SEYMOUR is soon set to host a new weekly exercise activity group and organisers are calling for volunteers to help.
Already established in a range of locations including Shepparton and Puckapunyal, parkrun is a free weekly five-kilometre walk, run or jog that is timed and open to people of all ages and abilities.
Sessions will run from 8am every Saturday and are currently planned for the Goulburn Trail, with a main goal being to promote active living and create opportunities for families and individuals to be active in their community.
While a set date for the launch of parkrun in Seymour is yet to be decided, organisers including parkrun Co-Event Directors, community group Healthy Kids Mitchell and Nexus Primary Health are calling out for volunteers to gauge interest and prepare to get parkrun underway.
Nexus health promotion officer Lucy Linton, who is also a member of Healthy Kids Mitchell, said there had been strong community interest in parkrun since the idea was first proposed earlier this year.
“Recently we’ve been going through the steps involved [in getting parkrun up and running]. We have received a lot of support from the community, which has been great to see,” she said.
“The community have been telling us they want to see parkrun up and running in Seymour and we have already had some volunteers sign up to be involved. It’s great to see the community backing this project.”
Healthy Kids Mitchell originally proposed the idea of bringing parkrun to Seymour earlier this year, with the event aligning with the group’s aim to promote health and wellbeing for children.
There are a range of volunteering opportunities available for those interested, including main roles such as run director, event day course check, timekeeper, and tail walker among others, with each responsible for ensuring the efficient running of the event and participant safety.
“We’re always happy to have new volunteers involved. You can sign up for a particular role that might interest you, or you can sign up to try them all,” Ms Linton said.
“They usually go week-by-week and operate off a roster system, but if we have a list of people that are interested then we can develop a really strong volunteer base.”
Rewards are available for both participants and volunteers in parkrun that recognise the achievements of those involved, with rewards given out based on certain milestones or number of events completed, as well as a range of others for personal achievements and contributions.
For more information on volunteering with parkrun, people can contact healthykidsmitchell@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page at .
For more information on parkrun, visit www.parkrun.com.au.
