Park runners from across Cambridgeshire are being invited to step out to help celebrate the NHS’s 75th birthday this summer.

The NHS in England has teamed up with parkrun UK to mark the special occasion in July, following on from the 2018 event which marked 70 years of the NHS, when more than 146,000 people took part.

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust chief executive officer Caroline Walker said: “We are delighted that NHS England has again teamed up with parkrun UK for this commemorative weekend.

“Not only is participating in a parkrun great for physical and mental wellbeing, but it is also an opportunity to meet with other people and has become a real social event at locations across the country – with friendships formed and bonds made.”

Caroline, who herself is planning to run the event locally, added: “We hope Parkrun for the NHS will help encourage people to consider being more active - which we know is good for body and mind.”

The Hunts Post: The NHS Parkrun takes place in July.The NHS Parkrun takes place in July. (Image: NWAFT)

 

This year’s 5km event for the NHS is encouraging people to take part in parkruns and junior parkruns over the weekend of July 8/9, with participants able to pick from a number of locations locally.

Among those hoping to take lace up his trainers and take part is regular parkrun participant Michael Southwood, an emergency department charge nurse at Peterborough City Hospital.

A regular at the Peterborough (Ferry Meadows) and Huntingdon (Hinchingbrooke Park) events, Michael said: “This is a fantastic way of not only celebrating the amazing NHS milestone, but it is a perfect opportunity to get together with friends, family, fellow runners and novices to enjoy the wonderful local open spaces we have around the area.”

Participants and volunteers and are being encouraged to dress in NHS trademark blue.

And there is no requirement to run; participants can run, jog or walk.