Popular weekly event in Little Stoke Park celebrates first anniversary.

Sunday used to be my one day of the week to have a lie-in, until just over a year ago, when I took on the role of Event Director of the brand new Little Stoke junior parkrun. As an enthusiastic runner and big fan of parkrun (the more established, free, weekly timed 5km run for all ages), I was very excited to be involved in the Bristol debut of the newer junior events for four- to fourteen-year-olds, which was ostensibly about getting children interested in running, but turned out to be so much more.

The process is simple enough: having signed up for free on the parkrun website and printed their personal barcode, runners turn up at Little Stoke Park shortly before 9am on Sunday, listen to the run briefing, take part in a short, fun warm-up routine, run a lap and a bit of the park, then have their barcode and finish token scanned so that the results can be processed and published later. Colourful wristbands are awarded for completing 11, 21 and 50 events, representing the distances of half-marathon, marathon and ultra marathon.

A run, not a race

It’s what happens around all this that makes it magical. A buzz builds as families start to arrive, just as the volunteer team is making the finishing touches to the course. Friendships are renewed and new ones made; some have even come along just for this social side and don’t actually plan to run at all!

Runners have loads of fun either flying round as fast as they can to beat their best time, or just sauntering, picking daisies or playing as they go. Parents are amazed and proud week after week at how far their children can run, or how fast they complete the course, or how they go back to cheer on their friends as they approach the finish line. Some parents run with their children, and are often surprised to find themselves enjoying running, so much so they might even take it up themselves. This is the magic of parkrun – a run, not a race, which is accessible (in all senses of the word) to all, regardless of ability.

More: Each event requires the support of 20 volunteers »

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Plans to redevelop a site close to Parkway Station to provide a new office building are set to be revealed at a public exhibition in Stoke Gifford on Thursday (16th July).

Ashfield Land, the company behind the project, is in the early stages of the design process and would like to hear local residents’ thoughts on potential design ideas for the building.

Members of the project team will be available at the exhibition to answer any questions on the proposals and feedback forms will be available.

The development site, known as ‘Parklands’, is located on Hunts Ground Road, on the opposite side of the road to South Gloucestershire Council’s park and ride facility, and the company says it provides an opportunity to “redevelop brownfield land for much needed employment use in a highly sustainable location”.

According to the company, the proposed office building will be “an exemplary development of the highest sustainability standards and high quality design”.

The exhibition takes place at The Old School Rooms in North Road (BS34 8PD) between 3.30pm and 7.30pm on Thursday 16th July.

An exhibition flyer has been circulated to approximately 840 residents living in the surrounding area. All of the information displayed at the exhibition will be made available online following the event, and the organisers have offered to email/post copies directly following the event if this is more convenient.

All comments from the exhibition will be considered before the plans are finalised and a planning application submitted to South Gloucestershire Council later this year.

Image: Map showing outline of the Parklands site (click to enlarge).

More info: Parklands Consultation

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