Stride Magazine 2021 - Issue One

stride

the jogscotland magazine | Issue one 2021

Inside We return to group jogging!

Remembering James 1000 jog leaders trained in mental health awareness A hen party with a difference! jogscotland.org.uk

1

2 Our fun, friendly jogging groups are perfect for people who want to get active for the first time, or more experienced runners.

Nobody is “too slow” to join jogscotland – total beginners welcome!

Mums on the Run helps mums enjoy the physical, social & psychological benefits of being active outdoors. You can take your wee one to class with you in the buggy too!

Running has never been so easy!

Whatever your age, whatever your ability Morning, noon and night • Towns, cities, villages Parks, pavements, trails, woodlands, beaches, schools and workplaces For more information visit www.jogscotland.org.uk or call 0131 539 7341 www.facebook.com/JogScotty • www.twitter.com/jogscotland

jogworks

Our Junior jogscotland resource pack is full of games to help you show primary school age children that stride physical activity is fun! jogscotland magazine | Winter 2016

Encouraging employees to be more active makes good business sense. Jogworks can help avoid some of the physical and mental health issues affecting the workplace.

3

Meet the Jog Crew

Jo Stevens

Sue Gyford

Development officer

Digital communications and press officer

jo.stevens@scottishathletics.org.uk 07903 180 453

sue.gyford@scottishathletics.org.uk 07880 037 574

Angie Sutherland

Carol Robison

Coaching administrator (Jog Leader course bookings)

Membership administrator

coaching@scottishathletics.org.uk 07393 674 262

membership@scottishathletics.org.uk 07391 845 783

Stride – the jogscotland members’ magazine Editor: Sue Gyford

Designer: Adrian Hallam, 3fiftysixmedia Ltd

Published by scottishathletics. Copyright©2021 Scottish Athletics Ltd. www.jogscotland.org.uk

www.twitter.com/jogscotland

www.facebook.com/jogscotty

jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

4

Welcome!

by Sue Gyford

Stride magazine | Issue one 2021 Welcome to the first issue of Stride magazine for 2021!

This year started out with another difficult spell, as lockdown put our groups into hibernation once again.

But as spring has rolled in, we’ve had the very welcome start of restrictions beginning to ease. The Ready, Steady, Go Pitreavie runners on our front cover express all the joy we’ve felt at groups getting back together!

One thing we’ve certainly learned over the past year is that jogscotland is about more than just running. We’ve always stressed the social benefits of jogging in a group, and the stories in this issue just go to prove how that’s true in bad times as well as good. Lynne McDermott’s story of how her jogscotland group helped her cope while her sister was in a hospice during lockdown is a moving read (p16). It’s also inspiring that Merkland School’s hardworking teachers set up a JogWorks group to help them deal with the stress of teaching during Covid times (p8).

Clearly the difficulties of recent months haven’t slowed the jogscotland family down – just look at the number of things going on across the network. We’ve passed the incredible milestone of 1000 of our jog leaders trained in mental health awareness by our partners, SAMH; our jog leaders have enjoyed webinars on the pelvic floor, nutrition, covid safety, and mental health. jogscotland members have participated in the Rainbow Laces campaign and a memorial run for a lost friend – and if you want your heart lifted, turn to page 13 and find out how one jogging group stepped in to turn one of their regular sessions into a jogging hen do for a soon-tobe-married member who would otherwise have missed out!

p16 Keep on moving

p8

JogWorks – Merkland School steps up

Thanks to all of you for keeping our network vibrant – make the most of the increased freedoms as they come, and stay safe! p13

stride

jogscotland magazine

Sue Gyford, Editor |

Issue one 2021

A hen party with a difference

5

Contents News and events

6

JogWorks – Merkland School steps up

8

The return to our groups! 10 Run for James 11 A hen party with a difference! 13 Running safety 14 Helping Scotland come back from Covid 15 Keep on moving

16

1000 Jog Leaders trained in mental health awareness

18

David Syme - Jogging along

20

Athletics Trust Scotland

21

Rainbow Laces Day 22 Reflecting on Community Strides 23 Just click on a title to go straight to the page!

