The Society aims to encourage and promote Sport and the Live Arts in Much Wenlock. An Olympian Weekend with a number of sports is held in July each year. Fourteen sports were included in the Games programme in 2007. Complete results of the 2007 event are shown on the web-site. A Live Arts Festival for local school children is held in March. Membership of the Society is available to everyone and new members will be welcomed. The Annual General meeting and Committee meetings are open to visitors.
On behalf of the Olympian Society I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved directly and indirectly in making this year’s Olympian Games and the Live Arts Festival great successes. There was strong competition during the Live Arts events in March, and the July Games had fine weather coupled with three record-breaking results.
Both events are truly inspiring and a great testament to the effort and attainment of the competitors. However, without our volunteers who give their time, expertise and tireless support, and our many generous sponsors we could not stage these events. The Society is sincerely grateful to you all.
Further, I would like to give a special thank you to all the residents of Much Wenlock for their friendship and hospitality to the competitors and spectators who come to enjoy the Olympian Society’s events. The many tourists who come all year round to visit the town to ‘discover’ our founder, Dr William Penny Brookes by visiting our events, the museum and following the Olympian Trail frequently remark on the delightful aspect of the Town.
Also, the media who are regularly coming to broadcast the unique story of Much Wenlock to an increasingly international audience are always impressed by the charm of the Town and very much sold on the Olympian ideals of Penny Brookes and their relevance today. The Annual Games in particular gives a wonderful opportunity to showcase the Town and we should all be very proud of being part of such a well regarded community.
As we progress towards the Games in London in 2012 the Penny Brookes story and Much Wenlock will increasingly come under the spotlight as the Olympian heritage becomes more widely known and promoted. Already 2008 has been a busy year for the Society, from the visit of Olympic Gold medallist Lord Coe to the most recent by John Craven and the BBC’s Country File film crew and next year we will have the celebration of the bi-centenary of the birth of William Penny Brookes.
Recently the Society was delighted to receive the Queens Award for Voluntary Service. Without doubt, it is a fantastic recognition and not only of the work which is done to perpetuate the ideals of Penny Brookes, but also of the strong support given by the community. This award would not have happened without that friendship and hospitality which Much Wenlock extends to the Society and exhibits at the Annual Games. Once again a big thank you to all our supporters!
Giles Birt
Chairman
The run up to the Beijing Olympic Games has generated considerable interest in the Society with our recent Media/Press "hits" in the last month or so including the Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, London Gazette, Australian, Toronto Star, Shropshire Star, Bridgnorth Journal, New Statesman, Historian, Journal of Olympic Historians. Television and radio coverage has included “The One Show” & “Countryfile” BBC 1, Midlands News ITV, Beacon Radio, and Shropshire Radio.
Contact Ismay Cowen 01952 740429 for details of the club’s activities. This is the only Club in the County catering for fencers of primary school age and above.
Outdoor training continues until the end of September when the Winter training schedule takes over. Training is on Saturdays 10.00 – 11.30 on the Linden Field below the Leisure Centre.
Additional training sessions are organised on weekday evenings for older athletes (U15 and above). Please ask for details.
Come along to the Saturday sessions if you would like to try Athletics.
If you are an older athlete and would like to be involved with the club we offer senior affiliation and would welcome anyone who would like to assist with coaching for track and field events. The club will meet UKA costs for coach training.
Contact: Linda Dadswell 01952 882848
The green is open and functioning to the end of September subject to the weather. It is open at all times for members except when League matches are taking place. The Highley League matches are on Tuesday evenings from 7:00pm, the Pensioners League is on alternate Wednesday afternoons and the Mid Shropshire League is on Friday evenings from 7:00pm On Thursday afternoons from 2:00pm we hold a social bowling session when you can either just practice or get some tuition.
Spectators are very welcome at any of the League matches and new members would be very welcome at any time.
For further details contact either Don Davies 01952 727507 or Brian Davies 01952 728191
August
24 - Olympic Handover Ceremony, The Guildhall - details here
September
Main Committee meeting Thursday 11th William Brookes School
An Exhibition “A Century of Olympic Posters” by the V&A opens at Ironbridge Gorge Museum on the 27th
WOS Live Arts Festival 18th, 20th and 21st March
123rd Wenlock Olympian Games 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th July