LUCY WILLINGHAM, who is studying Media Communications and Culture at Nottingham Trent University, is writing an occasional series of articles for the News Journal. In her first piece, Lucy looks behind a new community running group in her home village of Clipstone — The Klyppr Crawlers.

A Clipstone man who developed a life-changing passion for fitness after surviving a health scare is now aiming to inspire others to put themselves first.

Philip Williams launched a new community running group in the village at the start of the new year — and already membership of the Klyppr Crawlers, which caters for all abilities, has tripled in just a few weeks.

He said he is passionate about fitness and wanted to create a way to inspire people to put themselves and their health first.

Philip explained how he had witnessed many people take up running as a hobby during the 2020 lockdown, but they had soon found it difficult to fit this exercise around work regimes once Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.

“I wanted to inspire those people who had started running, but then regressed,” said Philip.

“So I started the running group because of that.”

After almost suffering from a heart attack due to poor health 10 years ago, Philip began his own fitness journey.

He applied to run the London Marathon, despite never having run before — and the event gave him the motivation he needed to begin changing his life.

His experience also motivated Philip to have a desire to help others change their outlook on health and fitness.

“If I’d had someone at that time to speak to, or to push me along and help me in my community, that would have been so much easier and so much more helpful,” he said.

“I need to give something back now because there wasn’t anyone there for me like that.”

Taking part in exercise like running is said to have numerous benefits for both physical and mental health.

It can help with stress relief, increase sleep, and also releases endorphins to help the body feel good.

Philip is encouraging everyone in the community to get involved with Klyppr Crawlers, adding: “If you’ve got a smile and you’ve got a pulse, you’re welcome.”

He said the response from the community to his initiative has been phenomenal.

Only four runners turned up at the first session, but the group now has 46 runners, with 156 members following its Facebook page — all within just one month.

To further encourage people to get involved, the group is planning to introduce loyalty cards, with funding help from the local Co-op.

For every two 5ks runs completed, members will be able to colour in one box on the card.

After six boxes have been coloured in, totalling 60 kilometres, runners will be able to choose either a T-shirt or a hoodie bearing the group’s logo as a reward.

Philip added: “The T-shirts are just to let people in the community know it’s something they can be a part of.

“When you feel a part of something, you feel a sense of pride and I think that echoes out across everyone.”

The group caters for all abilities, with running sessions on Mondays at 6pm and Wednesdays at 7am.

There is also a walking group on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.15pm, meeting outside the Co-op on Ward Road, Clipstone.

Williams says he has big plans for the future, including a community race across Clipstone, as well as a ‘buggy race’ to help encourage parents with small children to get out and exercise too.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about Klyppr Crawlers should go to its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/895136081502249/?ref=share