'Our ladies run club has become a support hub'

A female-only running club marking its first anniversary said the group has grown into "a community for women".

Girlies That Run, which is based in Hereford, was founded by Lillian Istance and Helen Massey in January 2024 to provide a safe space for women to keep fit.

It was the first women-only running club in the area and quickly progressed into more than a way to safely pound the pavements.

Ms Istance, 23, said: "We've branched off into so much, we [have hosted] pilates and yoga and hiking. We are here as a hub of support, encouragement and empowerment for women."

The club, which starts each run at the city's cathedral, started out with only a handful of people, most of whom were the founders' friends.

It has since grown to more than 2,500 members on Facebook and about 60 people attend weekly.

Ms Massey, 27, credited the success to a gap in the market for supporting women.

"Hereford is really big on community, I think it's because we're quite a small city but there was no community for girls. We jumped on that and it's took off."

The group said it hoped to inspire women from across the UK to set up or join a similar group.

"Lots of women have been in touch via social media and in 2025 we really want to reach out to those people in different in cities and get every girl involved in this community," Ms Istance said.

Ms Massey encouraged other women in Hereford to join the club and said the group was all about inclusivity.

"We don't care how you run, we care why you run, it's all paces and faces welcome."

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