Sir Andy Murray, is encouraging people across the UK to take part in ‘parkrun for the NHS’ to celebrate the NHS’s 75th birthday and to take steps towards a more healthy, active lifestyle. Tens of thousands of people across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to do so at parkrun events on Saturday 8 July and junior parkrun events on Sunday 9 July.
 
‘parkrun for the NHS’ is an opportunity for parkruns and their local communities to acknowledge the huge contribution that the NHS makes to the health of the nation and celebrate all the staff and volunteers, past and present, who have made the NHS what it is.
 
Murray, who has won three Grand Slam titles and is the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Singles Champion, said: “The NHS is one of our nation’s greatest institutions and I am honoured to support its 75th birthday. ‘parkrun for the NHS’ is a great initiative and it’ll be amazing to see thousands of people from across the UK walking, running and volunteering at their local parkrun and junior parkrun events to mark this major milestone in the NHS’s history.
 
“I’d encourage everyone to head down to their local parkrun or junior parkrun and join in the 75th birthday fun. Even better if you can do it in the trademark NHS blue, better still in fancy dress!”
 
This is the second time parkrun UK and the NHS have worked together in this way. In 2018, for the 70th birthday of the NHS, an incredible UK-wide celebration was held which saw more than 146,000 people taking part as walkers, joggers, runners and volunteers, many of whom had never been to a parkrun before.
 
Everyone is being encouraged to dress in the NHS’s trademark blue or fancy dress. Lots of NHS teams will be taking part and can provide information about the NHS and signpost to all the ways communities can help support the service, for example joining the NHS Organ Donor Register, giving blood or signing up to research programmes.

Chrissie Wellington, Global Head of Health and Wellbeing at parkrun, said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with the NHS across the UK to celebrate its 75th anniversary. We know that participating in parkrun and junior parkrun is incredibly beneficial to people’s mental and physical health, and best of all the events are local, they are accessible, they are free, and they are fun! 

"They’re also there every week, and we’d love to see those taking part continue to join us in the future. ‘parkrun for the NHS’ is the perfect way for us to increase awareness of parkrun across the health sector while at the same time paying tribute to the enormous and incredibly valuable contribution of NHS staff and volunteers to the health of our nation.”
 
For more information about ‘parkrun for the NHS’ and how to get involved click here. 

Image: parkrun UK