Design: 3fiftysixmedia.com

sponsor and funder jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

6

News and events Plogging!

Keep Scotland Beautiful have launched their Great Summer Clean campaign which will run from May 28-Jun 20. This year, their goal is to litter pick across a million miles. Instead of counting bags collected or people participating, they hope to convert everyone’s time into miles.

In previous years, we’ve been delighted to see several jogscotland groups take part by ‘plogging’ – picking litter while jogging, and we’d love to have jogscotland Hazlehead plogging in 2019 you on board again. Groups can register to take part by visiting https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/community-and-place/ clean-up-scotland/summer-clean-2021/ and using the Group Pledge form. Call your group jogscotland, so Keep Scotland Beautiful can track our impact collectively as a network. All plogging sessions must be held in accordance with Covid guidelines.

Keep on Running As Covid restrictions begin to ease and jogscotland gradually returns to group running, we’ll soon be republicising our Keep on Running campaign. We know that some groups are initially concentrating on sessions for existing members, so the campaign page at https://jogscotland.org. uk/joggers/keep-on-running/ helps potential new members to connect with groups that are actively able to welcome them, either to in-person, or virtual sessions. If your group is already on the Keep on Running page, please check that your information is correct – if it needs updating, drop an email to Lindsay McMahon on Lindsay.mcmahon@ scottishathletics.org.uk. If your group is not there and you’d like it to be, you can also email Lindsay and she’ll be happy to help.

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

7

Colin is new CEO Colin Hutchison has taken up a new role as Chief Executive of scottishathletics, the organisation that runs jogscotland.

Colin is already known to many in the jogscotland community through his previous role as scottishathletics Head of Development, and we’re delighted to see him move to the helm, following the departure of previous CEO Mark Munro to a new role as Development Director at UK Athletics.

Become a jog leader!

Could you inspire others to get active? Our blended learning Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF) course is currently open for booking. The course will qualify you to set up a jogscotland group of your own, or lead with an existing group. It consists of four online modules, followed by an in-person practical session, carried out in accordance with Covid guidelines.

The following sessions still have places available at the time of writing: 25 April - Scotstoun, Glasgow - morning practical session 1 May - Meadowmill, nr Tranent - morning & afternoon practical sessions 8 May - Aberdeen Sports Village - afternoon practical session 9 May - Ravenscraig, Motherwell - morning & afternoon practical sessions 22 May - Grangemouth Stadium - morning & afternoon practical sessions

Webinars for jog leaders We have been delighted to support our jog leaders in recent weeks by providing a series of Zoom webinars. Jog leader and pelvic floor physiotherapist Irene Pullar gave a fantastic session titled ‘The Rise and Fall of the Pelvic Floor’, and dietician and sports nutritionist Cara Sloss (pictured) talked about fuelling runs, race preparation, and healthy eating for weight loss. As we began to return to group activity, sports medicine expert Dr Andrew Murray gave a session about minimising covid risks at our groups and stressed the benefits of physical activity (see p15 for more about his talk) and SAMH physical activity lead, Robert Nesbitt, hosted a session on dealing with the mental health challenges of returning to our groups. Thanks to all our presenters, and everyone who joined the webinars.

Having fun at the Active Girls Day session held by Pitreavie AAC

jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

8

JogWorks – Merkland School steps up By Kay Hunter

After months of home schooling, it’s fair to say that parents are appreciating their children’s teachers more than ever right now!

But what about the teachers themselves? From online sessions to in-person teaching for key workers’ children; dealing with new safety rules in the classroom; and keeping everyone safe and happy in uncertain times, it’s been a tough time.

How have they coped with the stress?

Well, in the case of Merkland School in East Dunbartonshire, setting up their own JogWorks group has given teachers the chance to chat and decompress at the end of a long day.

Head teacher Kay Hunter tells us more…

The Merkland School jogscotland group was set up following the full return of all our pupils in October 2020.

