Stepping out: Meet the Castleford running group raising money and raising spirits for the whole community

Members of Savvy Park Runrz – a group of park and neighbourhood runners – have now started to use their group to support projects, raise money for various causes, as well as highlighting awareness of local issues and doing their bit to help.

Mark Spence, head of the group, said: "We are not just a running club, but are the driving force behind the Friends of Savile Park, and are bringing the community together.”

He said the club had formed a strong friendship with the Castleford Cricket Club, and have recently had a defibrillator installed at the cricket club pavilion, thanks to support from local and regional community funds and help from local councillors.

"Improvements are also on ongoing within the park, with tennis courts brought back to life, bulb planting throughout the park with the support of Wakefield Parks and Greenspaces and Woodland Trust, who have provided saplings and helped with planting,” said Mark.

“Our club and its members have raised tens of thousands pounds for countless charities. As well as regularly doing collections for The Clothing Bank, we recently took part in the Food Bank Run supporting our local Foodbank at The Link.”

He said the club was proud of being inclusive with runners of all abilities, ages and experiences from those who have recently graduated through its couch to 5k (C25k) programme to those who ran marathons and half marathons regularly.

“We have grown immensely in little over two years, from a very humble beginnings, to regularly having 50-60 come along,” added Mark.

"We have really developed and have an amazing committee, and team of run leads, welfare officers and mental health champions.

“A lot of our runners don’t just run for the physical experience, a lot get a huge amount of benefit towards their mental wellbeing,” he added

"There is a real ‘family’ spirit amongst the club. There is a lot of family members at the club, from husbands and wives, father and sons, brothers and sisters, mothers and daughters, but equally there has is real friendships formed. As part of a rugby league town often there is reference to a rugby league family – the running community is very much the same!”

He said club members were due to take part in several high profile races this year including more than 30 runners in the forthcoming Rob Burrow Leeds Half Marathon and Marathon – in honour of the Pontefract rugby league legend – and similar numbers were heading up to the North East for the Great North Run in September.

Nicola O’Conner, treasurer of the Park Runrz, added: ‘Being part of this club has given me the confidence and support from the savvy team to run a half marathon.

"The club has been great at getting people to start running; the c25k has proven successful and the club grows every week. There is a variety of paces and ages at the club.’

Membership Secretary Jaimie Farrand said that ‘Savvy Park Runrz was more to than a running club, it was like a second family.

"I have made some amazing friends along the way and we all support each other, which is fantastic - no one gets left behind.

"I for one never thought I would run a full marathon, but with the support of my club friends anything is possible.”

Club member Laura Shillito said she had been running with Savvy Park Runrz for two years, from couch to 5k and is now pushing to do 15k.

"I am now planning to run my first half marathon in May. If it wasn't for the amazing encouragement and support from savvy runners I would definitely not be where I am today,” she said.

That sentiment was echoed by pal Tanya Halman.

"Savvy is one of the best things to have every happened to me,” she said.