Parkrun clears hurdle over plans for events to begin in Battersea Park

The popular running events could soon be held for adults every Saturday morning, with a smaller children’s event held on Sundays.
 
Town hall officials are set to start working alongside Parkrun with a view to introducing weekend runs from the late spring/early summer of 2024.
 
If formally approved by the Council's Executive early next month, the council will begin work with the organisation to recruit a sufficient number of trained volunteers, and operators within the park to ensure the success of the event. 

The proposed routes avoid grassed areas and ensure runners are kept to the park’s wide and spacious hard-surfaced avenues.
 
The 5km adult route would commence in Central Avenue, passing the bandstand, and returning via East Carriage Drive, South Carriage Drive and West Carriage Drive. Two circuits of this route would equate to 5km. The children’s runs would cover 2km over much of the same route.

Parkrun is an international organisation that operates from 814 locations in a dozen countries across Western Europe. Since its launch in 2010, it has arranged more than 250,000 events with more than 50m people taking part in their free to enter weekly runs with another 421,000 people offering to volunteer.
 
Councillors on the Environment Committee heard that it delivers real and tangible physical and mental health benefits to its participants. They were told that research conducted by Sheffield Hallam University showed that of those taking part:
 
•    91 per cent of respondents reported a sense of personal achievement. 
•    89 per cent reported improvements to their fitness.
•    85 per cent reported improvements to their physical health. 
•    69 per cent reported improvements to their mental health. 
•    79 per cent reported improvements to their happiness.
 
Judi Gasser, Wandsworth’s Cabinet Member for Environment said: “Parkrun is a wonderful community event which is hugely popular up and down the country and delivers clear health and well-being benefits to those taking part.
 
“Encouraging exercise, in the context of a social event, is really good for peoples’ physical and mental health, as well providing a connection to others in the community and plays an important role in reducing depression and social isolation. 
 
“We absolutely support initiatives that promote sports and fitness and inspire our residents to lead healthier, more active lifestyles and we are particularly keen to ensure that people living nearby and across Wandsworth are actively encouraged to get involved.
 
“We are confident we can stage successful Parkruns in Battersea Park without causing undue disruption to other visitors, but we will be closely monitoring these events to makes sure this is the case.”  
 
For more information about Parkrun and details of how to join please visit https://www.parkrun.org.uk/