As the headteacher I felt it was really valuable to form a JogWorks group to provide both physical and mental wellbeing support for the staff working in our school; to have colleagues we could train for organised events with; and to reduce the stress which has been a large part of everyone’s lives over the last year without adding additional time demands for staff.

Kay Hunter

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

9

Merkland School is a specialist provision for children and young people with a range of additional support needs and the club was open to all staff working at the school. We worked with jogscotland to implement the JogWorks programme, with the specific target of providing staff with a supportive network of running buddies, where the exercise could take place at the end of the working day. Due to Covid restrictions, and ‘bubbles’ within the school, staff would often not see each other during the working day, and this provided an opportunity for staff to meet, exercise and share the challenges of the day, and relax before returning home.

Some of the staff had previously run with other groups or friends, and some were new to running or had taken it up during the first lockdown period through the Couch to 5K programme. The group gave staff the opportunity to engage in a group activity after school, to discuss the challenges of the day in a supportive environment and to feel safe exercising regardless of speed or ability. As you can imagine, keeping our staff and learners safe during the pandemic was physically and emotionally exhausting and running gave us the chance to ‘reset’ before going home.

We have 14 staff registered to run with us, with an average of six taking part in each of our sessions. We run on average 5K, twice each week, with some staff running the 5K as a group then continuing on to run another 5K in a smaller group if people have the time and energy! Because of our location we have access to nature reserves, the Forth and Clyde Canal, as well as road-based routes which gives variety and enables us to cater to a range of speeds and abilities.

When we moved into the Level 4 restrictions staff would pair up with one running buddy enabling us to continue to access the benefits of running, but we are delighted we are now able to run in our larger group again as per the guidance.

As a group we hope we will continue to grow, with great anticipation of the better weather and a return to organised races being a huge motivation for us! jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

10

The return to our groups!

We were delighted on 9 March to get the news that the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions meant jogscotland could return to group activity, starting on 12 March.

Restrictions are still in place – at the time of writing, groups may only include up to 15 people, and social distancing must be in place, with runners 2m apart when sideby-side and 5m apart when running single file. Current indications are that the social distancing rules will be relaxed on 17 May when we move into Level 2. While some groups have, understandably, decided not to return to running while social distancing remains, those with enough space have been delighted to get back to groups running, as these pictures show!

Don’t forget, you can always find the most up-to-date Covid guidance on our website at https://jogscotland.org.uk/home/covid-19/

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

11

Run for James

By Ros Jemmett, Alness Area jogscotland We were all greatly shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death of our friend and running buddy James Birtles late last year. James was always the cheeriest, smileyest and most supportive chap you could hope to have running beside you, full of encouragement and always lots of craic and laughter.

One of our jog leaders Aileen Stuart had already organised a 24 hour relay run via her facebook group Alness Runners at Halloween and when some folk asked if it was for a charity, Aileen Remembered: James immediately thought of a charity that James supported over the years, Chest Heart Stroke Scotland (CHSS) and the fantastic sum of over £300 was raised that weekend.

Alness jogscotland were keen to have a Run for James to celebrate his life and his love of running and at the same time, raise a few more pounds for CHSS. On 22 November the Run for James took place, and due to all the Covid-19 restrictions, all the runs had to be socially distanced and organised with continues over

12

Run for James continued permission from jogscotland and scottishathletics. We had five jogscotland groups out, one in Evanton, two in Alness, one in Invergordon and one in Ardross. In addition, there were folk running in Caithness, Grantham in Lincolnshire, Hyde Park in London and all the way down in Cornwall, everyone running together at 11am In memory of our James. We also had people taking part at different times of the day as they were unable to run at 11am, we even had one of our injured runners, Annie, taking to her bike and cycling for James!

The PayPal pool set up now totals £3,065, a fantastic sum to raise and our thanks goes to everyone who contributed.

We hope to make our Run for James an annual fun and social event, bringing the running community together the way James did.

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

13

A hen party with a difference!

