The committee of Grantham Athletic Club were surprised, and somewhat bemused, to receive a letter from Jackie Ross, managing director of the Boston Sports Initiative, inviting the club to use the facilities at the Princess Royal Sports Arena.
It would not seem logical for our members to travel 25 miles to Boston when there is a stadium in Grantham.
The club has its own office, facilities to provide refreshments, and the use of additional rooms when we host athletics events.
We en
joy a good working relationship with the stadium management and with the co-user, Grantham Town Football Club, who co-operate by allowing us to use their facilities for our presentation evening. We are allowed to run our club without interference from the owners, or management, on a pay for hire arrangement.
We do not have to do the cleaning or pick up the litter.
It would appear that the Boston Sports Initiative (BSI) is touting for custom now that it has evicted Boston and District Athletic Club, with the consequences of lack of income.
The BSI seem to have totally underestimated the feeling of outrage felt by the majority of the athletics fraternity in Lincolnshire, and beyond, in the treatment meted out to the members of Boston and District Athletics Club.
With the BSI treating hard-working volunteers of a club with 250 members in such a cavalier manner the Lincolnshire Athletic Association is not prepared to host any events at Boston.
The 'generosity' of the BSI in allowing individual athletes to use the track for training without their coaches shows a lack of understanding of the sport of athletics and the safety measures involved.
It is rather like allowing children to go to school with no teachers present.
The Boston Sports Initiative directors seem to have shot themselves in the foot.
Perhaps they should limp away and be replaced by people with an understanding, and empathy, towards volunteers who give up hours of their time and expertise to help the young athletes of the area to achieve their goals and aspirations.
Joyce Bundy
President, Grantham
Athletic Club