British Athletics Writers Association award 2020 Ron Pickering Memorial Trophy.

The Ron Pickering Memorial Fund is pleased to announce that the British Athletics Writers Association have awarded the Ron Pickering Memorial Trophy in 2020 for Service to Athletics, to Cherry Alexander.

Cherry recently left UK Athletics after 29 years where she served as Head of Major Events department during which saw her also acting as the managing director for the London 2017 World Athletics and World Para Athletics Championships.

These championships were seen as a major success globally and cemented her position as one of the most powerful and respected woman in the sport, and this was confirmed when she was elected as the first ever female Vice-President of European Athletics in 2019.  She was also awarded with an OBE in the Queens Birthday Honours list in 2019.

Loved and respected by generations of athletes and those associated with the sport in the UK and abroad, her influence within UK Athletics is sure to be missed at a time when the new management can surely do with someone as closely involved with so many areas of the sport as Cherry is.

It is significant for the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund in that Cherry started working for British Athletics, initially as the Personal Assistant to then Promotions Officer: Andy Norman in 1991, the same year that Ron Pickering passed away and the Memorial Fund was started his honour, with the goal of helping and supporting young athletes in the sport.  Over the past 29 years both Cherry and the RPMF have had an impact on so many of those athletes on their journey to the highest levels in the sport, with Cherry being directly responsible for providing the stage upon which they could display their talents so well.

Shaun Pickering, on behalf of the Pickering family:

It is wonderful to be recognising Cherry Alexander in this way, as the Ron Pickering Award is seen as a Lifetime Achievement award in the sport of Athletics, and while Cherry still has a great deal more to give, we welcome the chance to thank her for all that she has done for our sport.

As my father used to say: “ Sport is the most precious commodity we have to hand on to the next generation….  Winners are our shop window of inspiration.  Without them there would be no Champions tomorrow.”  Cherry understands this and gives athletes that opportunity to inspire.

Goldie Sayers, a Trustee of RPMF added:

“Not only did Cherry put on world class events but she has always put the athletes at the centre of everything she has created. Nothing has ever been too much trouble. Cherry will be sorely missed by everyone she has worked with at British Athletics – not only for her work ethic and drive but for her warmth and care even in the midst of the organised chaos of delivering global events.”