By Jennifer McCreadie, Invergordon jogscotland

Our group had the absolute honour of hosting one of our most special jogscotland sessions yet, when one of our members was preparing to tie the knot and would be attending her last club session as Miss Stacey Butcher.

With current restrictions we knew our friend would not be able to have a hen party, bridal shower or any other prenuptial celebrations so decided that we would use our last session before her big day to host her Hen Party. We surprised her with a personalised bridal vest in white and pink instead of the usual green for our club and altered the logo to include the text “Last miles as a Miss,” put up a few decorations around the football field and handed out sashes when members arrived.

We split the members into two teams, identified by the colour of their hen party sashes, and made use of the large football field to play a number of socially distanced running games. We started off with “runners have you ever?!” Then went onto play “race to the ring” and “relays” which all included elements of strength training and running intervals. In the end it was a tie with each team winning a round each!

All the start and finish lines were measured out before the members arrived so our members remained two metres apart throughout the session. We finished the session with Stacey wearing balloons, sashes and her special vest for her walk home, in the typical end of hen party fashion.

Stacey and her high school sweetheart Martin, who have two children together, were married on 27 March and Stacey looked every part the beautiful bride. We wish the new Mr & Mrs Stillwell all the love and happiness in the world. jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

14

Running safety

A new guide to running safety has been produced by UK Athletics, working in partnership with the Home Countries athletics federations, including scottishathletics.

The five-page guide includes ways that runners can improve their safety, what to do if harassed during a run, and how to report incidents. Importantly, it also outlines how to be a running ally, making it clear that behaviours some passers-by might think are funny – like shouting, tooting horns, and running alongside uninvited, can be intimidating and unwelcome.

The advice was refreshed following some recent high-profile cases of harassment of athletes training in public areas.

UKA’s Development Director Mark Munro said: “Much has been discussed over the last few weeks relating to harassment of runners, particularly female runners, and more recent events have sadly put a spotlight on the issues of safety in public. We must stand together and ensure zero tolerance towards any such behaviour and make sure that everyone should feel comfortable and has the right to be safe exercising in public.

“The updated guidance is a way of highlighting some behaviours runners most commonly encounter whilst out running. It also helps runners ensure they are fully prepared for their exercise and have thought through all safety considerations.

You can find the full advice as a pdf on our website at https://jogscotland.org.uk/ active-living/running-safety/

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

15

Helping Scotland come back from Covid jogscotland’s jog leaders will play a key role in helping Scotland emerge happy and healthy from the Covid crisis, according to Sports and Exercise Medicine expert, Dr Andrew Murray (pictured).

Dr Murray was guest speaker at a special webinar for our jog leaders on 23 March, aimed at supporting them as they lead our members into a safe return to group activity. He touched on the many benefits of physical exercise for a whole range of physical and mental health conditions, and talked about the best ways to stay safe from the virus as we return to our groups, observing hand hygiene, staying away if you have possible symptoms, and social distancing where required.

Dr Murray said: “The pandemic has been quite a different time, quite a troubling time, but actually what’s completely clear as a medical doctor is that jogscotland leaders, the people on this call, are exactly the sort of people that are going to take Scotland towards a recovery, and are going to contribute directly to people being happier, being healthier, living longer and just really playing a key part in the road to recovery for Scotland.

“You quite often hear it trotted out that nurses and supermarket workers and key workers are doing a great job, but actually now, this is the time, when people who are promoting physical activity and sport, walking and running and cycling, are going to come into our own. Because it’s exactly the sort of thing that’s going to make the biggest difference to people in Scotland.”

Jog leaders also shared their own experiences, concerns and tips about the return to group jogging, on topics ranging from the promotion of safe spaces and paths to managing social distancing at their groups. jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

16

Keep on moving

By Lynne McDermott, Milestones jogscotland When Lynne’s family was hit by a double bereavement, she found herself ignoring her own needs, to be there for everyone around her.

As a working mum, time and energy were short, but fortunately her jogscotland group was there to provide a haven from the grief, and a reason to keep on moving.

