The Women’s Running Network (WRN) was founded 11 years ago in Exeter to encourage women to run who would not normally consider that they could. Our ethos of all shapes, all sizes, all ages, all stages embraces all women and encourages them to improve their fitness and well-being. Our youngest is 12 and our oldest at present is 73.
The aim of WRN was to get women active but initially with no plans of expanding outside Exeter. As we grew our success spread to other parts of the country.
Project details Project duration: 01 January 1998 - ongoing
Organisation:
Women's Running Network
Audience All women
Innovation
Women only-helping other women. Women as leaders, women’s running groups as the new community.
Recruitment and promotion
It started with runners who trained with us and loved it so much they wanted to share it. Promoted by word of mouth, good personal stories in press, on the radio and links with local events e.g. Race for Life. Charity events organised by the founders drew massive publicity in 2000.
Location
How was your project delivered? Running / joggingFunding
The first 7 years were voluntary and by membership, then Community Investment Funding funding from Sport England in the South West until March 2009.
Partnership
Many partners locally, regionally and nationally. England Athletics are the primary partner.
Results
Lessons:
Having spent 11 years developing our project, we constantly review and change. In the first instance we didn’t really engage with local authorites but now some of our most successful projects have been working with partners.
Evaluation:
We are expanding all the time. Retention of members is good compared with many clubs. We constantly review what we provide and we are always trying to improve service. We monitor the WRN, but using a member database showing total members, leaders, new areas and ages.
Hard to engage with young women and sustain a project with them. However with leaders passion have maintained the groups we started. These are limited and mainly in the south west.
Themes
Growing and sustaining participation
The aim of WRN is to increase participation and encourage young women to stay active. Most of our women would not traditionally see themselves as runners and go to a traditional club.
Workforce development
All our leaders are trained and attend a UKA leadership course. Initially we had our own leaders course and our leaders also attended an England Athletics course. We had input into England Athletics course and they have just launched a new leadership course. We support our group leaders with ongoing training.
Reversioning sport
Targetting confidence and self-esteem issues
Body image and confidence are the biggest barriers we have faced in encouraging women to participate.
Health and well being
Running definitely has an effect on health, both mental and physical. It has helped our participants overcome cancer, lose weight, reduce high blood pressure, cope with diabetes, aswell as some mental health problems.
