Coffee Morning

A large number of members and friends of Morpeth Harriers & Athletic Club,
gathered in St Robert’s RC Church Hall on the morning of Saturday 16th January 2016,
to attend a special Coffee Morning arranged in order to raise some much needed funds,
for their forthcoming trip to Kastamonu in Turkey,
where their Senior Men’s Road and Cross Country squad will be representing Great Britain
in the annual European Champions Club Cross Country Championships, on Sunday 7th February.

This is a very big honour for the club and the town of Morpeth,
perhaps the biggest in terms of a sporting achievement by a team in the area.
It is in athletics terms, the equivalent of competing in a Champions League,
which no other regional club in any sport to name,
can come close to achieving at present, and the club,
including their President Jim Alder are justly proud to say the least.
In attendance at the function was Ruth Slaughter,
who was very much an honoured guest,
being the wife of the clubs former President
and Honorary Life Member Ernie Slaughter,
also a founder member, who very sadly passed
away last August after a short period of illness,
and who would have also been proud to be
able to witness the clubs present day status.
However Morpeth Harriers are having to self fund
a great deal of the costs in terms of travel,
visas and accommodation for the event,
which involves at least two flights in both directions,
so they are very grateful that proceeds from the function,
which apart from the refreshments,
included a Cake and Produce Sale,
and a Prize Draw, which added to the morning’s entertainment,
would in turn help towards the fund.
During the proceedings there was a very much surprise visit from
the Morpeth Lions led by former Club Member Chris Offord,
who presented the club with a very welcome cheque for the sum of £200,
which was accepted by Mr Alder, with great applause,
for which the club are extremely grateful.

Those present were also able to view photos and a video show
of the Morpeth Harriers Senior Men’s Road and Cross Country
squad’s achievements during 2015, put together by the club’s Webmaster Hudson Stoker.

At the end of the event it was announced that the club had raised £1,300 on the morning itself,
which now puts them very much on the way to their target,
and they would wish to thank all those who attended, and helped,
for their contribution, and thanks also go to St Robert’s RC Church Hall for the use of their premises.