After the success of last year’s parkrun for the NHS, a special parkrun is being held next month.

On 1 June 2019 a GP parkrun Pledge Day will be held nationally, with the aim of raising awareness across the health sector of the physical, mental and emotional health benefits of joining up with parkrun.

Carlisle parkrun – where the idea for the 70th birthday parkrun last year was created – will be joining the special day and there will be another celebration of our NHS, with staff encouraged to take part in costume or run in NHS blue.

Inactivity is a leading cause of premature illness and death in the UK, and GPs and their teams play a key role in empowering their patients to get more active and improve their health.

In June last year a parkrun practice initiative was launched by parkrun and the Royal College of General Practitioners, enabling general practices to sign up to be a ‘parkrun practice’, linking with their local parkrun event to promote the health and wellbeing of patients and staff, and create entire communities centred on wellness.

Dr Robert Westgate from Carlisle Healthcare, the biggest GP Practice in Carlisle regularly takes part in parkrun and the practice is committed to encouraging its staff and patients to get involved.

He said: “There are real health benefits to taking part in exercise and you can run, walk or volunteer at parkrun. It is also a really social event with people encouraging each other and it is a great way to tackle social isolation. There is a really encouraging atmosphere at Carlisle parkrun and as a practice we are right behind getting more involved and encouraging more people to take part.”

parkrun UK and the Royal College of General Practitioners are now hoping that at least 1000 GP staff will participate in a parkrun on #gpparkrunpledge day, either walking, running, volunteering or spectating at over 620 parkrun events across the UK.

Dave Campbell from Carlisle went to last year’s parkrun for the NHS and has since lost six stone and has reversed his Type 2 Diabetes. He walks the 5km route and is hoping more people will join him. He blogged about his experiences for parkrunuk and you can read it here: https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2019/05/08/getting-back-on-track/

Nicola Jackson, one of the run directors for Carlisle parkrun, said: “Building on from our amazing NHS70 parkrun celebrations in 2018, we have decided to hold an NHS themed Carlisle parkrun on Saturday 1 June 2019.

“We want to raise awareness of parkrun among NHS staff and patients, as keeping active is one of the best gifts we can give ourselves and the NHS.

“Last year colleagues from the NHS in North Cumbria joined up with Carlisle parkrun to lead the way nationally in organising the NHS70 parkrun events, and we have chosen to have this NHS themed Carlisle parkrun on Saturday 1 June so that we can link into this year’s #gpparkrunpledge national campaign. Come along and get involved.”