With the family, including dad Kenny, and sister Angela

With Angela

I joined Milestones jogscotland in January 2020, looking for some support and motivation to get back running. 2019 had started out so well for my family and I, I was nearing the end of my Open University degree when I decided to challenge myself to run the EMF 10K. I’d never been a runner but as a child and youth had been involved in athletics, something which my family had continued with.

I managed round the course in Edinburgh and was so pleased to see my mum, dad and sister had made the journey to cheer me on.

Life was good and I graduated in September 2019. However, this joy was abruptly cut short in November 2019, when my dad suddenly passed away after a massive stroke.

We were left utterly bereft. He had been such a powerful influence in our lives, adoring father and papa. He had volunteered for years as youth leader and was heavily involved with scottishathletics as a starter and official. I felt at such a loss as I was trying to support my sons, my mum, my sister, often forgetting to

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

17 think about my own wellbeing and mental health.

You see our troubles were not only surrounding the loss of my dad, but my sister Angela had been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer aged 46. My sleep pattern was non-existent and often I felt I was living off nervous energy, I had no motivation, to exercise or take time for myself, and I was too busy trying to “be there” for everyone else.

In January 2020 I made the decision that I needed to start looking after me too, I made contact with the group leader, Cat Whitelaw, and got myself booked in for the next session. She assured me I wouldn’t be left behind and everyone was welcome no matter their ability. The group soon became my “me time”. Time for me not to think about grief, not to think about what was lying ahead, it was my time to put one foot in front of the other and just take one more step, this soon became my mantra.

The lockdown was horrible for everyone but being separated from my sister whilst she was in the hospice was hard for us all, video chats were great but not the same as face-to-face visits. I was extremely glad when the restrictions were lifted allowing groups to get back, the other group members quickly becoming friends. The banter and chat at the weekly sessions were a therapy in their own right. Always someone there to keep you motivated even when you were having a “just not feeling it day”.

Sadly my brave sister lost her battle in September 2020 and the group once again was my saviour to help me with my grief. The support and motivation to keep coming back was what I needed to clear my mind and concentrate on making sure I made it home! The exercise helped my sleeping pattern, lifted my mood and helped me keep myself well so I could support my mum, my brother-in-law and my two young nieces. Even during this most recent lockdown the group has encouraged each other to continue their solo running until the restrictions were lifted once again.

Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, when I joined no one knew my circumstances but the group’s support and motivation is what encouraged me to sign up for this year’s Edinburgh half marathon, I will be running for Marie Curie as they cared for my sister in her final months.

jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

18

We were thrilled in January to reach a major milestone for jogscotland, as more than 1,000 of our jog leaders have now been trained in mental health awareness with our partners SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health).

They have taken an online module that helps them feel more confident chatting about mental health – good and bad – with their joggers. We know that many of our leaders already provide a listening ear to their members, and while we don’t expect them to become counsellors, we wanted to make sure they felt equipped to cope, and to help others find the support they need.

We first made the course available shortly after launching our partnership with SAMH in 2017, making it a key goal when we signed the charity’s Mental Health Charter for Physical Activity and Sport. In 2019 we went a step further and introduced the I’m here badge, which jog leaders receive on completing the course.

They are encouraged to wear it when leading and explain to their groups that the badge shows they’re happy to talk about mental wellbeing – whether that’s letting off steam after a tough day, or chatting about a long term mental health condition.

We kicked off the I’m here movement with 140 leaders who had completed the training, receiving the badge and making pledges at their groups to support mental health conversations. Since then, the numbers have continued to grow, and everyone who now trains as a jog leader is invited to take the course when they complete the Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification. Even Covid couldn’t

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

19 stop the movement, with the LiRF course transitioning to blended learning, and all of the 220 leaders trained during 2020 being invited to complete the Mental Health Awareness training. jogscotland development officer Jo Stevens said: “We’re so happy to go through the 1000 mark – it’s an amazing number of jog leaders who have taken the time to develop their mental health awareness. When we launched the training module, we already knew our jog leaders were dedicated, but they’ve exceeded our expectations in how keen they’ve been to support their joggers’ mental wellbeing as well as their physical fitness.

