A new Sanctuary Runners group will be launched in in Brighton on Saturday, July 6th.
Sanctuary Runners, which uses running, jogging and walking to bring all in the community together, focuses on community integration and social bridge building.
The not-for-profit Solidarity-through-Sport movement was founded in Ireland in 2018 by feature writer and broadcaster Graham Clifford it has grown to 40 groups there with over 15,000 participants.
Sanctuary Runners will work with the Brighton Table Tennis Club which has been using sport to break down barriers between communities in Brighton for many years.
Graham Clifford, founder and head of International Development with Sanctuary Runners, explained why the organisation is so excited about launching in Brighton.
“The city, as we know, has such a strong reputation, both in the UK and internationally, as being a leader to welcoming all regardless of ethnicity, legal status, religion, culture or sexual orientation. It is a city for all and when we were contacted by Tim Holtam, founding Director of the wonderful Brighton Table Tennis Club, asking if we’d be interested in starting a group here we jumped at the opportunity. Our organisation works to bring people together, to celebrate each other as equals in solidarity and help build strong socially cohesive communities.”
And he explained you don’t have to be a top athlete to join.
“Not at all, we have people in their eighties in our groups in Ireland, we have Olympians, we have teenagers, we have people with additional physical needs, the entire spectrum. If you’re not a runner that’s no problem, we have lots and lots of walkers too as well as people using chairs and walking aids. Everyone is welcome and we hope by becoming part of Sanctuary Runners Brighton, people will learn more about others living in their beautiful city and make friendships. So really its less about the running and more about the laughter, the chats and the shared experience.”
Tim Holtam, Founding Director of the Brighton Table Tennis Club, explained why he and his team are so eager and delighted to help launch Sanctuary Runners here:
“Community integration through sport is something we’ll feel very passionately about at Brighton Table Tennis Club. We have been following Sanctuary Runners growth in Ireland for the last few years and it is just a beautifully simple and purposeful initiative. We can’t wait to build on what has already been started in Brighton, get even more people running and seeing the myriad of benefits that come with that.”
There is no cost to become a Sanctuary Runner and everyone who take spart receives a free blue running top emblazoned with the organisation’s guiding principles on the back ‘Solidarity, Friendship, Respect.”
Sanctuary Runners is a secular and non-political not-for-profit movement which has been celebrated at United Nations level for its model of doing things ‘WITH’ rather than for those seeking international protection and refugee status.
The launch of the Sanctuary Runners Brighton group will take place at 8.30am in Preston Park Brighton on the morning of Saturday, July 6th. Afterwards the group’s members will take part in the Preston Park parkrun which begins at 9am.
Sanctuary Runners have had a long-standing relationship with the parkrun movement also and its fitting that as the group launches in Brighton its new members will be able to take part in the parkrun events also.
While Sanctuary Runners did launch a pilot group in West London in 2022 this will be the first full group in the UK. The organisation plans to establish groups across the country in the coming years.
Fore more information email: brightonsanctuaryrunners@