These events take place in pleasant parkland surroundings and people of every ability are encouraged to take part; from those taking their first steps in running to Olympians; from juniors to those with more experience. You can read more about the events here: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/
parkrun UK is helping us to set up the weekly event in Beckenham Place Park, next to the Downham entrance. We have obtained the permissions needed to run the event every Saturday at 9am. We are planning to launch the event in the spring of 2016.
There is a clear need for an event in the vicinity of Beckenham Place Park. The other closest events are Hilly Fields, Greenwich, Bromley and Crystal Palace, which are incredibly popular attracting hundreds of runners.
The set up costs are £3000 for equipment to record the run times of the participants.
parkrun events are hugely popular and would bring a healthy focal point every week for the local community living in Lewisham and Bromley.
What we'll deliver:
- Our event will be held in Beckenham Place Park every Saturday at 9am.
- parkrun is a free, weekly, 5km timed runs that take place around the world.
- They are open to everyone, free, and are safe and easy to take part in.
Why it's a great idea:
Parkrun is a fantastic community event run every week.
It is there for your seasoned runners but also for people who never thought they would run.
Here is just one person who has benefited from the events:
"Thanks parkrun. As a former couch potato who only took up running in 2012, I am over the moon to have just finished my 50th parkrun. A massive achievement for me and if I can do it, anyone can. I set out to reach this goal before I was 50 which meant running whilst on holiday which is unheard of! As a result I've had the privilege of running within sight of two of the world's iconic bridges – the Golden Gate and the Humber – and found the same great welcome at both. My home run is Victoria parkrun in Glasgow where I have met some lovely people who make it fun to run on Saturday mornings. Next target? My volunteer shirt of course.
Helen Willis"
Steps to get it done:
- We have the support of Parkrun UK
- All the permissions are in place to run in Beckenham Place Park
- We have gathered a fantastic team of volunteers to run the events.
We will be working closely with other local parkruns (particularly Hilly Fields) to encourage participation, particularly when people are travelling from the south of Lewisham Borough to Ladywell. We will also plan special events such as a Santa parkrun, Easter bunny parkrun and a Christmas day parkrun.
