Kim Scott established These Girls Can Run, a beginners recreational running group following her experience with post-natal depression. Kim decided to start running to help improve her wellbeing but felt so self conscious that she only ran in the dark. Her experience eventually led her to establish these Girls Can Run, which now has over 12 groups across the North East.
Kims Story
"My battle with weight and later Postnatal Depression led to me teaching myself to run alone, in the dark from lamp post to lamp post. From there I've gone on to complete marathons and beyond but it's no longer my story which builds These Girls Can Run.
It is the power that comes from within our TGCR tribe which carries forward our ethos and vision. It is the empowerment and strength which comes from the ladies who attend our groups and who are a part of TGCR which inspires and supports others to join us and take those sometimes terrifying first steps to becoming more active.
From humble beginnings we have grown in just three years from one to twelve groups, and from an online community of eight members to over five thousand. We're not just a running community though; we're a shoulder to cry on, we're a support network, we're a tribe.
These Girls Can Run was born because I wanted to help ladies who felt just like I did; overweight, unfit, and too scared of judgement to do anything about it. As we've grown, what was "my" vision however has become "our" vision. We may run in different locations but together as one we share a common purpose; to help more women become more active and fall in love with running. We don't judge, we don't criticise, we don't run alone.
This isn't "my" story this is "our story", and it's a good one "
Northumberland Sport have supported Kim on her journey providing valuable advice and supporting her to develop connections with partners such as public health. Funding from Northumberland Sport enabled Kim to attend Lirf courses for run leaders and she was one of the inspirational women to feature in the award winning #PassOnYourPassion campaign run by the northern CSPs in 2017.
This is a link to Kim's website which provides further information on her story http://thesegirlscanrun.weebly.com/