Sunderland City Council has taken another positive step in promoting health, wellbeing and community spirit with the official launch of a new parkrun at Elemore Country Park.
The free weekly 5K event, open to runners, joggers, walkers and volunteers of all ages and abilities, was met with an enthusiastic response from local residents and parkrun enthusiasts. Held every Saturday morning, the new parkrun becomes the fourth in Sunderland, joining the well-established events at Silksworth, Fulwell Quarry, and Herrington Country Park. Sunderland also proudly hosts two junior parkruns at Mowbray Park and Hetton Lyons Country Park. Across all five existing parkruns in the city, Sunderland regularly welcomes between 2,000 and 3,000 participants each weekend, highlighting the strength of the city’s active community.
The inaugural run at Elemore saw a strong turnout, of 152 participants enjoying the scenic woodland trails and open green spaces that make the park a hidden gem in Sunderland.
Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council said:
“We’re thrilled to see parkrun come to Elemore Country Park. This is a fantastic addition to our city’s growing network of regular opportunities that promote active lifestyles and bring people together in beautiful outdoor spaces.
“Elemore has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, and the launch of parkrun is another step in making it a vibrant, welcoming destination for residents and visitors alike.”
Parkrun events are free to attend and rely on the support of local volunteers. Participants are encouraged to register in advance at www.parkrun.org.uk and bring their barcode to each event. Anyone looking to volunteer for the event to support the Parkrun please contact elemorepark@parkrun.com
Councils do not usually launch Parkruns. They are usually launched and run by volunteers. The council may have had to approve the use of a council park but to say they have launched it would normally be doing the volunteers’ hard work a disservice