Civic Award for Athletics Club
Lincoln Wellington Athletic Club is this year’s winner of the Civic Award.
It was presented at a special Guildhall ceremony by the Mayor of Lincoln, Cllr Bill Mara, when the Royal Anglian Regiment (The Poachers) and the Founder of Bracebridge Boxing Club, Denny Oliver also received highly commended certificates.
The nomination for Lincoln Wellington Athletic Club was made by former ‘Welly’ member, Chris Illsley BEM, whose Lincoln company Running Imp won the Civic Award in 2013.
The club was formed on September 20, 1911, at a meeting held in the upper room at the Duke of Wellington on Broadgate, Lincoln, from which it took its name, and is now based at the athletics track at Yarborough Leisure Centre.
It is one of the largest in the East Midlands and is one of only two volunteer-led clubs left in England. Its members compete at events all around the country, with membership of the club aged eight and over from all groups in the community.
“They offer quality training on Tuesdays and Thursdays and some sessions are arranged on Saturday and Sunday mornings when there are no competitions, said Mr Illsley.
Lincoln Wellington AC is managed by a committee of elected officers, each of whom has a specific responsibility and in 2025 it was named East Midlands Club of the Year at the Regional Volunteer Awards, recognising its legacy, resilience and commitment to athlete development and community spirit.
Club President Terry Timmis said: “What really gets my heart is the friendships that I see developing and these friendships last for years and years. It’s families, friendships and achievements. I don’t mean achievements as in gold medals. I mean achievements in the person competing against the tape and the measure.”
Mr Illsley, who was a Wellington member in the 1980s added that he has fond memories of representing the club at the marathon and is ‘very proud’ of his personal best time which he set at Wolverhampton in 1982, of 2hrs 38 mins, 22 secs.
“However, this pales into insignificance when current ‘Welly’ Abbie Donnelly ran a personal best of 2:24:11 at the Frankfurt Marathon last October to top the UK Women’s Ranking last year over the distance. Abbie received a highly commended certificate, in recognition of her achievements at the 2024 Civic Award ceremony when the main award was presented to The ActsTrust.”
Lincoln Wellington Athletic Club President Terry Timmis is pictured above receiving the Civic Award from Lincoln’s Mayor Coun Bill Mara and below with club members. Photos: Mick Fox
