I Can Run CIC is a women-only running organisation founded in Suffolk in 2016, becoming a CIC (Community Interest Club) in 2019. Volunteer-led and run, their ethos means all women are welcome, whatever their age, size, background and ability. The organisation welcomes women who have not exercised for many years, women who are socially anxious and women who just don’t feel they ‘fit in’ to the traditional exercise mould. It is a safe space for women to exercise and socialise with like-minded people.

Volunteer Run Leaders are the backbone of the organisation, guiding weekly group runs around East Anglia alongside providing training for courses offered by I Can Run. Delivered in person, these courses are essential for training new volunteer Run Leaders who are so vital to the club.

Unfortunately, the global pandemic ground all running activities to a halt. Lockdown restrictions meant that both runs and training courses could no longer be offered as they had been previously. However, determined to continue to provide its services, I Can Run migrated its training to an online platform.

Suffolk Community Foundation provided the essential funding needed to support this training rethink and help kick-start the club’s activities post-lockdown. The grant helped complement the efforts of its existing Run Leaders to design, implement and test the e-learning platform. The new online training has allowed the club to reach more women than before, offering newfound accessibility and flexibility. This has meant that Run Leaders can now complete the programme around their other commitments.