Shropshire - Who has the best Running Club Website in the County?

In my post on the 26th December I said I would start to review Running Clubs websites around the country  and today I start with Shropshire.

Shropshire in England is an area not well known to me but we had a vacation there two years ago. We timed it well as it coincided with the severe floods in the west midlands region.

Shropshire in a nutshell - The Ironbridge Gorge is often known as the birthplace of industry and this is probably the most visted place in Shropshire though if you do visit take time to also take in  Much Wenlock to visit the museum and follow the Olympian Trail and visit Wenlock Edge. It is also home to Shrewsbury Town which is where Charles Darwin was born.

As far as I can tell there are 10 running clubs within the county of Shropshire. These being:-
Ludlow Runners
Mercia Fell Runners
Newport & District Running Club
Oswestry Olympians
Shrewsbury AC
Shropshire Shufflers
Telford AC
Telford Harriers
Whitchurch Whippets
Wrekin Road Runners

Comparing the clubs websites is based on the criteria I set out in my post of the 26th December as follows:-

1. Evidence that it is regularly updated
2. Ease of Use
3.Functionality
4. Attractiveness
5. Beginners are Welcome
6. Photos
7. Community / Social Feel


Ludlow Runners

1. 6  Some evidence good news page some race results
2. 7  Easy to navigate from front page
3. 5  There isn't a vast amount of fuctionality
4. 5  The site is kept simple and clean with just 3/4 colours
5. 5  There is a line or two on the opening page welcome to encourage new comers
6. 5  There are some photos on the home and news pages of club runners and awards also links to further photos on other sites
7. 6 Looks as if club members meet up once a month for a social evening drink and chat.

Score 39  Liked the low membership fees of just £10 per year for an adult. Also like the idea of the club championship with one race to enter per month with prizes for club spirit for atttending a lot of races being a big plus.

Mercia Fell Runners

1. 7 Initially from the front page with the entries dated 2006 and 2007 you can be forgiven for thinking this hasn't been recently updated - however this isn't the case and there are lots of updates on races and results and blog updates.
2. 6 the navigation is detailed in a menu - front page could do with being more of a welcoming page with general information  for all runners
3. 7 Club members have a log in and can blog updates , good race information and links pages
4. 5 the colours principally being grey and a dark blue
5. 5 There is a line or two on a blog entry on the opening page to state all welcome
6. 6 There is an images gallery with loads of photos, however it generally doesn't appear to have been updated too much in the last 6 months.
7. 5 There is a visit to the pub after the training session in my short visit couldn't see much else

Score 41 This is a fell running club and has good links page to other clubs and associations, useful fell maps. Just £8 to join plus the £5 for England Athletics - free for under 18.

Newport and District Running Club

1. 9 Wow someone is clearly looking forward to 2010 , the Club Calendar 2010 is all set out. There is even a weekly newsletter
2.  8 Good bold use of font in club colours draws you to the links
3. 8 Lots to look at but not overpowering
4. 8  Good banner on the front page and just as an example on the our races page - also like the menu column with the small photos
5. 9 Clearly beginners are very welcome In big bold on the opening page It states whatever yourpace and experience come and join - you are left in no doubt
6. 4 Good use of photos within the website , I couldn't see a link or page with club photos
7. 9  There is a social events forum with clear evidence of activities such as dances, awards evenings, quiz evenings etc

Score 55 For a club of 120 members Newport & District are very lucky to have such a good website. They even have their own covers band called Running Wild that plays gigs!

Oswestry Olympians

1. 6  On the members page plenty of updated information
2. 6  From the front page you are directed to adult / junior triathlon pages once on the members page there are lots of notices
3. 5 Fairly standard functionality
4. 5 It is a busy site with use of many different font sizes and links with an oswestry page background
5. 4 There is an application form for new members but in my snapshot look I couldn't see too much to welcome new comers
6. 5 The members page has a number of photos
7. 8 Club Presentation evenings social side looks healthy

Score 39 Club achieved West Midlands Club of the Year 2009 plenty of sponsorship going on

Shrewsbury AC

1. 6 On the front page clearly being updated  on a regular basis
2. 6 Its a blogger site so everything is found on the front page via links
3. 6  Some useful links to Shropshire Runners Network and an injuries and treatment dignosis page
4. 5  The site is kept simple and clean with just 3/4 colours
5. 4  In my snapshot look I couldn't see too much to welcome new comers, however this might well be because they are over subscribed in some of the  junior section age groups and there is a waiting list!
6. 7 Some photos on the website - like the link to a Shrewsbury AC flickr site with lots of photos this is really good and any club could easily follow this as an idea for a small annual charge.
7. 3 In my quick visit to the site I couldn't see anything of a social nature

Score 37 Particularly like the idea of a County Runners Network - there is a link to the Shropshire Runners Network from Shrewsbury AC

Shropshire Shufflers

1. 6 Yes this site is being updated with lots of news items
2. 7 Very easy to navigate from the menu on each page so you never get lost
3. 7 Good range of funtionality
4. 7 Like the simple use of two colours black and blue on a white background good design
5. 7 There is a becoming a member section on the site stating anyone can join
6. 7 Some photos on the website - from the gallery there is a link to their flickr site with lots of photos this is really good and any club could easily follow this as an idea for a small annual charge.
7. 7 Annual presentation evenings and regular food and drinks events

Score 48 Like the Haugmond Handicap Chase page with photos depicting the route, also the championship page must be popular with club members

Telford AC

1. 6.Plenty of news updates mostly on the blog which the website links you to
2. 5 Due to the site having a web page and a blog you do tend to flick between the two or have both open not that that is a problem but could be confusing
3. 7 good range of functionality like the athletes profiles page
4. 5 the blogger account looks neater than the website
5. 8 Like the news members FAQ's page on the blog tells you how to join and who to see when you first go along
6. 6 Lots of photos of club runners, races and awards evenings
7. 6 Annual presentation evening looks popular

Score 43 Lots of content might just be me but perhaps better to ditch original website and go with the blogger account or vice versia.

