A running club on a mission to help people improve their fitness and mental wellbeing is now offering free sessions in Worthing, Horsham and Crawley.

The Heads On Run Club is provided by Heads On, the official mental health charity for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and was developed by Ian Puttock and Jeremy Sandford, who both work for the Trust. Between them they have raised thousands of pounds for Heads On by running marathons and taking part in other fundraising events.

Known locally as the ‘NHS marathon man’, Ian currently works as a Programme Manager: “Establishing the Run Club has meant a lot to me. I started running 14 years following the sad loss of my wife.  I know first-hand how beneficial exercise can be to mental health and wellbeing.”

Jeremy, who works as a Peer Support Specialist, said: ” Personally, running is my anchor and the freedom to exercise outdoors in nature supports my mental health wellbeing.

The aim of the run club is to provide a safe space for members to enjoy the benefits of running for mental and physical health. The club is free to all and is accessible to all levels of experience and fitness.”

There are now four weekly run club sessions available, led by Ian and Jeremy:

• Worthing Leisure Centre Running Track, Shaftesbury Avenue, Goring-by-Sea, BN12 4ET. Every Friday, 12pm-1pm
• Horsham Park Bandstand, Horsham, RH12 2DW. Every Monday and Thursday, 5.30pm-6.30pm
• Crawley K2 Leisure Centre, Pease Pottage Hill, Crawley, RH11 9BQ. Every Wednesday, 1pm-2pm.

If you would like to join a run club session email: HeadsOnRunClub@spft.nhs.uk.