Crawley running club Saints and Sinners celebrates 40th anniversary

It was before Garmin, Tom Tom and Strava so running route distances were worked out using car trips or measuring street maps.

In 1982 Graham Ridout watched the London Marathon on telly and was inspired to take part the following year.

He convinced like-minded friends John Marsh and Derek Brailsford from Broadfield’s Anglican Church to form a running club, later naming themselves Saints and Sinners for fairly obvious reasons.

By the first official committee meeting in September/October 1982 the club had a name and logo. Although at around the same time, at the first ever meeting of the West Sussex Fun Run League in October, they were still just a "group from Broadfield, Crawley”.

That committee meeting laid out the club's ethos as: "Saints and Sinners is an informal fun run club. The aim of the club is to make running and jogging more enjoyable for members."

Six members of the club, including Graham and Derek, took part in the London Marathon in 1983. In 1987 14 members took part.

Forty years later we have around 150 members who take part in Parkruns, the West Sussex Fun Fun League, Sussex Grand Prix and Sussex Cross Country events.

Members run for fitness, fun and competitively.

The club offers an annual learn to run course as well as twice-weekly training sessions to help people improve and reach their running goals.

All are welcome and for more information speak to any member at Tilgate or Ifield Mill Pond Parkrun for visit the website.

For more information visit https://www.crawleysaintsandsinnersrun.co.uk/.