Start of Parkruns pushed back again...

By Don Hale


Announcement from Parkrun HQ (Wed 16th July)

Start of Parkruns pushed back again...

Following the announcement this week from the Prime Minister, confirming a delay to Step 4 of the Roadmap until Monday 19 July 2021, it is now our intention that 5k events in England will restart on Saturday 24 July.

A huge amount of work has been done in recent weeks to ensure we have permission to return from the large majority of landowners.

Whilst this delay is disappointing, we respect the fact that a significant number of these permissions were contingent on the country moving into Step 4, and we will therefore target a new reopening date of Saturday 24 July.

*NOTE: Last week Parkrun UK suggested a date of 10th July for Parkruns in Wales to possibly re-start on 10th July. In view of this latest update relating to Parkruns in England, it looks as though it will now be pushed back to a similar start date of 24th July.

We will just have to wait and see whether the Welsh Government make any further announcements this week, but NO Parkruns will commence in Wales before this latest update in England.

 

 

Don Hale is a former award winning investigative journalist and now a best-selling author who has created a very popular blog post linked to numerous social media sites. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025.

Comments

Post a Comment

Your comments are welcomed

Most recent posts

Conwy surgery duo all set for a hot 100k Sahara Desert Trek for St David’s Hospice...

By Don Hale
Image
*Emily Carr (*above left) with Sarah  Corkish-Brown - at the Bodreinallt Surgery at Castle Street in Conwy, where they are preparing for their epic charity trek. Conwy surgery duo all set for a hot 100k Sahara Desert Trek for St David’s Hospice... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Two daring  members of the Bodreinallt doctors’ surgery team at Conwy are busy preparing to take part in an amazing Sahara Desert Charity  Trek, which is a gruelling 100k event across the hot Sahara Desert in just 5 days, to help raise funds for St David’s Hospice. Practice manager  Sarah Corkish-Brown and Practice Nurse Emily Carr  have signed up for this huge undertaking, which is scheduled to take place in Morocco between  1st-8th  November. The event organisers claim entrants can ‘r ediscover true adventure in the awe-inspiring Sahara Desert.’ The five-day trek covers 100km passing through Morocco’s forbidding landscape punctuated by peaks...
Read more

North Wales parkrunner Gareth went ‘Down Under’ to compete in the Melbourne half-marathon...plus parkrun results round-up

By Don Hale
Image
*Gareth Southworth  and his wife Kath inside the stadium in Melbourne. North Wales athlete and parkrunner Gareth went ‘Down Under’ to compete in the Melbourne half-marathon...plus parkrun results round up... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Popular North Wales athlete and parkrunner Gareth Southworth continued his running exploits in Australia over the weekend by competing in the Melbourne half-marathon on Sunday. Gareth, who was representing   Cybi Striders , is enjoying a break ‘Down-Under’ with his wife Kath and enjoyed a good run in 1 hour 43 minutes and 56 minutes, and he was 15th in his VM60-64 age cat (1773rd) overall amongst over 12,154 finishers. This event was part of the  Melbourne Marathon Festival  and after his run, Gareth commented: “It was an unreal experience to finish inside the iconic MCG Stadium.” This latest result followed his performance the day before in the  Parkville parkrun  in Princes Park, Melbourne, wher...
Read more

Some Happy Faces at the Manchester half-marathon.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above left - Josie Davies with Mandy Owen in Manchester. Some Happy Faces at the Manchester half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 North Wales runners Josie Davies and Mandy Owen  took part in the  Manchester half-marathon  on Sunday.  For Josie in particular, it was an emotional event after losing her husband Gethin earlier this year, and this challenge was part of her prolific fundraising plan for the Happy Faces Cancer Charity, Josie confirmed:   “The biggest thank you to Mandy and Charlie Owen  for today, 1 for taking us, and 2 for Charlie “Daddy Day Care” services for looking after the boys for me to take part in the race.  “Quite a stressful time getting ready to run, and the organisation was far from the best race I’ve taken part in, and the finish wasn’t much better, but the actual run I really enjoyed. “It was my first half-marathon since the Cardiff Half last October, and I did pretty much the same tim...
Read more

Great new PB times for John and Michelle at the Bath Marathon.

By Don Hale
Image
*John and Michelle Farrell competed well in the Bath Marathon. Great new PB times for John and Michelle at the Bath Marathon. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Caitlin Faye. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 GOG Triathlon members John and Michelle Farrell competed well in the Bath Marathon last Sunday with both athletes recording some very good finishing times and new personal best (PB) times! Michelle won her age category in the Police Services UK (PSUK) championships and John was pleased with fourth place in his own age cat. After the event John confirmed: "A Lovely few days in Bath. A beautiful city and a marathon. PB’s for both Chelle and myself in 3:45 and 3:52 r espectively, and yet another win in age for Michelle at PSUK champs and 4th in age for me." *Pictured above - Michelle (*right) received her winners trophy from a police official.
Read more

Battle for honours at the first NW Cross-Country match of the season.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - runners from the leading pack at the NW XC race at St Asaph. Battle for honours at the first NW Cross-Country race of the season at Llanerch Hall, St Asaph. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Bernie Jones. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   The North Wales Cross Country League’s first fixture of the season defied the odds and beat Storm Amy last Saturday with hundreds of runners competing for honours at Llanerch Hall, near St Asaph. Bernie Jones , who was one of the main race organisers, and is the secretary of the NW XC League later confirmed: “A  Big thank you to  Prestatyn Running Club, Denbigh Harriers  and all the marshalls and volunteers for putting on today’s race. It would have been easy to cancel with Storm Amy, but I’m glad we didn’t!” Some great action shots (*above and below) from the NW Cross Country match at St Asaph last Saturday. The first finisher in the  Senior Men’s race  was talented youngster  Noa Vaughan  ...
Read more

CHARITY DARK RUNS at Penrhyn Castle and Conwy for Hope House and Ty Gobaith Children's Cancer Charities.

