ATHLETICS: Regional awards for Storm Plymouth, City of Plymouth’s Ingleby and Erme Valley’s Reed

STORM Plymouth, Jaime Ingleby and Keith Reed were among the winners at England Athletics’ 2025 South West Regional Volunteer Awards

Storm Plymouth scooped the club of the year top prize with the judges impressed by their inclusivity and community spirit.

Storm currently has 180 affiliated members of all standards, including visually impaired and autistic runners.

Club captain Julie Spencer said: “It really feels like you’re part of a family and it’s really inclusive. As a club they really bring the best out of people.”

Alongside their weekly running schedule, the club also give back to the local community in a variety of ways. They organise litter picking, make collections for food banks and charities and give their time volunteering at Parkrun and soup runs. They have built a strong bond with the Mayflower Specials, a group of adults with intellectual disabilities who love to play sport.

City of Plymouth’s Ingleby was named coach of the year at the awards ceremony in Exeter.

The judges described Ingleby as the ‘heartbeat’ of City of Plymouth and stated: “His energy, kindness, and tireless dedication have transformed the club into a thriving, inclusive community.”

Ingleby said: “I came from another sport, but my daughter started athletics and my involvement went from there. It’s so rewarding seeing young people achieve something they don’t think they can, but they can.”

Storm Plymouth’s Bianca Grunow was runner-up in the coach of the year category. She said: “There’s nothing better than seeing a runner progress and achieve goals they never thought they could.”

Erme Valley Harriers’ long-serving official Reed, who is also co-ordinator of the Armada Athletics Network, was honoured with a services to athletics and running award.

Reed has been involved in athletics in the region for more than four decades and is Erme Valley’s only ever secretary having taken on the role when the club was founded in 1983. He was also an official at the London Olympics in 2012.

“Even after all these years, you still get the same enjoyment when you see young people coming through, it gives you that buzz,” said Reed after picking up his award.

Meanwhile, Storm runners Lauren Knox and Charlene Matthews both impressed at the Newton Abbot Ladies’ 10k.

Knox took victory in a chip time of 39.01 minutes, with Teignbridge Trotters’ Chloe Olford second in 41.13 minutes and Matthews third overall and first F35 in 41.32 minutes.

Erme Valley Harriers’ Andrea Mitchell was first F55, while club colleague Alison Engledew was third F65.

Tamar Trotters athletes were among the prizes at the Marazion 10k in west Cornwall on Sunday.

There were age category wins for Jane Bremner (F65), Linda Tout (F75) and Anthony Worthington (M55), while club colleagues Kat Darby (F35), Helen Ralph (F65) and Barry Olver (M70) were second in their age sections and Alison Caldwell (F45), Sue Mason (F75) and Cris Peck (M60) claimed third places. East Cornwall Harriers’ Revis Crowle also won the F60 category.