parkrun-skipton

On its 11th anniversary this Saturday, parkrun is teaming up with Join In to help support the Big Help Out, a nationwide campaign to inspire as many as 10,000 new volunteers into community sport.

parkrun is solely run by volunteers, with roughly 6,000 helpers every week bringing the community together. Not all of them are marshals either, some even bake post-run cakes!

Managing Director of parkrun UK, Tom Williams, said: “Thanks to the contribution of thousands of volunteers, around 70,000 people take part in parkruns up and down the country each week.

“Everybody can be involved and no experience is necessary – just come along with some enthusiasm and a smile.”

Former 5,000m world record holder and Director of Sport at Join In, Dave Moorcroft, commented, “parkrun is a great example of how a whole community can pull together through sport. People of all ages, abilities and backgrounds come together every Saturday morning to build a sporting community and the volunteers are very much at the centre of that community, bringing everyone together.”

Join In’s research shows that people who volunteer with their local sports group are happier and healthier. They are 28% more likely to feel what they do has importance and are more likely to trust others in their community.

Watch Eddie Izzard have his say below: