Medway & Maidstone have become the latest Kent athletics club to be awarded Clubmark accreditation by Sport England.

Clubmark is awarded to sports clubs that comply with various standards, including providing facilities for young people.

Chris Bowman, Medway & Maidstone’s development officer, said: "We have been working toward this award for the past four years and are delighted to have finally achieved it.

"We have taken a little longer than some other clubs because of the particular difficulties created by having more than one or two bases, like we have.

"But it is important nowadays for any sports club to prove that they have the correct policy and procedures in place where the coaching of youngsters

is concerned.

"One of our members, Jenny Newton, deserves a lot of credit. She has been the driving force behind the campaign to achieve Clubmark status and has done much of the paperwork involved."

Medway & Maidstone have around 300 junior members, and Bowman is hoping that winning Clubmark status will encourage more youngsters to sign up with the club.

He added: "We see this as one more important cog in the process of moving the club forward, along with the development of our athletics tracks at Sutton Valence and Black Lion Leisure Centre."

The eight-lane track at Sutton Valence is due to open this year while the club plan to switch their Medway base from Deangate Ridge to a new running track being built by Medway Council at the Black Lion Leisure Centre.