Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 3 May 2022

A BURBAGE-based high school have worked with the Borough Council in launching a new weekly parkrun for residents, marking the first parkrun in the borough of Hinckley and Bosworth.

Hastings High School, located on St. Catherine’s Close, are holding the parkrun sessions every Saturday morning, which sees participants take part in a timed 5K walk, jog, or run, that everyone is able to join in with.

The idea for the sessions have been in the works for ‘several years’. It has been arranged by Parkrun, Hastings High School, and Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC).

A parkrun is a free worldwide event which is held every week, which offers a ‘welcoming and inclusive’ experience with no time limit, and no one finishes last. Everyone is encouraged to come along, whether they want to walk, jog, run, volunteer or simply spectate. Children are welcome, but it has been stressed by organisers those who are aged under eleven must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

All events are run by teams of dedicated volunteers from the local community.

Each week has a briefing at 8:45am for those doing partaking in a parkrun for the first time. A group briefing follows at 8:55am and then everyone starts at 9am.

Steve Shipman, Co-Headteacher of Hastings High School, said: “We are delighted to welcome parkrun onto our site every Saturday morning, it is a chance for the whole local area to take part in a community activity either running, walking, volunteering, or spectating.

“It has been great over the first five weeks to see so many people taking part and even more amazing to talk and chat with people over a tea or coffee from the ‘Friends of Hastings’ charity refreshment van at the end of the event.”

Karen Mason, the Borough Council’s Sports Development Manager, said: “As a Sport and Physical Activity team, we are delighted to have played our part in securing the first parkrun in the borough.

“It is a fantastic achievement by the school and core group of volunteers in making this happen. A very welcome addition to the community”

Coun. Keith Nichols, the Borough Council’s Executive Lead for Culture and Leisure, said: “This is fantastic news. The health and wellbeing of our residents is vital.

He continued: “Our ambition is to help and encourage people to start some form of physical activity that can be integrated into as many areas of life as possible. Therefore, this new free weekly event, which is open to everyone, will help to play a part in that ambition.

Coun. Nichols concluded: “We look forward to seeing the numbers of people taking part increase so please help spread the word.”