FANTASTIC TURNOUT FOR FIRST CRICHTON PARKRUN

The Crichton Trust is delighted to host the new Crichton parkrun on the Crichton Estate and it got off to a fantastic start on Saturday with around 400 visitors turning up to volunteer or participate in the run.

Crichton parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5k community event which will now take place every Saturday morning at 9.30am starting from the Crichton Church. Adults and children are invited to participate in the Crichton parkrun on a Saturday morning. Volunteers are also required to act as marshals and to fulfil a range of other duties including timekeeping. More information about how to register, the route, facilities and rules regarding the supervision of children can be found on the parkrun website www.parkrun.org.uk/crichton

The event is being organised by keen runner and volunteer Emma Eden, and is supported by The Crichton Trust, Dumfries and Galloway Council and NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Emma was overwhelmed by the turnout for the first ever Crichton parkrun. She said: “We are delighted with the success of the first Crichton parkrun, we were amazed at the turnout of 25 volunteers and 365 participants and have been totally overwhelmed with the support that we have received for the event. It was also great to welcome parkrun participants from other areas who travelled to participate in the first Crichton parkrun.”

She added: “I am passionate about the health benefits of running and exercise so I decided to organise this event to encourage more people to get active and experience the positive impact this can have on their physical and mental health. Participants are required to preregister on the parkrun website and at the end of each run are asked to scan their registration barcode – this provides each participant with data about their run, including their time if this is of interest to them.

I am grateful to parkrun, The Crichton Trust, Dumfries and Galloway Council, NHS Dumfries and Galloway and fellow volunteers who have helped me get this event off the ground locally. I hope local people will continue to get involved and that we will attract existing and new participants each week.”

There is ample car parking in the main car park in front of Easterbrook Hall but please note that due to health and safety requirements, some roads on the estate will be closed off on a Saturday morning. Drivers are encouraged to use the Easterbrook Hall entrance to the estate to access the car park and the toilet and catering facilities available at Neuro’s Bar, Restaurant and Spa (adjacent to Easterbrook Hall). The Crichton Trust is a registered supporter of the Crichton Carbon Centre Refill D&G Initiative, and as such participants can refill their bottles with water in Neuro’s Bar, Restaurant and Spa for free at any time. Hot and cold beverages and brunch will also be on offer at Neuro’s. Nationally, parkrun encourages volunteers and participants to make use of the onsite facilities as a place to meet socially after each run.

Anyone who is interested in getting involved as a volunteer or participant in The Crichton parkrun is required to preregister online at www.parkrun.org.uk/register or to find out more please email: crichtonoffice@parkrun.com  A Junior parkrun event, is also held at Dock Park in Dumfries on a Sunday morning at 9.30am. More information online at www.parkrun.org.uk/dumfries-juniors

Participants are asked to arrive no later than 9.20am for a warm-up and the run will start promptly at 9.30am from the Crichton Church.

 Photographs:

• Ready to Run: Emma Eden (centre), volunteer Event Director of Crichton parkrun with supporters of the event at the Crichton Church. Left to right: Councillor Jeff Leaver, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Richard Smith, Health and Wellbeing Officer, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, Gordon Clark, Head of Property Services, The Crichton Trust and Alex Haswell, Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust.
• Bright Start: It was a bright start to the first ever Crichton parkrun on Saturday 6th January with over 365 participants enjoying the grounds of The Crichton Estate (photo credit: Dumfries and Galloway Life)
• Neuro’s Bar, Restaurant and Spa: Lauren Skilling, Front of House Manager at Neuro’s Bar, Restaurant and Spa invites Emma Eden to sample the onsite facilities and services available to Crichton parkrun participants.
• Fantastic turnout for the new Crichton parkrun