AN evening with a difference took place when Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers received its award for Running Club of the Year for Yorkshire and Humberside from Heidi Bielby, English Athletics club support manager for the region.

The award was received by Club Chair, Helen Ashworth. Heidi offered her congratulations to the club and went on to present the award for Innovative Coach of the year to Rob Burn.

Rob has been with the club for the best part of 40 years, and his enthusiasm never wanes.

In another presentation, Bronwyn Mayo was named member of the month. In all her 250-plus park runs, she has always been within eight seconds of her PB, and has become involved with coaching, regularly taking on club training sessions. At Wakefield recently, she was first lady out of 198 finishers in the local Park Run.

The latest club session took place in Kilburn Woods, and saw a return for Sonja and Drikus van der Westhuisen. They moved to Ireland last year and are sorely missed, but were unable to travel back after a visit to England because the atrocious weather caused the cancellation of the ferry from Stranraer.

Entries are still being taken for Thirsk 10, on March 13, 10am at Thirsk Racecourse.