‘It’s given me confidence’: Adam, who we support, sets up Kirklees running club for other people we support and team members!
Twenty people supported by Lifeways and support team members have joined a new running club in the Kirklees area of West Yorkshire – and they’re having lots of fun getting fit!
The running club is the brainchild of Adam, who lives in his own purpose-built apartment at our Union Gardens supported living service in Liversedge.
Supported by his support worker Rachel – a fitness guru herself – Adam got the idea to form a run club after completing the 5k Brighouse Park run, near where he lives.
“At the end of the 5k run, Adam said one of his goals would be to run a 10k event,” says Lifeways Area Manager Helen Morris. “So after a few weeks of discussion, we decided to launch a 10K Run Club for our area around Kirklees and Halifax.”
Diverse abilities
Given the diverse abilities of people supported by Lifeways, Adam and his support team developed the 10K Run Club further to include people who prefer to jog instead.
In the depths of winter this year – the first week of January – Adam, other people we support, and our team members met up every week for a run or jog at 4:30 pm on a Friday.
Each week, more people have joined in. Currently, the 10K Run Club counts as its members 8 people who we support and 12 support team members.
And because Friday wasn’t convenient for everyone, the club has now expanded the group to also meet on a Wednesday evening at another location, Saville Park.
Seeing progress
Club members have seen fantastic progress. Each week people have either improved their time, been able to do more jogging and less walking, or covered a greater distance, according to Helen.
Each week, Adam leads the club’s warm-up session. He then sprints around the 2k running track. He then turns back to run with, cheer on, and encourage other runners, who aren’t quite as speedy as he is!
“The aim is to get out and give it a go and do what you can - with Adam as our lead and inspiration!” says Helen.
Of course, fitness isn’t only confined to the club’s weekly runs. Several people who started the walking club are now doing their own individual walks in the week - and have joined the gym to try to get fitter.
The club is currently planning an event in either May or June, which aims to involve everybody – including wheelchair users – in a 5-10k run or walk.
“The running club has given me confidence,” says Adam. “It has made me run faster. The running club has also brought everyone together as a group in different categories.
“Everyone should have a running club!”
About Union Gardens:
At Union Gardens apartments, in Liversedge, West Yorkshire, people benefit from a vibrant network of staff and friends, while having peace and quiet when they need it too.
Union Gardens is a new development made up of one- and two-bedroom apartments plus a two-bedroom bungalow. The service supports individuals living with physical disabilities, autism, and learning disabilities.
About Lifeways:
Lifeways is the UK’s largest team of support professionals providing support for adults in the community.
We support adults with diverse and complex needs, including learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries, and mental health conditions.
Lifeways delivers support across three divisions: supported living, residential and mental health services.
Follow us on:
More news and events