Children in Weymouth will be completing the junior park run in odd socks this Sunday to mark World Downs Syndrome Day.
On Sunday, March 24, children will be participating in the Weymouth Junior Parkrun (WJP) will be running, walking, hopping, skipping, and jumping their way round a 2km course at the Lodmoor Country Park.
The parkrun is a free weekly event, taking place every Sunday at 9:00am in Lodmoor Country Park, Weymouth. However, this Sunday, the participants will be completing the parkrun in odd socks to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.
The global event aims to raise public awareness of the congenital disorder caused by having an extra 21st chromosome.
While the WJP is aimed at young children between the ages of four to 14, children with special needs can continue to run up to the age of 17. Each child gets a band for completing a certain number of runs 11 runs (half marathon), 21 runs (marathon),50 runs (Ultra) and 100 runs.
It was originally launched in 2017 by Lee Roberts who was among a group of parents who began fundraising for a junior parkrun after taking his own daughters to the Poole event.
Egdon Heath Harriers, the Dorset Sole Sisters, Blacknoll Limited, Brookes Physio and ASM Systems and the former Weymouth and Portland Borough Councils donated funds and also gave permission for the run to be held at Lodmoor park.
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The original route started and ended close to pirate ship in the park however, due to a lack of volunteers during Covid, the route was changed to start at the beginning of the woodland path, and finishing just past the train stop. Parents are welcome to accompany their children on the course.
Fiona Pawsey, co-event director for WJP, said: “The Weymouth Junior Parkrun provides a great way of encouraging a healthy lifestyle, social interaction, and the great outdoors in a positive, friendly, and inclusive way.
“Each child on their visit gets high fives, cheers and claps by our wonderful volunteers as they go round the route.”
More information about the run can be found on the website: www.parkrun.org.uk/weymouth-juniors
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