“It feels like there’s been a real sea change in the past few years – mental health conversations are now the norm at many of our groups, which helps to break down fear and stigma, and encourages people to seek support when they need it.

Letting people know that we all have mental health – sometimes good, sometimes bad – and that it’s OK to talk about it, has strengthened our community.

“We’d certainly encourage other organisations to help their staff and volunteers learn skills to support each others’ mental health – it makes so much difference to individuals’ lives and to the strength of jogscotland as a whole.”

SAMH physical activity and sport lead, Robert Nesbitt added: “It’s great to see so many jogscotland jog leaders complete their mental health awareness training.

When jogscotland signed the Mental Health Charter for Physical Activity and Sport, they listed this training as one of their goals, and they’ve followed through to create real change for their leaders and joggers.

“The enthusiasm the jog leaders have shown demonstrates that most people are happy to talk about mental wellbeing, and just need a little guidance and confidence to make those conversations part of everyday life. We’re grateful to all the jog leaders who have taken the course and are setting a great example to their joggers.”

jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

20

Jogging along

by David Syme

Great leap forward Solo jogging in lockdown was becoming tedious. Some days I would set off on a route, then opt for a short-cut. I was plodding.

One day, out in my car, I came to a road repair. A worker was directing traffic round the obstruction. When my turn came he said: “On ye go, old man.” I’m sure no slight was intended, but…. he called me old man! I managed to channel my grief at being called old man into positive thinking and started looking at the virtual running events which are advertised online. I chose a virtual half marathon, which I could run between 12 and 28 February, and started training. What a difference it made to my solo running! My running mindset took a great leap forward. I had a target, so kept lengthening my routes until I felt happy about tackling the half. I tried fartlek, I warmed up, warmed down and ate and drank less. On my runs I would look out for the road repair man: “I’ll show you old man” I would say to him, but of course I never found him. My running log began to look respectable, the distance if not the time taken, as I am no longer chasing PBs. The plus side of this event was that I had a window of two weeks to do the run. I studied the weather forecast and planned routes for east and west winds. The minus side was the absence of the adrenalin buzz from other competitors.

The day came when I was set to do my run. A cold wind was blowing over from the continent, so I was driven 13 miles east of my home. Using quiet roads, cycle paths and walkways I jogged the distance quite happily, knowing that I was heading towards a hot shower and a warm welcome. When I turned into our street my phone app told me that I had not quite completed the 13.1 miles, so a wee victory lap round our block and the deed was done.

Anyway, that was in February, and I am still on a high. Yesterday I started on a route, but changed it – not by taking a short-cut, by adding on a 2 mile loop. Old man, indeed.

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

21

Athletics Trust Scotland A new charity, the Athletics Trust Scotland, was launched this month, with the aim of supporting athletics and running in Scotland. The Trust will work to ensure the strength and vitality of our sport for generations to come. It will also offer an avenue for those who wish to make an impact on the sport they love, by supporting it through fundraising, donation or legacy.

Athletics Trust Scotland has close ties with scottishathletics and jogscotland but it is an independent organisation, a charity registered in Scotland with its own Board and Chair.

It aims to make a significant impact all the way from grassroots to elite sport, with goals including: Removing barriers to participation; helping young people remain in the sport for the long term; working with disengaged and disadvantaged communities; helping people who might otherwise struggle to participate by reason of age, illhealth, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage; improving facilities, and promoting excellence.

Support the work of Athletics Trust Scotland – visit the website and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

PREPARE FOR GREAT...

03 OCTOBER 2021

LOCH

[ 03 \ 10 \ 21 ]

Time to set your goals for 2021?

Sign up now to start your journey towards one of the most epic running festivals in the world.

However you make it. Make it yours.

SIGN UP NOW

LOCHNESSMARATHON.COM

jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

22

Rainbow Laces Day

Joggers from Dingwall to Dunfermline donned their Rainbow Laces on 9 December to show that our sport welcomes LGBT+ runners.

