South Tyneside ‘Parkrun for the NHS’ aims to celebrate the Health Service’s 75th anniversary

There will be a Parkrun at The Leas on Saturday, July 8, and a junior Parkrun for four to 14-year-olds in North Marine Park on Sunday, July 9.

Both runs are aimed to celebrate 75 years of the NHS, with NHS employees and volunteers set to take part in the events themselves.

Connect Health, which runs a community musculoskeletal service in South Tyneside, is giving tips to runners ahead of the events this weekend.

Mike Carpenter, MSK national lead for Connect Health, commented: “Parkrun is a great opportunity for people to take steps towards improved health and wellbeing by walking, jogging, running, volunteering or coming along and clapping on the sidelines.

“Everyone at Connect Health is hugely excited to be joining the event. parkrun is all about participation and getting moving - whatever your level of fitness.

“Many people will be walking the course, so you definitely don’t need to be able to run. It’s all about togetherness, being more active and celebrating 75 years of our NHS.

“From countless studies and our own work in the local community, we know the positive impact that even very gentle movement can have on physical and mental health.

“People of all ages can join in the fun, so why not bring your friends, your family members, your colleagues or just head down on your own and be part of something very special.”

Parkrun’s Chrissie Wellington OBE has expressed her joy at being able to hold the events in support of the NHS.

She said: ”We are thrilled to be joining forces with the NHS across the UK to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

“We know that participating in parkrun is incredibly beneficial to people’s mental and physical health, and best of all the events are local, they are accessible, they are free, and they are fun.

“They’re also there every week, and we’d love to see those taking part continue to join us in the future.

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“‘Parkrun for the NHS’ is the perfect way for us to increase awareness of parkrun across the health sector while at the same time paying tribute to the enormous and incredibly valuable contribution of NHS staff and volunteers to the health of our nation.”

New Parkrun participants can register for the weekly events at www.parkrun.org.uk.