Newark Parkrun celebrates Sconce and Devon Park volunteers this National Volunteer Week
This week marks National Volunteer Week, the UK’s largest annual celebration of all things volunteering.
Charities, community groups, and events up and down the county rely on selfless volunteers who give up their spare time to lend a helping hand, and this week their contributions are being celebrated.
One such event which can only operate thanks to the help of volunteers is the Newark Parkrun, a free 5km event which takes place every Saturday from 9am, at the Devon and Sconce Park.
A free 2km junior parkrun, for four to 14-year-olds, also takes place at the park every Sunday at 9am.
Since the parkrun was launched on June 1, 2013 — and junior parkrun on May 13, 2018 — it has been a volunteering success story.
In that time, a total of 1,678 different people have volunteered, carrying out a combined total of 16,687 different volunteer roles.
These volunteers have supported 16,748 people to be physically active, outdoors, and together on 841 combined occasions, with the parkrun having big health benefits for the community.
Parkrun is a UK-based global health and wellbeing charity, and events are free and open to anyone — prams, dogs, and families are all welcome.
People can walk, jog or run the course, support their community as volunteers, or simply spectate and socialise.
There is no time limit and nobody finishes last, thanks to volunteer ‘tail walkers’ who provide support and encouragement on the course.
Newark Parkrun’s volunteer event director Simon Littlejohn said: “Parkrun is all about having fun in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
“All the volunteer roles are super simple and there are a wide variety of opportunities, from welcoming first timers to marshaling on the course to handing out finish tokens as people finish.
“We even have volunteers during the week, for example who coordinate our volunteer roster and post on our social media channels. Our volunteer roster is never full and there is a role to suit everyone!”
Newark and Newark junior parkrun are one of over 800 parkruns and 450 junior parkruns across the UK, with more than 580,000 different people volunteering at the free weekly UK events since the first parkrun in 2004.
Parkrun Founder, Paul Sinton-Hewitt said: “Our volunteers give so much to parkrun and to Newark. Along with our partners, funders, landowners, and those who are able to donate, they help to keep parkrun free, for everyone, forever. Thank you to each and every volunteer.”
Parkrun registration is free at www.parkrun.org.uk/register, and if you are interested in volunteering at the either the Saturday parkrun or Sunday junior event, visit: www.parkrun.org.uk/newark/ or www.parkrun.org.uk/newark-juniors/
Alternatively, email the event at newark@parkrun.com or newarkjuniors@parkrun.com, message them through the Newark Parkrun Facebook page, or simply come along on a Saturday and Sunday morning.