The Rainbow Laces campaign, led by Stonewall, began in 2013 with football players wearing rainbow laces to matches. In recent years runners have also been taking part by making this simple gesture and posting photographs on social media to demonstrate their support for LGBT+ runners.

At jogscotland Dunfermline, the group went a step further – they wore clothes all colours of the rainbow and used a series of crescent streets to run a rainbow on Strava!

The group’s Laura Bannister explained: “Everyone attended wearing rainbow colours or laces or nice bright colours. It was a great night and everyone enjoyed the training session of intervals and to their delight we created a Strava Rainbow!

We had lots of individuals running in different challenges for December so our creation was shared in a variety of different running forums, increasing the awareness of inclusivity in sport particularly running with jogscotland.”

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

23

Reflecting on Community Strides Our Community Strides project concluded in January, with a period of reflection on what had been achieved over its two years, and planning to ensure those achievements would continue into the future. The project, backed by the Changing Lives Fund, aimed to bring the benefits of jogscotland to people from a greater diversity of Scotland’s communities.

The Charter International Run Club

Saheliya

Dundee International Women’s Centre

The first stage of the project was all about building relationships with partner organisations, community groups and participants, including, Dundee International Women’s Centre, The Charter in Glasgow, and Saheliya, a charity in Edinburgh for black, minority ethnic, asylum seeker, refugee and migrant women and girls.

Project workers Andrea Gavin and Laura Kirkland initially spent several months getting to know the charities and their work, and especially some of the people who use their services, finding out about their motivations and challenges around getting active. For many, there was a real fear of being seen exercising outside, of stigma from peers and others from the community, a lack of confidence and fitness that at first had them reluctant to get involved. Like many who come to jogscotland for the first time, there were some participants who had never taken part in physical activity in their adult lives.

We looked at ways to break down the barriers that prevented participation – we arranged a shoe and clothing collection across the jogscotland network to provide kit for those who didn’t have it; found a sewing group to modify some of the garments continues over jogscotland magazine

|

stride

Issue one 2021

24 Community Strides continued

Laura and Andrea

At the SWiS Awards

to make them suitable for those who prefer more modest clothing; arranged for talks and taster sessions. Slowly, more and more people started to give it a go with the support of trusted and well-respected people from community organisations.

When the pandemic hit, everyone involved had to think fast to adapt. Some group participants ran individually throughout lockdown, some took to weekly Zoom sessions and others waited patiently for restrictions to lift before joining their local jogscotland group.

Pandemic aside, the second year of the project was inspiring, as group members grew in confidence and experienced improvements in their physical and mental health, and feelings of inclusion and connectedness. At the end of the project, we ensured jog leaders were in place to continue groups wherever possible – thank you to those who have stepped in to help!

We were delighted that the group at Saheliya won the Active Scotland Community Sport Champion award at the Scottish Women in Sport awards 2020.

The Community Strides project as a whole contributed to jogscotland winning the Innovation in Sport Award at the same awards in 2019.

Of course, the end of the project also meant bidding a sad farewell to Andrea and Laura. They originally joined the jogscotland staff team in November 2017 as Communities Project Coordinator and Participation Coordinator, working to help establish new jogscotland groups in communities that lacked them.

Development officer for jogscotland, Jo Stevens, said: “We’re grateful to the Changing Lives Fund for helping us extend jogscotland’s reach into some communities which haven’t always been well-represented among our membership.

“It was brilliant to see how the project participants grew in confidence and enthusiasm over the two years – huge thanks to all of them for being up for the challenge of getting active! Thanks also to all our partners, and of course to Andrea and Laura for the great contribution they have made over their time with jogscotland. We’re now looking at how we can build on the vital groundwork done by Community Strides.”

stride

jogscotland magazine

|

Issue one 2021

Walk, jog, run with jogscotland Get fit and have fun with our sociable, supportive jogging groups for all levels – beginners welcome!

Affordable, friendly sessions with trained Jog Leaders.

Find your nearest group at www.jogscotland.org.uk/local-groups