Celebrating sporting excellence in Church Stretton

Church Stretton residents will be getting together on Monday 21 January at Church Stretton School - A Specialist Technology College at 7.00pm-9.00pm to celebrate the sporting achievements of their young people, and to welcome the launch of the Indoor Leisure Centre project.

The event will be hosted by Church Stretton's mayor, Beryl Smith, and the guest of honour will be local champion archery coach Tom Williamson. Tom has been an archery coach since 1971, and has recently qualified as a national coach. Tom, with wife Sue and several other original members, was instrumental in establishing Long Mynd Archery Club in 1978.

Over the last 28 years, the club has acquired a growing reputation for all sorts of initiatives, including offering opportunities for people with disabilities, developing a junior section and organising tournaments. The most important of these is the July FITA star, operated since 1990 as a double FITA over four days.

This event is still the only 4-day world record status FITA tournament available in the whole of Europe, attracting entries from Holland and Germany and one year even had some New Zealanders. Tom, together with his wife Sue, has coached and supported their daughter Alison, a club member, who has now been to the last 4 Olympic Games, always finishing in the top 10, and at Athens in 2004 she won a Bronze medal.

Alison has already qualified for the Beijing Olympics later this year, following competition in four World Cup stages, with a Silver medal in the 3rd of these in El Salvador, and qualification for the first World Cup Final where Alison came 4th, whilst being placed 3rd in the Commonwealth Championships, shooting for England. Alison is currently in New Zealand training for the summer season and what will be her fifth Olympic Games.

There will be performances of dance by Stretton School of Dance and Drama, a presentation on the Indoor Leisure Project, a question and answer session with local sporting stars, presentations by the headteachers of both Church Stretton's schools, the launch of the local fund-raising campaign for the Indoor Leisure Centre, and refreshments.

Building work on the Indoor Leisure Centre starts this year, and most of the £2.5m has been raised. However, equipment is still required for some of the community areas that will cost approximately £20,000, so a fund-raising campaign will be launched on 21 January. A large barometer, to be made in conjunction with local schoolpupils, will be 'christened' at the Celebrating Excellence event, and will then be put up on in a prominent position so everyone will be able to watch as the donations roll in.

Everyone is welcome.

9 January 2008