Plans announced for parkrun to return within weeks as coronavirus risk deemed to be 'small'

Organisers of the free 5km events, which are usually held in parks and green spaces across the country every Saturday morning, have announced they intend to resume events towards the end of October.

They have been on hold since March due to the coronavirus pandemic and ban on mass gatherings, but look set to return in England within weeks.

Nick Pearson, parkrun Global CEO, said: "Ever since parkrun events closed in the UK and across the world, we’ve been focused on understanding how and when we would be able to resume in a safe and appropriate way.

"Throughout, we have sought to understand the evidence, to be a part of discussions with government and public health bodies, to listen to the parkrun community, and to communicate regularly, transparently and honestly.

"Following detailed conversations with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Sport England, and Public Health England, I am delighted to announce that we intend to reopen parkrun and junior parkrun events in England toward the end of October this year."

There are four parkrun events in the borough - Haigh Woodland parkrun, Pennington Flash parkrun, Leigh junior parkrun and a closed event at HMP Hindley named Bickershaw parkrun.

Participants register for free online, go along at 9am on Saturdays to run or walk 5km and are then sent their finishing time by email or text message.

The events, which are managed by volunteers, have become hugely popular in recent years, with hundreds of people taking part at Haigh Woodland Park and Pennington Flash each week.

Organisers at parkrun Global have been keen for events to resume, highlighting the benefits of being active and socialising.

A framework was published last month detailing how parkrun events could go ahead in future while minimising the risk of spreading coronavirus, feedback was gathered from around the world and a review was carried out.

Mr Pearson said: "The review concluded that, with appropriate evidence-based mitigations in place, it is possible to deliver outdoor events and activities across a range of sectors, and of varying sizes and formats, in a way that does not significantly increase risk of Covid-19 transmission."

He said the risk of parkruns contributing to the spread of coronavirus was thought to be "small".

A date for the return of events has not yet been confirmed, but parkruns will only be held in England at this stage, not Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

To find out more about parkrun or to sign up, go to www.parkrun.org.uk.