Jog Derbyshire set to get county's residents more active

Derbyshire is to receive a £209,100 cash boost, which will see the launch of a county-wide jogging project to encourage hundreds of people to become more active.

Derbyshire Sport, working in partnership with Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust, has been awarded the Sport England Lottery funding to set up Jog Derbyshire - the largest of six Jog England pilot projects around the country, and the only pilot in the East Midlands.

Aimed at those who have never run before or have not run for a long time, Jog Derbyshire will see local groups set up, with ‘jog leaders’ guiding participants through a simple walk/jog schedule. The programmes are designed to encourage people back into activity and are looking to attract people of all ages who want to become fitter, maybe lose some weight or simply to exercise in a social group with other people.

The Jog Derbyshire funding will see two officers appointed to work across the county to set up beginner level jogging groups, led by trained volunteer jog leaders.

The two officers will recruit members and jog leaders all around the county, and it is thought that the jogging groups will be based at a variety of places, from community centres, village halls, pubs and schools, to local sports clubs and workplaces.

The partners in Derbyshire who have developed the project have been working in partnership with England Athletics, which is planning to set up a Jog England project across England.

Derbyshire Sport Community Sports Network Manager Margaret Blount said: “Jog Derbyshire is for anyone who wants to try running or jogging to stay healthy, but who may be do not want to join a running club or who don’t want to run alone.

“By joining a local jogging group members will be able to run with others of the same level of fitness, and by doing so improve their health and make friends at the same time.

“The idea is that, with time, members of the groups will move on from the beginners groups to intermediate and even to the advanced groups for the people who really get the bug.”

The Sport England Lottery funding of £209,100 was awarded to Derbyshire Sport following its successful bid to Sport England’s Community Investment Fund.

The total cost of the project for three years is £429,564 and, as well as the cash from Sport England, £67,800 of funding has been received from Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust, and in kind support has been received from England Athletics and the eight district or borough councils in the county.

It is hoped that the first jogging groups will be set up in late summer.

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about being a jog leader or joining a Jog Derbyshire group can register their interest here.

Jog Derbyshire will be a key element of the Active Derbyshire Campaign, which is soon to be launched by Derbyshire Sport.

Jog Derbyshire is based on a successful project in Scotland called Jog Scotland  where jogging groups have been set up in almost every local authority in Scotland.

The councils supporting Jog Derbyshire are Amber Valley Borough Council, Bolsover District Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Erewash Borough Council, High Peak Borough Council, North East Derbyshire District Council and South Derbyshire District Council.