Get set go for Guide Runners in Jersey

An England Athletics Sight Loss Awareness course was held recently on Jersey – a first for the island.

The course was requested by the charity Eyecan as they have no registered guide runners in their region. With the agreement of the course tutor, ITV journalist Josh Wilde went to cover the event to help to advertise it locally to more people.

All about the course

Josh took part with 25 other volunteer runners at Jersey Spartans Athletics Club. The 2 hour course includes practical elements as well as an introduction on how to effectively guide blind and partially sighted runners – including top tips and safety - plus provide training sessions that are enjoyable and accessible for blind and partially sighted runners. It also provides information on types of visual impairment and common sight loss conditions, appropriate terminology and behaviour, and awareness of where and how to access further support and information.

What happens next?

Once the course is completed, attendees complete a safeguarding course, need to be first aid certified, and have a DBS check before they are licenced. Then they are added to our Find A Guide database and visually impaired people can be confident that they are in the best hands.

Jennifer Stafford hopes adopting the official scheme will encourage more people to help out and in turn, allow others who are visually impaired to take up running.

"I only have perception which means I know when it's light and when it's dark. I don't actually see anything so for me to go out and do a run, I have to have somebody beside me and put my trust in them."

Jennifer Stafford

Find A Guide database

Visually impaired people and qualified Guide Runners can be matched up on our Find A Guide database.

If your local area doesn’t have any Guide Runners, you can contact England Athletics who will be able to take this into account when scheduling courses.

Find out more

• Read about the England Athletics Sight Loss Awareness course
• Go to our Find A Guide database.
• Go to Eyecan website for information on Guide Running in Jersey

Quote is taken directly from ITV news article