Data from Sport England highlights direct cost savings to the NHS in the preventative treatment of depression (£13.8 million), type2 diabetes (£13.5 million) and in reduced GP & hospital visits (£9.2 million) as a result of people taking part in parkrun and the charity’s parkrun practice social prescribing programme with the RCGP.
Over 2,000 practices are part of the programme – where they partner with local parkrun events to enable GP’s & social link workers to prescribe parkrun to patients with a range of physical or mental health conditions.
Around 20% of parkrun participants consider themselves inactive at registration & under a 1/4 are from the lowest socio-economic groups – demonstrating how this charity is reaching those who may not engage with sport or activity but may also have the most to gain by doing so.
Parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. Parkrun is 5k and takes place every Saturday morning, junior parkrun is 2k, dedicated to 4-14 year olds and their families, every Sunday morning. Parkrun is positive, welcoming and inclusive, there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along. There are currently 1,397 parkrun events each week.
For more information and to find local parkruns – https://www.parkrun.org.uk/
For more information on becoming a RCGP parkrun registered practice – https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/view.php?id=723
