Great Bentley Running Club is committed to providing safe, enjoyable, friendly, and social running for all. While safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone within the club, having a club welfare officer (or officers) ensures the club has a dedicated person with the primary responsibility for managing and reporting concerns about children or adults at risk.

Club Welfare Officers play a key role in ensuring that that club members have a safe and positive experience at their club. Welfare Officers are key to all members, knowing what to do and who to speak to if they have a safeguarding, discipline or conduct concern. They are also key to managing lower-level club issues and disputes, and/or flagging concerns for early intervention to prevent escalation and behaviours which prevent enjoyment of the sport. Welfare Officers also perform a key role in implementing good safeguarding governance locally within our club.

By completing training provided by England Athletics and understanding the policies and procedures set out by UK Athletics, clubs can be confident that their welfare officers have the right level of knowledge for the role. This includes how to raise a concern and who to speak to within the sport.

Please see further information here:
The Role of a Club Welfare Officer – England Athletics Club Hub

The current Welfare Officers for your club are:

• Scott Young
• Sarah Davison
• Louise Balfour
• Marion Simmons
• Fraser Lewis

If you have any concerns and need to approach a Welfare Officer, they can be contacted directly at any training sessions they are present at. Alternatively most are easily contacted via Whatsapp, Facebook messenger, or via email.

If you are unsure who your welfare officers are please just ask a member of the committee, or anyone else, to introduce you, there is no need to explain why. Once you contact a Welfare Officer any discussions will be confidential.