AN Irish running group which brings refugees together with locals in the areas they now call home has launched in Britain.
Founded in Cork in 2018, Sanctuary Runners uses running, jogging and walking to bring together asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants with local residents to promote “solidarity-through-sports”.
The brainchild of former Irish Post sports editor Graham Clifford, the initiative has experienced huge success since its foundation.
There are now 42 running groups in place across Ireland and its first UK launched in Brighton yesterday (June 18).
Mr Clifford, who is Sanctuary Runners’ Head of International Development, will lead Sanctuary Runners GB until a wider team, based in Britain, is in place, he confirmed this week.
"Since our very earliest days in Cork we were determined to develop the Sanctuary Runners model internationally,” he said.
“Today is a very special day for us as we know how impactful Sanctuary Runners can be to bring communities together, to build bridges in society and to cut through all the misinformation and hate we see in the modern world,” he added.
“At the core of Sanctuary Runners GB will be a proud central belief that everyone, no matter their nationality, ethnicity, legal status, skin colour, age, gender or sexual orientation deserves to be treated with respect.
“In recent times when we have seen race rioting in different parts of the UK its clear initiatives such as this are needed here.
“We can't wait to roll up our sleeves to start building that wave of solidarity, friendship and respect across Britain as we have done in Ireland."
At last night’s launch in Brighton, the film Solidarity in Motion, which was commissioned by London Marathon Events - a partner organisation of Sanctuary Runners GB, premiered at the Duke of York theatre.
It tells the story of the Brighton Sanctuary Runners Academy - a group of 50 people, made up of 15 different nationalities which included locals, refugees and asylum seekers, who all ran in the Brighton marathon on April 6.
Nick Bitel, Chief Executive of the London Marathon Group, helped launch Sanctuary Runners GB in Brighton last night.
The organisation plans to launch groups in East London, Merseyside, the North East of England, Coventry and Cardiff in the months ahead.
See More: Brighton, Launch, Sanctuary Runners, UK
