MERC Founder
Raihan Uddin built MERC from the belief that running should be for everyone — not just the fast, the fit, or the privileged. MERC is the result of that conviction: a community-first, captain-led running club that exists to serve every background, every postcode, and every ability level.
MERC began with a simple frustration: running clubs in the UK were overwhelmingly exclusionary. Too fast, too homogeneous, and too intimidating for the very communities that would benefit most from getting outside and moving.
Raihan’s vision was different. He wanted a club where a beginner could stand next to a seasoned runner and both feel equally welcome. Where your postcode didn’t determine whether sport was accessible to you. Where a captain from your own community could lead you through a session, in a place you knew, at a pace that worked for you.
That vision became MERC — a Community Interest Company structured from day one for accountability, transparency, and reinvestment back into the communities it serves. Every pound generated stays in the club and goes toward expanding the captain network, improving the member experience, and growing the movement.
Today MERC operates in Southend-on-Sea, with chapters developing in London, Birmingham and beyond. The roadmap is clear: a MERC captain in every UK city, and eventually in every major city in the world.
“I didn’t just want to build a running club. I wanted to build something that proved sport could belong to everyone — every community, every background, every speed. MERC is the proof that it can.”— Raihan Uddin, Founder & Director, MERC CIC
Raihan Uddin recognised that health is the most important thing we have — and that the communities who need it most are the ones most excluded from sport. The idea for MERC was born: an inclusive running club that belongs to everyone, regardless of background, ability or speed. The vision was clear. Someone needed to make it happen.
The first MERC sessions began on the streets of Southend-on-Sea — a community-led initiative bringing together runners of all backgrounds, abilities and ages under one identity. The movement had started.
MERC was formally incorporated as a Community Interest Company on 4 September 2024 — locking the club’s assets and purpose to community benefit in perpetuity, establishing transparent governance, and laying the foundation for national expansion.
MERC participates in the HARP24 charity relay — demonstrating community engagement, charitable alignment, and the power of the MERC identity in action.
Active expansion across UK cities with the captain model. London and Birmingham chapters in active development. Every city in the world to follow.
No minimum pace. No fitness tests. No exclusion. Every session is designed for all abilities, with captains who lead from the back to ensure nobody gets left behind.
MERC’s name reflects its purpose: representation at every level of the club, from membership to leadership. Every captain reflects the community they serve.
As a CIC, MERC is legally required to act in the community interest. All financials are disclosed. Every decision serves the members and the mission.
Physical activity is a health intervention. Every MERC session is designed to improve cardiovascular health, mental wellbeing and social connection simultaneously.
The captain-per-city model empowers local leaders to build their own chapters, ensuring MERC scales without losing its community-first identity.
MERC is UK-born but globally minded. The long-term vision: a MERC chapter in every major city in the world, unified by one standard and one set of values.
MERC was built on the belief that sport belongs to everyone. £20 a year gets you full membership, captain-led sessions, and a place in a community that will go global.
