Sheffield's Graves Parkrun celebrates 10 years of communities running together with fancy dress and cake

It meant that much more then to see the day on Saturday (April 9) when nearly 300 runners and volunteers turned out to celebrate the community’s 10th birthday.

To date, Graves Parkrun has held 433 events, seen over 10,000 people take part and set over 13,000 personal bests.

The 300-strong crowd met at the start line the same as always, but this week saw many arrive in fancy dress and banners, with a promise of birthday cake at the end of the route.

“I did have a massive speech planned but I deleted it off my phone and lost it,” said run director Jo to her community. “But what can I say? It’s been 10 years but it feels like yesterday when we started. If someone told me then I would still be giving up every Saturday morning 10 years from now I wouldn’t have believed them.

"I remember the Saturday in lockdown where we had no Parkruns – they were awful.”

Graves Parkrun was launched in 2012 ahead of the London Olympic games, and a decade later its regulars can’t imagine weekends without it.

The weekly get together run was set up in a joint effort by Jo and GP at Sloan Medical Centre, Dr Olly Hart.

It was launched after an initial fundraising run to get the £3,000 together needed to register with Parkrun UK.

"Starting this up is the singled biggest medical intervention I’ve ever done, or ever will,” said Dr Hart, who arrived dressed in 2012 Olympic gear fancy dress.

"The value of getting the community together every week is magic.

"It’s one of the community anchors. It’s by the people, for the people, and that’s how we create real health.

"It really is quite emotional to see this today.”

The weekly Graves Park meet up is an example of the Parkrun Practice Initiative where the hobby is encouraged and supported by GPs. Over 1,500 surgeries across the country take part – but Dr Hart says he “likes to think we did it first”.