Centenary parkrun weekend set to get the city moving

Stoke-on-Trent residents are invited to lace up their trainers and join in a Centenary parkrun weekend this June.

In partnership with four local parkrun events, Stoke-on-Trent City Council is marking the city’s 100th anniversary with a weekend of free, fun and inclusive events.

The Centenary weekend will feature two regular 5k parkruns and two junior parkruns (2k, suitable for ages 4 to 14), where participants of all ages and abilities can run, jog, walk or volunteer in a friendly and supportive environment.

It is also wheelchair and buggy friendly, good for dogs and it completely free for all.

All participants will receive a special centenary medal to commemorate their involvement.

The celebration parkruns will take place at the following locations at 9am:

• Hanley Park (Saturday 14 June)
• Trentham Gardens (Saturday 14 June)
• Burslem Park – Junior parkrun (Sunday 15 June)
• Longton Park – Junior parkrun (Sunday 15 June)

Parkrun is one of the largest free 5k community events in the world, with more than 10 million people registered and over half a million volunteers globally. The initiative encourages people of all ages to come together, enjoy the outdoors and reap the benefits of regular exercise – both for physical and mental health. It empowers people of all ages to come together, be active and enjoy the outdoors, while fostering a sense of community.

Liz Tideswell, regional ambassador for parkrun events in Staffordshire and part of the volunteer team at Hanley parkrun, said: “We’re really pleased that the city’s parkruns will be part of the centenary celebrations.

“It’s a great opportunity to welcome new people to parkrun alongside regular attendees. It’s also a chance to say thank you to the volunteers who make parkrun happen – they have a positive impact on our local community every week.”

Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “It’s great that we have four different parkrun events taking place as part of our packed programme of events for the Centenary.

“Our Centenary programme is all about celebrating the best of our city – and parkrun is a shining example of what community spirit looks like. It’s a great way of getting active regardless of fitness level, boosting mental health and wellbeing and meeting new people in your local community. This will be a fantastic celebration of our city, so I encourage everybody to take part, have some fun and become part of the parkrun community.”

All parkrun events are weekly and always free; you can register on the parkrun website: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/register/. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact any of the local events to find out more.