A Salford charity running group is set to swap its usual route for a special finish at a popular festival celebrating the city’s role in the invention of the weekend.
On Sunday, two sets of runners from MileShyClub will finish their workouts in the Piazza at Media City, where the free We Invented the Weekend festival will be in full swing.
The charity hosts beginner running and walking groups that give people a reason to leave the house and get active.
It also offers fitness sessions to people living with long-term health conditions such as cancer, visiting hospitals to help them complete gentle exercise in a supportive environment.
The positive work MileShyClub carries out will be spotlighted at the UK’s biggest free festival when its beginner running group finish their 10am jog from Victoria Park in Stretford, in the heart of Media City.
An hour later, the charity’s multi-marathon running coach, Wendy, will lead a couch to 5k at the Piazza to demonstrate what week one of the programme looks like.
“It is going to be an amazing festival and it will be lovely for people to have a place to run to on the Sunday with other people who want to get involved with what’s going on at Salford Quays,” said founder Jane Dennison about the charity’s involvement in We Invented the weekend, which is expected to draw 90,000 people and offers 200 free activities across 6 and 7 June.
“It’s great because we can connect people to each other,” she said. “If they come and get signed up to do couch to 5k in their own time or pop into one of our clubs and continue it there.”
Jane hopes that thousands of visitors descending on the festival for live music, art workshops, thought-provoking talks, or to sample street food from stalls will catch a glimpse of their now famous bright yellow shirts.
“We work hard on our merchandise with our motto ‘No One Gets Left Behind’ on the back of our t-shirts, which people love and really get behind. We are known for our yellow t-shirts and recently, due to demand, our new bright pink ones.”
Since leaving her legal career and setting up her first beginner-friendly running group in 2017, Jane has overseen the charity’s growth to 16 beginner running groups and 10 walking groups across Greater Manchester.
The 44-year-old began running at the age of 28 and said the activity improved her wellbeing after she experienced mental health problems.
“I went through periods of homelessness in my teenage years and spent time in a psychiatric hospital,” she said. “Running helped me more than counselling or any medication.”
Jane’s work growing the charity means many dog walkers and park users will already recognise the sight of a bright yellow MileShyClub shirt passing through their local parks.
She hopes those yet to come across the group will see its impact at Salford’s We Invented the Weekend festival and be encouraged to get involved.
More information about MileShyClub can be found here. Meanwhile, the blockbuster We Invented the Weekend festival lineup is available on the event’s colourful website.
