The 'vibrant' running club 'making a real difference'

A running club is celebrating after being recognised for its work to inspire people to lace up their trainers and give the sport a go.

The Shropshire Shufflers, based in Shrewsbury, has won Club of the Year, Community Project of the Year and Volunteer of the Year in the England Athletics regional awards for the West Midlands.

The club was formed in 1981 by founders inspired by the first London Marathon and now has more than 600 members.

When the awards were handed out, the club was described as "one of the UK's largest and most inclusive running communities", with beginners' programmes, guide running for visually-impaired athletes, buggy running groups and "vibrant social events".

Chris Whiteley, coaching coordinator, said: "We're constantly getting new members, people who are brand new to running, or brand new to the area, who want to join the local running club."

He said: "I personally made many many friends through the club.

"It's a huge part of my life. You can switch off from your normal daily life. You can just be amongst your own thoughts, or you can just have some nice conversation with some fellow-minded runners."

Volunteer of the Year Debbie Armstrong, described as the "beating heart of her club", gives her time on six days of the week, supporting runners of all levels.

Ms Armstrong described the work taking place to shape the club's inclusive culture, including training guide runners for the visually impaired.

She said: "Anybody who is, say for example, losing their sight, partially-sighted, or has got no sight whatsoever, and they want to get involved in running, we have a number of runners that have been trained in order to assist them and help them with that.

"Whether it's down at our local park run, or you've got a race, we will come and help and support that."

England Athletics said Ms Armstrong's impact was "felt in every session, every smile, and every runner who found confidence because of her".

Of the club, England Athletics said: "Their commitment to transparency, member engagement, and community impact sets them apart. Whether on road, trail, or track, the Shufflers embody the spirit of running for everyone - making them a truly deserving winner of Club of the Year."

It said the club had "broken down barriers and brought people together".

"The Shufflers are more than a running club - they're a vibrant, welcoming community making a real difference through sport," the organisation said.

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