The National Running Show Community Grant Scheme is a funding initiative that provides £500 to £1,000 to grassroots running groups across the UK. Launched in 2020, the scheme aims to get inactive individuals moving, foster healthy habits in young people, and improve overall mental and physical wellness through running.
It is designed for local running clubs and community organisations that champion social inclusion and work to remove barriers to participation. Ultimately, the funding serves inactive individuals, youth, and underrepresented groups.
Q&A with Stuart Chappell, Men's Team Captain & Committee Member of Perran Trail Runners
1. Please tell us a little about the background of Perran Trail Runners – how did it all get started, who set it up, and what inspired you?
Perran Trail Runners was born out of lockdown in 2022, thanks to three local running mates: Toby, Daniel, and Nigel. Craving an escape, we started exploring the rugged trails, hidden valleys, and coastal paths around the Perranzabuloe parish. We quickly realised that trail running offered something truly special: a way to reconnect with nature, rediscover a childlike sense of play, and shake off daily stress.
What started as three friends exploring the mud rapidly snowballed. It turned out that dozens of local runners were craving that exact same freedom, camaraderie, and adventure. What inspired us then - and still drives us today - is the belief that running doesn’t have to be about sterile split paces or the tarmac grind; it’s about community, fresh air, breathtaking scenery, and having a laugh together.
2. How has your membership grown or changed since you started?
The growth has been incredible! Since formally electing our club committee at the start of this year, we’ve leapt from 50 members to over 70, with new faces turning up every week purely through word of mouth. We get lovely messages on WhatsApp and Facebook from members saying how joining PTR has transformed their running and mental wellbeing - and they often end up bringing their partners, friends and neighbours along.
What’s even better is our punchy spirit. While we are fully inclusive and cater to every pace, both our men’s and women’s teams have recently picked up team trophies at Cornish races, going toe-to-toe with long-established road-running clubs that boast more than 200 members. We’re small, friendly and rapidly growing, but our runners have huge hearts on race day!
3. What are the main highlights and challenges runners face when tackling Cornish trails?
The obvious highlight is having this right on our doorstep. Running along dramatic clifftops above crashing Atlantic waves, weaving through historic engine houses, or chasing sunsets across Perranporth beach never gets old.
The biggest challenge? Respecting the terrain. Cornwall’s coast path is famously unforgiving - think technical granite steps, steep coastal valleys (our quads know all about those!), exposed coastal winds, mud, and narrow cliff paths. Many people, especially beginners and families, feel intimidated about where it’s safe to go or how to navigate properly. Our club removes that intimidation factor. Within a supportive group, those daunting trails suddenly become an exhilarating playground.
4. How will grant funding from the National Running Show help the club launch PTR Juniors?
This £1,000 grant is the precise catalyst we need to turn PTR Juniors from an ambitious concept into a safe, living reality. To take under-18s onto coastal trails, safety and safeguarding are non-negotiable. The grant will directly fund:
- Enhanced DBS checks and safeguarding verification for our volunteer leaders and marshals.
- Accredited coaching qualifications (Leadership in Running Fitness – LiRF) to ensure our team can deliver structured, age-appropriate trail sessions.
- Essential youth safety gear, including a club pool of rechargeable headtorches, high-visibility tabards, and emergency trail medical kits, ensuring evening sessions during autumn and winter are completely safe.
By removing financial barriers for both the club and local families, this funding ensures that cost is never a hurdle to participation.
5. How did the need for PTR Juniors first come to light?
It came directly from our own runners and the local community. A huge number of our members are parents to teenagers and younger children. The kids watch their parents head out for trail runs, come back buzzing (and muddy!), and say: "I want to do that!"
Our runners were crying out for an outlet where their children could join in, but our existing adult setup couldn’t accommodate under-18s without dedicated safeguarding infrastructure and youth coaching qualifications. We realised there was virtually no dedicated youth trail-running initiative in the area. We decided to change that and become the first community running club in Cornwall to establish an official junior trail division. The word is already out locally; we've had enthusiastic backing from our local primary school, and parents are already queuing up to get their kids involved.
6. Beyond physical fitness, what specific mental or social hurdles do you hope PTR Juniors will help under-18s overcome?
For teenagers and young people today, screen fatigue, social pressures and exam anxiety are very real. My wife, Hannah, and I are parents in a bustling blended family with six kids between us - for us, trail running is our ultimate mental health reset, our stress relief and the thing that bonds us together. We want to pass that exact gift on to the next generation.
Socially and mentally, PTR Juniors is designed to focus on:
- Pure fun and unexpected friendships: Running on trails breaks down barriers faster than almost anything else. A great example is my 13-year-old son, Harry, who has joined us on a couple of runs with Nigel, our club Chairman, and his 14-year-old son, Felix. Seeing them chatting away, tackling trails together and coming back absolutely beaming showed us just how powerful this community can be. It creates genuine friendships, builds social confidence and connects younger runners with positive adult mentors in a really relaxed, supportive environment.
- Building quiet resilience and grit: Trail running teaches you that you can conquer steep climbs, handle wild Cornish weather and push through challenges with a smile on your face.
- A non-judgmental, screen-free outlet: There are no split times to stress over or expectations to meet - just a shared adventure where the only goal is to support the person next to you and have a laugh.
- Respect for the outdoors: Practical coastal awareness, respecting the Countryside Code, understanding cliff safety and caring for our local landscape.
7. Are there enough local races and initiatives tailored to younger runners in your region, in your opinion?
Honestly, no - especially when it comes to off-road and trail running. While there are a few junior parkruns and traditional school cross-country fixtures on playing fields, structured trail and coastal running for young people is almost non-existent in Cornwall.
That’s a huge missed opportunity in a county blessed with some of the best trails in the world. Trail running is one of the fastest-growing sports globally, yet local children haven't had a proper grassroots pathway to learn the skills safely. PTR Juniors is here to change that dynamic.
8. What is your future vision for the club?
Our vision is simple: to make trail running an inclusive, accessible, lifelong journey for our entire community.
For PTR Juniors, we want to build a self-sustaining pathway where young runners grow their confidence, learn to navigate our coastlines responsibly, and eventually transition into our senior ranks or step up to volunteer and mentor the next cohort. We would love to get them involved in racing and help spark a vibrant youth trail-running community across Cornwall and beyond.
For Perran Trail Runners, we want to continue nurturing the welcoming, adventurous ethos that started with just three friends in 2022. Whether someone is lacing up their trainers for their very first off-road 5K or tackling a 100K ultra, we want PTR to be known as the friendliest, most encouraging pack on the Cornish trails.
The National Running Show hits its 10-year milestone on 30–31 January 2027 at the NEC Birmingham! To honour a decade of running achievements and community, the weekend features a unique showcase entrance and an exclusive after-hours party - with more big announcements on the way. Book your tickets today so you don't miss out!