A North East football club hosted a popular parkrun as part of a special community takeover. The entire Blyth Spartans AFC took control of Blyth Links Parkrun in Blyth, Northumberland, on Saturday morning. The event united senior management, first team players, Blyth Spartans Women, Blyth Spartans Juniors, volunteers, supporters, and sponsors. The takeover aimed to provide volunteers, support, and participation for the event, creating a themed community-focused atmosphere while backing the regular parkrun team.
Success of parkrun
The free weekly 5k parkrun, held every Saturday at 9am, has become one of the UK's most successful grassroots participation movements. Launched in 2004 with just 13 runners and five volunteers, it has grown into a worldwide organisation operating in more than 20 countries with millions of participants. In the North East, Blyth Links parkrun has become a popular community event, welcoming over 14,000 individual participants and recording more than 82,000 finishes since it began.
Community Values
Paul Norvell, Director at Blyth Spartans AFC, previously said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to bring together all areas of Blyth Spartans AFC alongside the wider community in a really positive and inclusive environment. I've attended a few of the parkruns here and noticed that Blyth Links parkrun, Blyth Spartans as a whole, and all our sponsors share the same core values such as community wellbeing, mental health awareness, encouraging physical activity, and inclusion. We thought it was a great way to bring it all together in support of our local parkrun."
Here is a selection of images from the parkrun:
- Blyth Spartans hosted the Blyth Links Parkrun on Saturday
- The aim of the takeover was to provide volunteers, support, and participation
- It brought together senior management, players, women's and junior teams, volunteers, supporters, and sponsors
- Paul Norvell emphasised the positive and inclusive environment
- A view of the parkrun on Saturday morning
- A participant wearing Blyth Spartans colours
- Runners along The Links in Blyth
- The route along the sea front
- Participants on the promenade next to the beach
- Two youngsters taking part
- The free weekly 5k parkrun is held every Saturday at 9am
- The parkrun has become one of the UK's most successful grassroots movements
- Launched in 2004 with 13 runners and five volunteers
- Participants in high spirits
- People of all ages
- Runners enjoying the event
- Smiles and thumbs up
- A group photo of Blyth Spartans AFC
