Sanctuary Runners Brighton: community as a superpower

Solidarity, Friendship, Respect. These are the values behind Sanctuary Runners Brighton. 

This year’s Refugee Week theme, Community as a Superpower, highlights the everyday ways we build connection, belonging and hope. Running, has a unique power to bring people together — it breaks down language barriers, boosts mental and physical health, and builds shared purpose through movement. 

Sanctuary Runners taps into that power by uniting people seeking sanctuary with local communities to run side-by-side, in solidarity and through friendship rather than charity. As a part of the Sanctuary Runners group, people take part in weekly local park runs and other running events. 

Sanctuary Runners Brighton was started by Tim Holtam, co-founder of Brighton Table Tennis Club and builds on the movement of Sanctuary Runners Ireland. 

I recently joined the running group and attended the Table Tennis Club for a weekly run. It only took me walking in the door to see that community superpower in motion. Activity embodied the space, amongst people of all backgrounds, care leavers, people with disabilities and people seeking asylum. 

Speaking to Tim, he tells me he wants to create social value for people each time a person joins or attends, so they come back again and again. When running, it’s clear that community is formed by doing – words don’t need to be said between people, but connection is abundant and nourishing. 

Sanctuary Runners Brighton started informally in 2020 when those staying in Brighton asylum hotels started coming to Brighton Table Tennis Club to start running. Five years later, regulars and newcomers formed part of Sanctuary Runners Brighton Marathon Academy, who trained and took part in the April 2025 Brighton Marathon and 10k race. 

Solidarity in Motion, a short film about Sanctuary Runners Brighton Marathon Academy, shows the training journey of 15 nationalities represented at Brighton Marathon 2025. The film was screened on 18 June 2025 at Duke of Yorks Picturehouse in Brighton for Refugee Week. Featured in the short film were many of the runners I have begun to run with. 

Anwar arrived from Kurdistan and started running five years ago. In the film, he says he used to feel sad and depressed when he was in his hotel room. Running with Sanctuary Runners Brighton helped him “to strengthen (his) mind”. Reflecting on running with others in the film, Anwar says “I believe we are in life to help each other”. 

Ismail arrived from Sudan and also started running five years ago. In the film, he says when he runs, his mind feels clearer; “Belonging with others fills me with happiness”. He completed his first marathon in 2025. 

Mailinda in the film said running gave her a purpose, especially when feeling anxious and stressed. “I don’t know if I will make it to the end of the race, but I can’t wait to try”. Nothing spoke more of community than when she said, “I left my family behind and found a big one here”.  

Paul, a coach at Table Tennis Club, greets everyone with enough warmth to fill a stadium. He led the training programme for Sanctuary Runners Brighton Marathon Academy. While training for the marathon, on 15 March 2025, everyone joined fellow Muslim runners by fasting together and breaking fast together. Paul says, “this is solidarity”. Indeed this solidarity is instilled by people from the local community running with those seeking asylum and with people from all walks of life. This is the strength of Sanctuary Runners Brighton.

On 18 June 2025, Sanctuary Runners GB was launched in Brighton, with plans to launch local groups in East London, Merseyside, the Northeast of England, Coventry and Cardiff in the months ahead. Tim Holtam, who founded Sanctuary Runners Brighton says, “when people are given opportunities, we can create belonging”. I hope the movement of Sanctuary Runners groups can continue to build connection, community and hope for all.