A RUNNING group is celebrating after receiving a grant to help buy new equipment.

Walney Wind Cheetahs Cubs were presented with a community grant of £650 from Asda in Barrow which will help buy new equipment, keep their run leaders up to date with training and allow them to deliver the best sessions for the children. 

The group is non-profit and relies on donations and fundraising.

Group leader Robert Blackburn said the grant also helped to get their volunteers' DBS checked.

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"We can also use it to vary up the sessions we run so we got hurdles and ladders, a few extra cones and we can then do drills," said Robert.

"During our sessions, we can play big games where we involve all the adults and they get all involved like dodge ball and we get all the kids to throw the balls at the adults and the other way round."

The clubs are a free, family-orientated running group for children aged four to 15 with a focus on families getting active outdoors on Walney Island.

All of their run leaders are trained through England Athletics which means they all have a running qualification.

When asked about the importance of the group to keep children active Robert said it is 'fantastic'.

"It gets them moving and it gives them the chance to compete in a team environment but it is only against themselves," he said.

"We can deal with multiple learning difficulties and we have got a lot of children who come and thrive in the environment because they are allowed to just express themselves through their running and they are keeping themselves active as well."

The running group also takes part in events to give back to the community such as litter picking.

The group has flourished from five children to fifty children every week.