Would you pay to run around the park?

By CaitlinWebb | Posted: April 13, 2016

FREE OF CHARGE: Runners from parkrun in Priory Park

Every Saturday morning runners tie their laces to run 5km around their local park with national organisation, parkrun.

In Reigate Priory Park there are on average about 140 runners who turn up at 9am every week and at Banstead Woods, 147 people join in.

Stoke Gifford Parish Council, near Bristol, became the first in the world to charge parkrun a fee to use Little Stoke Park paths.

The council voted last night to enforce charges to the running group, that organises 850 5km runs in 12 countries.

Chief operating officer for parkrun Tom Williams said: "We are extremely disappointed that Stoke Gifford Parish Council has voted to impose a charge at Little Stoke parkrun.

"parkrun has had unprecedented success in engaging the least active and encouraging them to exercise regularly. Providing free weekly access has been fundamental to this and we are disappointed that this opportunity is to be removed for the residents of Little Stoke.

"Our aim is to break down barriers to participation in, and delivery of, physical activity and this is consistent across 850 parkruns worldwide, which are all delivered by volunteers and are free to take part in. Imposing a charge at one event is something that contradicts our founding principles and would set a precedent that threatens our future.

"As a nation we must make a decision about whether we want to be healthier or not. The costs to all of us of inactivity and poor health are immense. parkrun has had enormous success at bringing communities together and promoting physical activity in safe and welcoming social environments.

"The past six months have been an uncertain and difficult time for everyone involved with Little Stoke parkrun and our entire global community of more than two million parkrunners is behind them as we discuss our next steps."

There are no plans for the Reigate and Banstead Borough Council to charge parkrun for their weekly events.