The 20th Annual General Meeting of The Saxons was held at the Saxmundham Sports and Recreational Club, The Sports Ground, Carlton Park on Tuesday 14th April 2026 at 7.45pm

Chair’s Report by John Axtell

The past year has seen The Saxons continue to grow in membership, and it is true to say that there is a real vibrancy around the club. The effort put in by the committee and the coaching team has resulted in establishing an ethos that is welcomed and appreciated by the members. The Saxons remains a positive part of many people’s lives, providing a supportive social environment to allow all to improve and maintain their wellbeing, fitness and running.

Coaches

All club-night sessions are very well attended, and it is important to recognise that this is ultimately due to the supportive and encouraging approach of the very dedicated coaches who manage to be simultaneously challenging and nurturing to members of all levels of fitness, speed and strength. All members feel welcome and valued. A huge thanks to James as Lead Coach, and to all the coaching team. I would like to urge other members to consider developing their skills, and to consider taking on coaching roles in the future.

Events

There are always countless opportunities for members to pursue their goals outside club-nights. Some popular events include: our monthly ‘Saxons on Tour’ events at local parkruns; the cross-country season which is always hotly anticipated by many; the Friday 5 series around the county; the always popular annual Ekiden marathon relay; and regular track sessions. It is always inspirational to see so many Saxons taking part in such a wide range of local, national and even international events. Some run for fun, others enjoy challenging themselves (either against their own goals or against others) and some relish the chance to represent the club (or even the county) in competition. The goals and achievements of all are celebrated with equal enthusiasm by all members, whether they are aspiring to complete their first 5k parkrun or competing in ultra-marathons. Our collective recognition of success gives members a real sense of belonging to a supportive community and also provides motivation to continue their individual fitness journeys.

Beginners

We will soon be offering another Beginner’s Course, which has been an excellent recruitment route for several years. It is especially pleasing to see recent graduates of this course become stalwart members of the club, achieving successes that they would never have believed for themselves when they started. Particular thanks goes to James for his excellent leadership of this successful and popular course.

Five Mile Race

Our biggest event of the year is always the October Five Mile Race. The 2025 edition of this event gave us an opportunity to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of The Saxons. It was a sellout event which saw many local and regional runners enjoy a thoroughly great day. Lots of participants report that this is one of their favourite events. Thank you to all members who got involved in making this such a successful event. We can only host such a major event with the support of all members, both in preparation in the months and weeks ahead of the race, and also on the day itself. Special thanks to the Race Committee and particularly to Sarah who led so effectively and efficiently as Race Director. Thanks also to Tina, who has accepted the baton from Sarah and is already very ably leading the Race Committee in preparation for the 2026 race.

Thanks

The past and future successes of The Saxons are all thanks to those who put in a huge amount of time and effort to give members a club that they are proud to be members of. Particular thanks to: Gordon our founder and Lifetime President; our Vice Chair, Ann; our club Secretary, Tina; our Treasurer, Sarah; all of the club coaches, and Lead Coach, James; Publicity Officer, Karen; and to Richard and Jo who have recently moved away, but very ably represented us at the Carlton Sports Club. More recently I have been representing us at the Sports Club’s meetings.

To ensure the future sustainability of the club, in a time of increasing costs, the committee had to reluctantly take the difficult decision to raise annual membership fees to £35, but we still consider this to be excellent value for money. I am confident that we can all look forward to the continued sucess of The Saxmundham Running and Fitness Club, knowing that it enhances the lives of its members.

John Axtell (Chair)