Holgate Harriers running club is affiliated with England Athletics.

How to join

We have two types of membership:

• Full membership at £30 per year
• Social membership at £15 per year

Before you choose, read the benefits of joining the club and the membership FAQs below. If you have any questions then email our membership secretary Lucy at [email protected], or ask us on facebook or on our whatsapp group.

To join us for the year April 2025 – March 2026 complete our membership form.

Benefits of joining the club

FAQ about membership

(last updated 14 April 2025)

Q – Do I have to pay to run with Holgate Harriers?

A – Yes please! Although we are happy for people to try us out for 3 runs, we need paying members for the reasons below.

Q – Why was it free and it now costs?

A – Since we started out, Holgate Harriers has grown way beyond what we would have imagined! We felt it was time to make sure everyone can run safely, with insurance cover through England Athletics, and with recognised run leaders. We want to be a responsible club that cares about its members so we need to make sure we have things like contact details and medical information for runners. The best way to do this is through becoming an affiliated club which carries a cost.

Q – What membership options are there?

A – We have: 

• Full membership costs £30 and includes registration to England Athletics 
• Social membership costs £15 and does not include registration to England Athletics

If you are already a member of another running club and want to join as a “2nd claim” then choose the Social membership. You will need to set up your 2nd Claim through your personal England Athletics account. 

Q – What are the benefits of becoming a Holgate Harrier?

A – 

• Weekly runs led by qualified run leaders
• Monthly trail runs
• Structured training sessions
• Socials
• Discounts from national running stores
• Discounts from local shops and businesses
• Discounted race entry*
• Entry to race leagues*
• Officially representing HH in races*

*only for Full Members

Q – How do I join?

A – We’ll share a link to a membership form where you can choose your level of membership, either Full membership or Social/2nd claim membership. After you have filled in the form we will send you a request to pay the appropriate membership fee. 

Q – How do I pay?

After you submit your membership form, we have to do some admin behind the scenes which takes a bit of time but we will aim to send your payment request within 48 hours. 

For Full and 2nd claim memberships, we are using England Athletics to manage our membership payments. After you complete the membership form, you will get an email from England Athletics asking you to pay on their secure online platform. As soon as you pay, England Athletics will start to process your England Athletics membership. 

If you are joining as a Social member then we can accept bank transfers and will provide you details after you have submitted your form. 

For all membership types you will have the option to add a 10% donation to kick start our social fund. 

Q – Do other running clubs charge, and how much?

A – Yes, most other running clubs charge their members, and in York, these range from £25 to £30.

Q – Does my payment cover a calendar year or 12 months from payment?

A – Your payment covers you for one England Athletics year, which runs from April to March.

Q – What if I don’t race?

A – We will be offering ‘social membership’ to those who don’t wish to become an England Athletics member.

Q – How much does it cost?

A – For Holgate Harriers membership which includes affiliation with England Athletics, it is £30. If you are an England Athletics member through a different running club, or if you do not want to be an England Athletics member, it costs £15. 

Q – Can I come and not pay? 

A – We ask if you’re new you can try us out for 1-3 runs to make sure we are right for each other. If you’re already joining our sessions, we’d really love you to take one of our memberships so that we can build a successful club together. 

Q – Is affiliation going to change our club?

A – No, we are aiming to keep building on our inclusive ethos, and invest back into our members to make our club even better. It will still be the same friendly, warm community you’re used to, only better. 

Q – Will I still be able to run casually and socially?

A – Absolutely. There is no obligation to race, you can be as involved as you like.

Q – What if I already run with a free club, can I do both? 

A – Yes. You can run with informal groups or free clubs. Being affiliated just means you have access to more formal training and racing opportunities. Some runners enjoy the best of both. 

Q – What kind of support can I expect?

A – 

• structured sessions

• Coaching from UKA licensed coaches
• Training plans for all abilities 
• Support for goals like 5k, 10k, marathons or ultras 

Q – What is the social fund? 

A – It’s money set aside by the club to support our members that need help with things like kit or fees, refreshments, small prizes, or simply members that are in financial hardship so they can still join in. 

Q – Who do I speak to about the social fund?

A – Any committee member but our dedicated social fund person is Delia Ellis.