Cannock Chase parkrun

Happy Friday folks! We're so excited this weekend to be joined by the fabulous Chase Harriers! There will be cake, fun and frolics!

One of our fabulous Chase Harriers, Jess (who you will have seen cross our finish line many times) has brought our attention to a fabulous fundraiser for Guide Dogs UK, that's linked to strava.... And running (well any activity!). Jess is a VI runner and she's an active parkrun participant with her guide Yvonne. Her guide dog Pebble supports from the sidelines!

Guide Dogs has been chosen to be part of Crowns for Causes-
a new campaign with Postcode Lottery UK & Strava that turns your activity into life-changing donations.

Every challenge completed can unlock £50 for Guide Dogs - funded by Postcode Lottery.

There are three challenges across June, July and August.

For June’s challenge there’s a donation for every person who logs 15 minutes’ activity for any 8 days in the month.

You can help raise money for a truly incredible charity simply by moving... Good health AND money raised for an excellent cause. You can sign up here:

Postcode Lottery: Don8 Days Log 8 days of activity to unlock funds for charity and do some good!

Cannock Chase parkrun - Event #402

On the day that Darren Wood became the first person to complete 1000 parkruns, 432 of you added another parkrun to your record up on the Chase - well done you!

It was a beautiful morning and we loved seeing you all. A special well done to the 20 of you completing your first ever parkrun....the best journey starts here!

We celebrated a few milestones on the day, but the full list (including those too shy / forgetful to tell me before I announced them!) is below;

25 - Dan Betteridge, Jake Welsh, Jesse-Leigh Bevan, Kelly Hassall
50 - Rose Shaw
100 - Ian Bradshaw, Chris Downing

Special congratulations also go to Steven Gilbert (completing his 100th Cannock Chase parkrun) and Rob Pitcher, who completed his first parkrun in eight years on the occasion of his 85th birthday!

Next week is a Chase Harriers volunteer headliner week, so our roster is already in a very healthy state but we ALWAYS have room for more volunteers - so please do let us know if you would like to help.

Other than that, enjoy your Saturdays and please post your photos and PB's below

Evening Chums!

The roster is looking nice and healthy for Saturday but we just need to fill a few critical roles to ensure we are good to go.

Currently we are looking for;

1 x Barcode Scanner

Holler below if you can help us out, so that we can put our trotters up on Friday and enjoy the sunshine!

This Saturday we're joined by Stand By Me, a local men's mental health support group. They've shared these words. Pop by and see them 😊

This Saturday, Stand By Me will be attending parkrun and we’d love for you to come and say hello 💙

Alongside the run, we’ll have the opportunity for people to add to our Community Canvas by writing, drawing, doodling, or leaving a message that matters to them. We’ll also have tags available for our “Heart of the Community” installation, where you can leave words of hope, support, remembrance, or encouragement.

No pressure. No perfect words needed. Just people coming together, one step and one message at a time.

Whether you’re running, walking, volunteering, or cheering from the sidelines, come be part of something special.

See you Saturday

Anyone free on Saturday? Drop us a line if you are🙏

**update - token giver outer and tailwalker now filled**

This week at Cannock Chase parkrun, we won’t just celebrate times, PBs or finish positions.

We’ll celebrate people.

The quiet battles.
The heavy weeks.
The mornings where getting out of bed felt impossible.
The courage it takes to simply turn up.

As Mental Health Awareness Week comes to an end, it’s important to remember that you never truly know what someone beside you is carrying.

The runner smiling at the start line might be grieving.
The volunteer cheering every finisher on might be struggling themselves.
The walker at the back may have spent all week fighting their own mind just to make it here.

And yet every Saturday morning, something incredible happens.

People show up for each other.

A clap.
A smile.
A “well done”.
A marshal in the rain.
A stranger slowing down to encourage someone home.

These things matter more than we realise.

parkrun has never just been about running.
It’s about belonging.
It’s about community.
It’s about knowing that for one hour on a Saturday morning, you are not alone.

