Members of a running group set up by the owner of a new Leicester coffee shop are preparing to take part in the Leicester Half Marathon and 10k later this month. The Misfits Run Club will be raising funds for the Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project (Lamp) charity at the event on Sunday, October 30.
The Misfits Run Club is made up of a group of runners who suffer from, or have experienced, poor mental health. The club is the brainchild of Adam White-Whittaker who founded the group by attracting members from his recently-opened coffee shop, The Social Coffee Club, in Welford Road.
Adam is joined by Fern Beard, a freelance festival producer. Fern and the rest of the group share Adam’s passion for running and have taken up the sport as a way to de-stress, get fit and spend time with health-conscious friends.
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According to Adam, the club’s 25 members support each other whenever they need it - not just when running. They also use the time they spend together to connect with each other, and have meaningful conversations around mental health, whilst drawing on the physical and psychological benefits of exercise.
Adam said: “We have all struggled with mental health to some extent, but there are few spaces where you can talk about things like anxiety and depression or trauma. The Misfits Run Club is open to anyone and for all levels.
"It’s a great way to come together as a team of diverse people who have taken up running for different reasons, but are united by a shared love of the sport. Through running, the support we gain from each other is a massive help in the journey to good mental health and because we know how important good mental health is, we decided to take part in the Leicester Half Marathon for Lamp.
“We have eight competitors who will take part in the Leicester Half Marathon on 30th October and we’re looking for more runners to join us and support Lamp.”
Richard Kotulecki, Lamp’s CEO added: “We are delighted with The Misfits Run Club’s aim to raise funds for Lamp and thank them for their generosity. A sport like running makes good mental and physical health accessible to everyone. This ties in with our annual Lamp 5k campaign which brings the community together to encourage everyone to power up, get fit and put one foot in front of the other in an effort to improve their mental and physical wellbeing.
“Being part of a group like The Misfits is a way to socialise and take part in an activity that puts you in tune with your body whilst reinvigorating your mind. We wish the club members every success in completing the Leicester Half Marathon.”
Donations towards the Misfits’ fundraiser for Lamp can be made through its JustGiving page. Runners who want to support Lamp by joining the half marathon/10k challenges on 30 October can email matthewbarton@lampdirect.org.uk.
Anyone wanting to join the running club on a Thursday evening can contact Fern on 07791 072479 for further details, or follow and get in touch on Instagram at @socialcoffeeclub and @misfitsrunclub.
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