By Don Hale
Image
   *Pictured above - Gwennan Charlton and her family at the Penrhyn Castle event. Penrhyn Castle Dark Run Join the Penrhyn Castle Dark Run – Light Up the Night for Hope House Children’s Hospices! donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Get ready for a magical evening at the stunning Penrhyn Castle as we light up the night for a truly special cause. The Dark Run is a family-friendly event in support of Hope House Children’s Hospices, offering a fun and unique 3K route (or 1.5K for little legs) through the beautiful castle grounds – all after dark!   October 18th 2025, 6pm Our warm up will begin at 6.10pm and at 6.30pm sharp we will start the run! Every participant will receive a bespoke glow-in-the-dark medal and a goody bag to remember the night. Dress up in your brightest, most glowing outfits (optional, but encouraged!) and help us bring light and hope to local families who need it most. We kindly ask each runner to raise as much as they can – e...
Read more

Elizabeth Haines - Synaesthesia: Private view Invitation at Oriel Q Gallery, Narberth, SATURDAY 18th October..

By Don Hale
Image
SYNAESTHESIA ELIZABETH HAINES October 18th - November 22nd. Special Coast and Country Arts Feature.                 Report by Don Hale.   donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Elizabeth Haines has developed a distinctive voice that balances observation, poetry, and imagination. Her work straddles the boundary between representation and abstraction: drawing from the landscapes of Wales, informed by years sketching from nature, yet transformed through memory and dreams. Elizabeth's art is rich in texture, colour, and inner space. Her studio practice is deeply connected to her surroundings: the rugged terrain, changing light of Pembrokeshire feed her work, but so too do poetry and music Her paintings invite the viewer in: at first through colour, surface, and form; then deeper, toward architecture, trees, or horizons suggested rather than stated. Elizabeth's art is rich in texture, colour, and inner space. Her studio practice is deeply connected to her ...
Read more

Josie's prolific fundraising runs for the Happy Faces Children's Charity.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above left - Josie Davies with her daughter Nikki in London. Josie's prolific fundraising activities for the Happy Faces Children's Charity... Special report and introduction by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Josie Davies is a keen and very popular social runner, who is also a prolific charity fundraiser for the Happy Faces Children’s Charity which supports sick, disabled and disadvantaged children across North Wales. This incredible and locally based organisation first began in 2003, and they have since raised over £1M and provided twelve specially adapted school minibuses for over 5,000 children, in addition to specialist equipment for more than 700 children in North Wales. Josie has taken part in various marathons and numerous demanding events over the years for this particular organisation, and her happy and smiling face can often be seen running up and down Llandudno prom, or around the local area, whilst training hard for her next venture.  And despi...
Read more

John and Carla’s Deganwy Dash voted the ‘Best Sporting Event of the Year,’ and raises thousands for Children's Cancer Charities.

By Don Hale
Image
*Picture above - Deganwy Dash race organisers John Hatton and Carla Green John and Carla’s Deganwy Dash voted the ‘Best Sporting Event of the Year,’ and raises thousands for Children's Cancer Charities. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The Deganwy Dash was voted the Best Sporting event of the year within Conwy County at the annual Conwy Sports Awards last Friday night at Venue Cymru. Well organised by  John Hatton  and  Carla Green  from  North Wales Road Runners , this popular annual 5-mile race from Deganwy Quay to the RSPB Nature Reserve, and back via Conwy Cob, always attracts over 350-plus mixed ability runners who raise thousands of pounds for charity. The main charity includes generous donations to Children’s Cancer charities, and for the past few years it has been run in memory of a young local student Rohan Ingley, who sadly lost his life due to cancer, and has been known as 'Rohan's Run.' Award...
Read more

North Wales athletics’ officials honoured at special “Hall of Fame” induction ceremony.

By Don Hale
Image
*Family members and recipients of the Hall of Fame awards are pictured (back row l-r): Paul Brooks, the secretary of the NWRAC, Bernard Harris, Gareth Hughes, Mark Dunn, Kerry Woolrich and Rob Ross; and (front row l-r), Llinos Williams, Denise Harris and Debbie Ross. North Wales athletics’ officials honoured at special “Hall of Fame” Induction ceremony. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Don Hale and *Paul Brooks.   Many long serving and distinguished officials, both past and present, from the world of North Wales athletics were awarded prestigious “Hall of Fame” trophies last week in recognition of their many years of dedicated service to the sport. In a special Induction ceremony staged last Friday evening at the Eirias Park Sports Stadium in Colwyn Bay and organised by the North Wales Regional Athletics Council (NWRAC), eight nominees and/or their family members were presented with awards to acknowledge their generous voluntary support. Paul Brooks, the secretary of the NWRAC, w...
Read more