So this week, look out for one another.
Check in with your friends.
Encourage the nervous first timer.
Thank the volunteers.
Walk with someone who needs company.
Be kind - because kindness saves lives more often than we’ll ever know.

And if you’re struggling right now, come anyway.
Walk, jog, run, volunteer, spectate - it doesn’t matter.

There will always be a place for you at Cannock Chase parkrun. ❤️

Happy Friday Parkrunners!

🚗🚙🚕*** SATURDAY PARKING***🚲🛴🏃‍♂️

Openreach are currently doing some roadworks around Marquis Drive, and there's a chance this will impact parking.

Could anyone due to visit Marquis Drive please make use of legitimate car parks and *NOT PARK ON THE ROAD* or on the 'triangle'. Vehicles including Openreach and emergency services will need to have space to get through.

Here is a list of car parks visitors may want to look into, all discoverable on google maps:

Marquis Drive Pay-and-Display (£2) - right next to the Visitor's Centre
Whitehouse Car Park (free) - 1 mile/20 minutes' walk
Chase Cafe/Enterprise Centre - 1 mile/20 minutes' walk
Rifle Range Corner (free) - 2 miles/40 minutes' walk
Brindley Village Car Park (free - but small) - 1 mile/20 minutes' walk

For cyclists who don't mind the extra mileage or those willing to consider alternative venues, Birches Valley Pay and Display is 4 miles away, and Hednesford Town Centre has multiple parking places (some free, others not).

Many Thanks x
Parkrun core team

**SORTED - THANK YOU! See you all in the morning!**

We just need a token support person and two marshalls to complete the dream team on this very special 400th Cannock Chase parkrun Saturday! Can you help?

Please comment below or send us a DM. Ta muchly # # #

fans can someone out there stop us going nuclear and sending *gasps* an email 😱😱😱

It's baby Friday and we're looking forward to another fabulous weekend at Cannock Chase parkrun. There's a wedding in town! But it's also our 400th birthday and as we shared previously we've got a memorial walk for a fellow parkrunner. It's all going on!

We've got a proper post scheduled for tomorrow but in short, this weekend we're focusing on what Cannock Chase parkrun can do for you and for the community 🥰

We do still need some hi viz heroes to make the magic happen, we need please:
4 x marshals
1 x token support

Please let us know ASAP if you can help. We cannot put on the parkrun without these roles so please support if you can x

Today marks the start of mental health awareness week 2026, which means that this Saturday we will be joined by a team in orange and black, running in memory of their friend Adam. Adam was a fellow parkrunner and Jorge and the gang have been joining us now for a few years, to run parkrun in Adam's honour. Adam sadly left this world in 2021.

These wonderful words are from Adam's from Jorge:
'Like every year during Mental Health Awareness Week, a group of Adam’s friends and family will be joining you all at Cannock Chase parkrun on Saturday 16th May to run in memory of our beautiful friend Adam, and fellow parkrun member, who we sadly lost to su***de.

Run for Adam has become a moment to remember everyone we have loved and lost, and to stand together for those who are still struggling in silence.

We would love for the amazing parkrun community to join us by wearing a yellow or orange top as a sign of support, remembrance, and hope. Whether you are running for a friend, a family member, someone you miss deeply, or simply to show that nobody is alone, every step means something.

Sometimes people are fighting battles we cannot see. Sometimes a simple act of togetherness can remind someone that they matter.

If you see us wearing the “Adam” “Every Life Counts” tops, please come and say hello. We are all in this together. 💛🧡

On the 16th, we run for Adam.
We run for those no longer with us.
And we run for everyone who still needs hope.

You are not alone. You matter.'

We can't echo loudly enough the final sentence. We want a world where no one is alone, and everyone recognises that they matter. You will always have a place to feel welcomed at Cannock Chase parkrun, come rain or shine!

We also understand that the need to speak to someone doesn't always conveniently fall between 8 and 11 on a Saturday morning, and so here are alternative options if you need them: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/seeking-help-for-a-mental-health-problem/mental-health-helplines/