Newyddion

04/12/2025 00:00, I Mewn Blog / Club Notice Board /

Running in Wales is experiencing fantastic growth at the moment, with 315,000 adults participating regularly through organised and informal activity.

However, we are acutely aware that female runners face numerous challenges during the winter months. It’s not just about cold weather or slippery roads; it’s about safety. 

Research by This Girl Can shows that almost three-quarters (72%) of women in the UK change their outdoor activity routines during winter, and a recent Our Streets Now survey revealed that 93% of women have experienced public sexual harassment whilst running. This simply isn’t acceptable.

As evenings grew darker in October, Welsh Athletics launched a national Own The Night campaign to help women feel safer while running at night or early in the morning.

The campaign aimed both to raise awareness of the issues women face when running in the dark and to educate individuals and communities on practical ways to offer support.

To kick off the campaign, Welsh Athletics hosted an event at the Senedd and called on the Welsh Government to take bold action to make communities safer and more active. The organisation urged the government to prioritise:

• the creation of safer, well-lit routes for runners,
• mandatory safe exercise spaces in new housing developments, and
• the embedding of sport and physical activity within the VAWDASV Strategy.

Ministers and Senedd Members heard directly from runners about the fears they experience when out in the dark. John Griffiths MS and Heledd Fychan MS responded by tabling a Statement of Opinion supporting Welsh Athletics’ Own The Night campaign, with 17 Senedd Members subscribing to the statement.

Throughout October, Welsh Athletics shared a series of social-media videos offering advice on how runners can maximise their personal safety, alongside guidance for allies on how to help women feel safer while running. The campaign delivered strong cross-channel performance, generating 1,037,283 social-media impressions and 13,357 clicks to the campaign landing page, where communities could learn more and get involved.

Welsh Athletics also hosted three educational webinars in partnership with local police forces, Our Streets Now, and Route Buddies, attracting 223 attendees.

On the weekend the clocks went back, 2,127 people took part in Own The Night runs across Wales, hosted by more than 60 local clubs and groups, along with three core Welsh Athletics events in Cardiff, Swansea and Colwyn Bay.

The campaign secured extensive Wales-wide media coverage, including a major primetime ITV Wales feature, and received support from all four police forces in Wales.

Local councils have also begun responding, with Welsh Athletics now in conversation with Newport Council about how street lighting improvements could make running safer.

Hannah Baulch, Head of Participation at Welsh Athletics, said:

Own The Night has shown just how powerful our running community can be when it comes together with a shared purpose. Women deserve to feel safe and confident every time they step out for a run, and this campaign has sparked vital conversations and real action across Wales.

 

We’re committed to continuing this work until safer streets are the norm, not the exception.

How You Can Continue To Support The Campaign & Raise Awareness

• Clubs can continue to host their own ‘Own The Night Runs’ throughout the winter months and pledge their support across their social media channels. We’ve created these helpful assets and guide to help with this.
• Start open and honest conversations within clubs about what simple steps can be taken to make everyone feel safer whilst running. 
• Revisit one of our educational webinars here.
• Write a letter to your local councillor expressing your concerns and urge them to take action. Click here to download a template letter.

Next Steps

The campaign does not end here. Welsh Athletics will:

• continue to champion the cause through working with local councils, police forces and partners to improve the safety of runners across Wales.
• be working with Sound to roll out ‘Sound Run Club’, a toolkit to support clubs and groups with encouraging members to reflect, listen and speak up about safety and inclusion in a non-judgemental way.

Campaign Results & Community Engagement So Far

Feedback from runners who attended an Own The Night event:

It felt really supportive and positive. A lot of women either felt strongly about supporting others or said they didn't feel confident running by themselves at night. New connections were made, and several women were keen to join our running club or others!

 

Lots of participants told us how much they loved it. North Wales Police knew we were holding the event, drove by, joined us at the end and lit everyone up with their blue light! Some people mentioned this could become an annual event; others said they wanted to join our running club, Denbigh Harriers.

 

Great community feel to the event. We had all ages and genders, one person in a wheelchair, two walkers and my son in the running buggy.

 

It was lovely to join with other local clubs for this important campaign. We had great feedback, a fantastic atmosphere and a brilliant turnout.

For more information on the campaign and more ways to get involved, click here.