UK Coronavirus statement

As we head towards Christmas and the New Year, with increasing uncertainty about impending restrictions and how they might impact parkrun and junior parkrun events, we’d like to take this opportunity to update our communities around the country.

The evidence remains clear that the infection risks presented by outdoor events like ours are exceptionally low and the public health benefits of remaining open are incredibly high. It is our intention therefore that wherever parkrun events are legally permitted to operate they should do so.

Each of the four home nations are applying restrictions in different ways, and the following represents our position as things stand right now. We will continue monitoring the situation on a daily basis and provide further updates where appropriate.

Wales

Whilst spectators are restricted at sporting events, as we operate on public open land, and current guidelines allow up to 50 spectators at grass roots sporting events, we consider ourselves to comply with this aspect of the guidance.

Unfortunately, the Welsh Government has also announced a gathering limit of 50 people, from 26 December onwards. Whilst this does not include children, and therefore does not impact junior parkrun, it does mean that we have no choice but to suspend all our 5k events from 1 January onwards. We know that some Welsh parkrun events regularly have fewer than 50 people attending, however it would take a very small influx (at what is typically a very busy time of year) for them to exceed the limit.

parkrun events scheduled to take place this Saturday (25 December) should do so as planned, however we will be applying cancellations to all Welsh 5k parkrun events from 1 January onwards.

We understand that this news will be incredibly disappointing to many Welsh parkrunners, and we’d like to reassure you all that we will do everything we can to bring parkrun events back across Wales as soon as these restrictions are lifted.

Thankfully, junior parkrun events are exempt from the 50-person gathering limit and so should go ahead as planned on Sunday 26 December and, in the absence of further changes to regulations, continue as normal. Importantly, junior parkrun events will remain open to all children aged 4 to 14 years old.

As with any suspension of parkrun events, in any country where we operate, we would encourage people not to gather at any time, at locations where events would normally take place.

Scotland

The Scottish Government recently announced that outdoor gatherings should be limited to 500 people and adhere to one metre social distancing. Currently all our parkrun events in Scotland are seeing attendance below that limit and, with outdoor contact sports permitted to remain open, we believe that our COVID Framework reduces close contacts sufficiently that we comply with the guidelines.

Therefore all 5k and junior events scheduled to take place over the coming weeks should do so.

England

At the moment there are no restrictions, either in place or due to be implemented, that would prevent parkrun or junior parkrun events taking place in England.

Therefore all events scheduled to take place over the coming weeks should do so.

Northern Ireland

At the moment there are no restrictions, either in place or due to be implemented, that would prevent parkrun or junior parkrun events taking place in Northern Ireland.

Therefore all events scheduled to take place over the coming weeks should do so.