Running groups creating sense of community for migrants and locals

‘SANCTUARY RUNNERS’ WAS FOUNDED IN CORK IN 2018 TO HELP LOCALS GET TO KNOW ASYLUM SEEKERS

Moving to an unfamiliar place can often be a daunting experience, so one can only imagine how difficult it is for asylum seekers, refugees and migrants who may come to Ireland without family or friends or even a good grasp of the local lingo. In the hopes of making settling down somewhat easier, a unique Cork-founded initiative titled ‘Sanctuary Runners’ was setup to foster a greater sense of community between those new to the country and Irish residents through the sport of running.

Annemarie Sheehan, who is a Mallow resident and community development manager for Sanctuary Runners, told The Corkman that the initiative was first set up in Cork by founders Graham Clifford and Clare Keogh in 2018 as an outlet for people in communities and those living locally in Direct Provision centres to get to know each other.

After getting a few groups together, a large number of Sanctuary Runners participated in the Cork City Marathon and other events later that year, wearing blue t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan ‘Solidarity, Friendship and Respect’ which caught the attention of many running enthusiasts who went on to setup further groups across Ireland over the last six years.

“We connect with people coming to Ireland, mainly seeking International Protection, but also if you’ve come here to work from another country or you are studying, any migrants and Irish people to get together and get to know each other and make friends in a really casual way,” Annemarie explained.

In Cork, Sanctuary Runners is active in Mallow, Millstreet (currently looking for new local members) and Fermoy as well as Cobh, Clonakilty and Youghal, with another group being created in Macroom. Annemarie is a member of the initiative’s small yet active Mallow group, setup up in 2019, which she said has a 50/50 split of locals and different nationalities.

“In the Mallow group, we meet at the Park Run every Saturday morning and people can dip in and out. It’s different from an athletic club because athletic clubs might have a schedule where they go training once or twice every week whereas ours is much more informal than that,” Annemarie explained.

“We might have ten people in Mallow, some weeks we might have less, some weeks we might have more. Park Run is already there, anybody can turn up to a Park Run but you might be shy, you mightn’t know what to expect, especially if English is not your first language, you just mightn’t be sure.

“We built the bridges between people who do not have English as their first language or who have come here seeking International Protection, so they might be very nervous or worried or anxious and we talk to them and say, ‘We’re going along to this event, come with us and we’ll all go together.’”

Annemarie said that Sanctuary Runners members reported that being part of the initiative’s groups helped them with their mental health, their physical health and with feeling part of a community. For example, the group’s 2020 ‘Impact Survey’ found that 85% of respondents in Direct Provision said that being part of Sanctuary Runners had helped them feel welcome in Ireland, while 74% of ‘Irish’ members had never spoken to a Direct Provision resident before joining a group.

The initiative not only serves to help newcomers to Ireland to feel welcome according to Annemarie, who said being a member of the initiative also helped her to settle when she moved to Mallow.

“I was a Sanctuary Run member in Dublin and the first thing I did when I moved to Mallow is look to see if there was a runner’s group here. I thought, ‘Yes there is, great, I know we’re instantly going to be friends because I understand this,’ ” Annmarie explained.

“And that helps people who are seeking International Protection as well because they move a lot, they can look for their nearest Sanctuary Runners club and they know what they are going to get, they understand the dynamic.

“For me you’d see somebody out at a run and [then] you’d see them at the supermarket, so you can stop and say hello and have a chat and there’s that connection here that you probably wouldn’t have ordinarily.

“From my perspective that wasn’t a new country it was just a new town so it’s really lovely to meet new friends in one way and then you see them out and about in another way. It just embeds your friendships in that new town.”

Annemarie said that Sanctuary Runners, which is not just for ‘runners’ and also organises walking, jogging and swimming activities, is always open to new members, no matter their nationality, age, athletic ability or level of English, which she has seen improve in many members from their participation in the groups she has been a part of.

“It is as much about the social impact and making friends as it is the fitness piece,” Annemarie said.

Sanctuary Runners groups from across the county and Munster will take part in the Cork City marathon 10k event on June 2, and anyone wishing to join them in their “iconic” blue t-shirts are welcome.

Anyone interested in joining or setting up a Sanctuary Runners group in their town can email annemarie@sanctuaryrunners.ie for further details.