Wear your colours in the Darlington South Park parkrun!
By Ray Simpson
The DFC Foundation "takes over" the parkrun on Saturday
Improve your health in the Darlington South Park parkrun this Saturday!
Here’s a great chance to wear the Quakers’ colours in your local parkrun on 14th September – Darlington Football Club Foundation chairman Steve Rose tells us all about it.
Last month we launched the Darlington Football Club Foundation and now we're urging Darlington fans to get involved with the Darlington South Park parkrun this Saturday morning -- and in so doing improve the health of the local community.
What is a Parkrun?
It is a 5km timed run that takes place simultaneously at 648 locations across the country at 9am every Saturday morning. Parkruns are organised by volunteers and are open to everyone, free, and are safe and easy to take part in.
The organisers of the South Park parkrun have kindly agreed to step aside on September to allow a ‘take-over’ by the Darlington Football Club Foundation. There will be a pre-run address by Foundation chairman Steve Rose at 8.45am.
Who takes part in the South Park parkrun?
The simple answer is “all sorts”. There is a huge mix of ages and abilities; From primary school children running with their parents right through to those in their 60s and even 70s; From serious runners who are members of running clubs, through to those who just embarking on a journey to improve their fitness by mixing walking and jogging; some energetic parents push their children around the course in their buggies, whilst other runners take the opportunity to exercise their dogs on a lead at the same time. They all have one thing in common and that is to partake in healthy exercise in safe and pleasant surroundings with like-minded people. Upwards of 300 runners gather under the clock tower by the bowling green at around 8.45am every Saturday to receive the pre-run welcome and briefing from the Run Director of the day.
How can Darlington FC supporters get involved?
That depends on whether you are already a regular parkrunner or whether you have never taken part before.
If you are a regular parkrunner, we would ask you to put away your running shoes for the day and instead volunteer to help organise the parkrun on that day. To volunteer, first go to the roster at https://www.parkrun.org.uk/darlingtonsouthpark/futureroster/ to see which roles are still unfilled and then email Hilary at darlingtonsouthparkhelpers@parkrun.com and let her know which role you would like to undertake on Saturday 14th September. It would also be helpful to let Hilary know that you are part of the ‘take-over’.
If you have never participated in a parkrun, we would be delighted if you could join us on Saturday. But first you would need to register on-line by going to: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/register/
On registering you will be issued with your bar code and you will need to bring a printed copy of this bar code with you to the run. Don’t forget or you won’t be given a time of your run. Once you have registered for your first run, you won’t need to register again.
Although the run doesn’t start until 9am, runners begin to assemble under the Bowling Green Clock Tower around 8.45am before the pre-run briefing. All first-timers can be assured of a very warm welcome from the parkrun regulars. (Check the pic by Karen Newton of the Bowling Green clock tower above)
The event on Saturday is an opportunity for Darlo fans who are lapsed parkrunners to get back involved. It is also an opportunity for those who have been thinking about improving their physical fitness but just need that final push into action.
All Darlo supporters, either volunteering or taking part in the run on the 14th September, are encouraged to wear their Darlo tops, hats, scarves or whatever they fancy.
The success of the Foundation’s involvement in this event will be measured by the number of first-timers that take part on the 14th September and then return for future runs.
I’ll look forward to seeing as many Darlo fans as possible bedecked in black and white at South Park at 9am on Saturday. By the way, if you have any other ideas or offers of help for Darlington FC Foundation please drop us a line at enquiries@darlingtonfcfoundation.org.uk
Steve Rose, Chair of Trustees
Darlington Football Club Foundation
