, visit the race website: www.baltonsboroughrace.com.

XC Update

We are well into the cross country season. Below is an update of all things to come.

Gwent League

The next fixture in the Gwent League is our closest fixture of the season at Blaise Castle on Saturday 30th November. We already have a large team attending. If you would also like to participate, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you have raced already this season, then please use the same bib and number you were allocated at your last race. All entry fees are paid for by the club. There are two more fixtures to go after Blaise Castle, however we take a short break over the Christmas period and return to action in February. More information about the Gwent League, including race results and league tables can be found here.

Wessex League

The final fixture in the Wessex League takes place at Canford School in Canford Magna on Sunday 15th December. If you have not raced in the previous fixtures, you must register yourself if you wish to enter. To register, click here.The club will pay for the entry fee, so select ‘League Team Member Registration (For members of registered clubs)’ when registering.

Tri-County XC Championships

The 2024-25 Season Tri-Counties Championships will be held on Sunday 8th December 2024, at Bath University, in conjunction with a Gloucester XC League fixture. Click here to enter. You will need to register on the system to enter. Entries close on Tuesday 3rd December.

Programme (Subject to change when entry levels are assessed):

11.00 – U13 Girls (2.8km 1 long lap)

11.20 – U13 Boys (2.8km 1 long lap)

11.40 – U11 Girls (1.9km 1 short lap)

11.55 – U11 Boys (1.9km 1 short lap)

12.10 – U15 Girls and U15 Boys (3.8km 2 short laps)

12.40– U17 Women and U17 Men (5.7km – 3 short laps)

13.10 – Senior & Masters Women, U20 Women, MV65+ (6.6km – 2 short, 1 long lap)

14.10 – Senior & Masters Men, U20 Men (10.3km – 1 short, 3 long laps)

South West XC Championships

The EA SW Region Cross Country Championships will take place at RNAS Merryfield, Ilton, on Saturday 4th January 2025. To enter click here. Please note, the 2025 event requires all people attending the event (including spectators) to register their name as part of new MOD requirements to visit the site. Please note the closing date to enter is Sunday 15th December, due to the new security requirements.

Meet the Harrier

Our latest edition of Meet the Harriers, interviews Carol Buckland. To read her interview click here.

Carol Buckland

News Reports

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this week’s report. If you’ve raced recently, please remember that we can only include your results if you send us a race report or photos to let us know about it. Send your race details and photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to be featured in the next report.

Dates For Your Diary

Here is a list of upcoming races, including WCH supported races, Somerset Series races, road relays, athletics league fixtures and other notable events. Contact club secretary Alexander Coombs if there is an event you would like adding. (SS = Somerset Series race)

November 2024

Saturday 30th November 2024 - Gwent League XC (Race 3 - Blaise Castle, Bristol)

December 2024

Friday 6th December 2024 - Wells City Harriers Annual Christmas Meal (Wells Golf Club)

Sunday 8th December 2024 - Tri County XC Championships [Gloucestershire XC League Race 3] (Bath University)

Wednesday 11th December 2024 - Street 5K (Race 3)

Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th December 2024 - Indoor Combined Events Championships

Sunday 15th December 2024 - Telford 10K

Sunday 15th December 2024 - Wessex XC League (Race 3 - Canford School)

Monday 16th December 2024 - Final Monday evening training of the year

Tuesday 17th December 2024 - Final Tuesday evening training of the year

Tuesday 17th December 2024 - Club Paarlauf (Millfield Athletics Track)