Dear Barton AC members,

 

Happy new year to all you all. 2023 will be a special year in our club’s history. This year we celebrate 70 years of Barton AC. In 1953, Max Shacklady established our much loved sports club naming it Barton Athletic Club after his family’s farm (Barton Grange Farm). It’s been nearly 70 years since I first stepped foot into Max’s family barn – the first home of Barton AC. As we commemorate the club’s 70 years, I am thinking back and remembering being a member of this club. The sense of belonging, the hours trained, the times of laughter and banter, alongside remembering the faces of those who are no longer with us. I thank you all for your commitment to training, commitment to coaching, mentoring, cleaning, and the other tasks and voluntary hours needed to run the gym on a weekly basis for our members. The gym is a special place where old and young can train together and learn from each other. Where champions have been spawn, where dreams and friends have been made, where people keep fit and participate in our sports of boxing, wrestling, weightlifting and road running.

I remember the barn, Barton’s first home, with fond memories. I remember the homes we have has over the years and now smile as I enter our home, here at Franklin Street, and celebrate the years of hard work to create our ambition of a permanent home for Barton AC. The gym, fondly nicknamed Shacklady’s after Max, to me, like others, has been a part of our lives for many years. We have grown in size, in spirit and in sport.

Sport and our members are the heart of our club and I wish to invite you all to the upcoming events celebrating our sports planned throughout the year (all events to be held at the club).

Boxing

4th February, Boxing Show, Starting at 2pm.

Saturday 10th June

September (date tbc) plus two further Boxing Shows (dates tbc).

Weightlifting

Saturday 24th June, Junior Weightlifting Tournament.

December (date tbc), Christmas Lift

Wrestling 

Sunday 24th September (at George Carnell ‘Be Active’ Urmston)

World SkiErg Challenge

November (Remembrance weekend)

The last 70 years have seen our club flourish into the place we know today. Like on the mat or in the ring, we have won and lost over the years but we kept raising the bar, we have gone the distance and we continue with our strength to conquer, as our motto says.

So please all join me in raising a glass/a dumbbell/a boxing glove/a skipping rope/your arm and wish our club a very Happy 70th Birthday this year.

Happy Birthday Barton AC. 

Here’s to the next 70 years

Yours in sport,

Derek