High Peak joins national campaign to get women running in winter

Councillor Jenni Benzer for New Mills and Councillor Gill Scott for Hayfield are doing a Sport England #LetsLiftThe Curfew run along the Sett Valley Trail and want as many women who may be runners or non runners to join them.

Cllr Jenni said: “When the dark nights come earlier a lot of women stop running as they don’t feel safe.

“Whenever something bad happens on the news to women we are told to stop what we are doing and stay safe.

“But why should we modify our behaviour to stay safe, why are men not being told to stop doing things to women?”

The run is 4km and aimed at being accessible for all women.

Cllr Jenni said: “I’m a runner and I notice myself being less active in the winter.

“In February my husband and child were away and I thought I’d go for a run.

“I was running along the Sett Valley Trail and it got darker sooner than I thought it would and I found myself feeling rather spooked and anxious and eager to return home.”

Being less active in the winter months is something Sport England have noticed and are working to tackle.

A spokesperson said: “The campaign was launched in response to research which found that almost half, 48 per cent, of women prefer not to be active outside after dark and six in 10, 60 per cent, of women worry about the risk of sexual harassment or intimidation.

“The initiative aims to address these concerns by calling for a safer and more inclusive experience for all women when getting active outdoors after dark.”

The campaign also highlights how nearly half, 46 per cent of women change their outdoor exercise routines during winter to accommodate a perceived ‘curfew’, with the fear of being active outside in darkness making women feel ‘anxious’, ‘vulnerable’ and ‘unsafe’.    As a result, two in five, 40 per cent, women say they feel limited and more than a quarter feel sad or frustrated. Cllr Jenni said: “This run is about women coming together and running because they like running, walkers are welcome to.

“It’s about the need to move more and feel we can’t got out just because we are women.”

She noted that it was not all men who make women feel unsafe and were calling on men to become allies of women.

“We have had one man donate lots of head torches to us so we can continue to run and be seen which is great.”

Cllr Jenni added: “This is not a race, this is about solidarity and standing together.

“After the run we will be going for a drink at the Torr Vale Tap to make it a nice social occasion.”

Anyone who wants to join the evening activity on Thursday November, 7 should meet at Hayfield Bus Station at 7pm.