Charlton’s Parkrun has gained a little sibling with the arrival of a two-kilometre junior parkrun in nearby Hornfair Park.
The first volunteer-run event last Sunday attracted 28 children, with organisers hoping that more youngsters will come to run or walk two laps around the park’s rear field, next to the BMX track.
They also hope that it will encourage their parents and other locals to spend more time in Hornfair Park, just as the adult event in Charlton Park has brought more people to that park since it began nearly three years ago.
There are over 400 Junior Parkruns around the world, with 4-14 year-olds able to take part. Children can take part on their own or with an adult – there are marshals keeping an eye on every part of the course.
While a Saturday Parkrun is 5k long, the junior version is cut down to 2k and is held on Sundays. But the principle is the same. Participants, or their parents, sign up on the Parkrun website, print off a barcode – or keep it on their phones – and take it with them for a 9am start. The barcodes are scanned at the end and participants get an email with their time later in the day.
The Hornfair Park event is run by Amy Tremain and Sheralee Hopgood, who set up a Junior Parkrun in Eltham Park eight years ago, along with an army of volunteers. Some of the Charlton Parkrun team and members of Greenwich GoodGym helped with the first event and a test the previous week.
“It’s free, it’s away from television screens and computer games,” Hopgood said.
Tremain said: “There’’s something for everybody, even if children don’t want to walk or run the course, they can volunteer as well. Children come along regularly, meet friends, and they want to come back.”
Adults who volunteer also benefit, Hopgood added: “I know most of these guys here today because I’ve volunteered. Lots of volunteers don’t have children themselves, they just come along – there’s really something for everyone.”
The Friends of Hornfair Park came up with the idea to bring the event to the park and its secretary, Kate Parker, asked Tremain and Hopgood to get involved.
Parker told The Greenwich Wire that she wanted people to see more of the park than Charlton Lido: “It’s about making people use the whole length of the park. It’s a community, isn’t it? Parkrun’s such an amazing organisation, it’s like a family.
The group is also hoping to bring a community café to the park. “It’d be a not for profit venture and a space that can be used by people who run or are trying to start community groups,” she said.
Tremain said she was pleased with Sunday’s turnout. “It’s really nice to have a smaller first event because it gives other people time to get used to us being here,” she said. “It can be at bit overwhelming if you’re used to coming out with your dog and then suddenly there are loads of kids here.”
Last year a 5k Parkrun started on the Thames Path at Woolwich, regularly bringing in visitors from all over the country because of its location by the river, while Charlton Parkrun regularly has more than 170 people taking part. There are also events in Sutcliffe Park and Avery Hill Park.
Hornfair Park Junior Parkrun takes place on Sunday mornings. For more information and to sign up to take part or volunteer, visit parkrun.org.uk/hornfairpark-juniors. There are also Junior Parkruns in Eltham Park, Lesnes Abbey Woods, Hilly Fields and Forster Memorial Park.
For more information about the Friends of Hornfair Park, visit its Facebook page or email friendsofcharltonpark[at]gmail.com.
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