Free events such as Parkrun have 'never been more important' says founder

Last year, Parkrun, which hosts a number of events across Nottinghamshire, celebrated its 18th birthday with a record-breaking year.

And Paul Sinton-Hewitt, Parkrun founder, said “the opportunity for people to take part in free, inclusive, regular physical activity has never been more important”.

Parkruns are described as a “free, fun, and friendly” weekly community event, with participants challenged to run, jog or walk a five-kilometre route.

Mr Sinton-Hewitt said: “Recent research revealed two in five people are reporting the cost-of-living crisis is impacting on their ability to take part in physical activity.

“Now more than ever we must sing from the rooftops that at Parkrun you don’t need any fancy kit, you don’t need to pay to take part, there’s no sign-up fee, you just register online, get your barcode, turn up and take part at any one of more than 2,200 locations across more than 20 countries around the world.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, what your ability level is, how old you are, where you came from, what your background is; and all participation at Parkrun is equal.

“Last year saw us reach 100,000 events worldwide, and 50,000 events in the UK for the first time ever in a calendar year.

“We’re a long way from 13 runners and five volunteers, in one park at that first event in 2004.

“Each year we aim to become more and more interventionist in our methods, more and more committed to putting Parkruns in places they are needed most and removing the barriers many people face when thinking about taking part for the first time.

“We continue to nurture our hugely valuable relationships – like the Parkrun practice initiative, which sees GP surgeries partner with their local Parkrun events and signpost to events for both physical and mental health, for both patients and staff.

"The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect and celebrate, but it can also be a difficult time of year.

“We believe physical activity should be enjoyed, that time spent outside, in the company of others, should be prioritised and celebrated, not considered essential in order to burn calories.“We’ll also never stop trying to get that message to the people who might need to hear it the most.

"This year in the UK, we started a print magazine. Every issue has a pull-out section designed to be passed on to anyone thinking about doing their first Parkrun.

“We wanted to offer people time away from screens and for those who don’t own a computer, or aren’t as familiar with technology, to have the opportunity to discover Parkrun in a different way.”

Parkruns are held every Saturday at 9am. Locations include: Manor Park Sports Complex, Kingsley Avenue, Mansfield Woodhouse; Sherwood Pines Forest Park, Kings Clipstone; Brierley Forest, Skegby Road, Huthwaite; Shipley Country Park, Slack Lane, near Eastwood; Bestwood Country Park, Park Road, Bestwood Village; and Clumber Park, near Worksop.

They are free to attend, but participants need to register beforehand.

For more information and to find your nearest Parkrun visit parkrun.org.uk