The good news is that an eight-lane athletics track along with all of its associated facilities for a full programme of field events is planned as part of a larger, improved sports facility at Plock Court, Gloucester. Even better news is that funds have been identified to support this development.  There is a great deal of political good will and support to see these plans come to fruition but there is also a need for the athletics community to take on its own share of the burden of financing that particular part of this project.

Athletes, by their very nature, love a challenge and rather than cursing the darkness, this appeal has been inaugurated to light one small candle and to see how closely the athletics community can come to achieving a total of £250,000 by our own efforts and by an appeal to the wider charitable, sporting, commercial and business sectors.

All donations, no matter how small, will be very gratefully received and all donors should know that by supporting such an inclusive and accessible sport as athletics, encompassing as it does all ages, ethnicities, abilities and both genders they are helping to impact positively on the health and social wellbeing of our community and, who knows, perhaps helping a Gloucestershire athlete collect a future Olympic gold.