Telford Harriers

1. 6 Yes this site is being updated with lots of news items
2. 6  Easy to navigate from front page
3. 5 Fairly standard functionality
4. 6 Font size looks a little small,a lot of content on the front and club pages -perhaps add more menu categories
5. 7 Like the beginners sessions perhaps have a beginners page or make this prominent on the homepage
6. 4 Good use of photos within the website , I couldn't see a link or page with club photos
7. 3 In my quick visit to the site I couldn't see anything of a social nature

Score 37 Like the idea of including the newsletters  as a pdf link

Whitchurch Whippets

1. 6 Yes this site is being updated with lots of news items
2. 7 Very easy to navigate from the menu on each page so you never get lost
3. 7 Lots of good funtionality like the noticeboard page
4. 6 Red white and blue are the principle colours of this site
5. 7 There is a notice about joining on the front page and a further membership page
6. 7 lots of club photos on the gallery page with a link to a further picasa album
7. 7 Social page with loads of photos of awards evenings and many social events

Score 47 For a club that is only two years old pretty impressive what has been achieved. Liked the Winter Safety advice. And yes I did look at the Naked Whippets page only to be disappionted!

Wrekin Road Runners

1. 6 Yes this site is being updated with lots of news items
2. 7 Very easy to navigate from the menu on each page so you never get lost
3. 7 Loads of good funtionality like the member profiles and members birthdays are given a mention
4. 6 once you get beyond the front page the design is a lot cleaner with use of generally 3 colours
5. 6 There is welcome to new runners on the front page
6. 7 There are some photos within the web site but mostly held on a flickr website
7. 6 Social events are mentioned they have a social secretary to organise

Score 45 LIked the Lingometer page

 So the winner (and this is only in my view) of the Best Shropshire Running Club Website Award goes to Newport and District Running Club

All the websites to be honest were very good and put my blog to shame! If anything this might spark a little healthy debate and raise the profile of some of the great running clubs that we are lucky to have in this country.

Wilderhope Manor Shropshire

We are on a short holiday at the moment and for a change we decided on two firsts for us: to visit the Midlands and also stay at Youth Hostels although in our cases except for our daughter we are entering under false pretenses no longer being that young.

The original concept of youth hosteling was aimed at the young so that they would be able to travel and gain an appreciation of the countryside in an affordable means. However you know see all ages and nationalities staying at Youth Hostels and gone are the days when I am told you were expected to share in some of the chores such as cleaning and making breakfast.

The Midlands is generally a place that I have passed through on the way to some where else to visit the Lake District or Wales. Apart from attending meetings in the Midlands and visiting the NEC the Midlands is an area that hasn't excited me to want to visit.

Our first stop was at a place called Wilderhope Manor near Longville in the Dale. Shropshire isn't a county that I can recall having even visited much before apart from a trip to the wonderfully named Gay Meadow home of Shrewsbury Town to watch Ipswich in the 1980's. This was probably my last visit to this small county.

Wilderhope Manor is owned by the National Trust and is set in extensive grounds on the beautiful Wenlock Edge a walkers and cyclists must providing a long distance walk with great views.

The house has considerable historic interest dating as it does from the 16th century. Leading up to the bedrooms there are some very solid oak timbers creating a spiral staircase. Many of the ceilings have plaster work with intricate patterns such as the Tudor rose and Fleur de lis and the initials of the original owners.

There is even a civil war story to the house. The owner was a Major Smallman on the royalist side and was captured by Cromwell's parliamentarians and taken to Wilderhope Manor and kept prisoner upstairs. Unbeknown to his guards the Major was able to escape down a garderobe flu passageway. You can see this if you stay here and looks very narrow to be honest but reaches to the ground level as it would as this was the early form of fashionable toilet.

The Major managed to escape on his horse from the stables but was chased along the Wenlock Edge where there is a spot called Majors Leap where he apparently jumped and survived making his escape but the horse died.

The house was seemingly on the point of being pulled down having lied empty for many years in the late 19th and early 20th century but thanks to chocolate it was saved as the Cadbury Foundation restored the house and donated it to the National Trust.

Ironbridge Shropshire

On our way to Wilderhope Manor YHA we stopped of at Ironbridge which is said to be the birth place of the industrial revolution.

It is home of course to the Worlds first iron bridge built by Abraham Darby in 1779. It would seem that a considerable loss was made by Darby on the venture having agreed to build the bridge for a cost of £5k when costs exceeded this he became liable for the rest.

Darby had perfected a means of smelting iron with coke rather than more expensive charcoal.

The River Severn had abated from the worst of the flood conditions that had arisen just the previous week but there was evidence of a number of shops that had closed due to flooding here. There wasn't time for us but there are 10 museums to visit here which would make a good day trip.