parkrun
parkrun organises free, weekly 5k walking and running events across 22 countries and more than 2,800 locations worldwide, including 10 countries within the EU. Everyone is welcome to take part, regardless of age, ability, or pace. Whether you choose to walk, jog, run, or volunteer, you can join in whatever way suits you best, and there is no time limit.
At its heart, parkrun is about inclusivity, community, and wellbeing. We aim to ensure that as many people as possible feel part of a genuine local community brought together through our events, while also being connected to the wider global parkrun family.
What it sets out to do
parkrun is a free, weekly, 5k and 2k community event in open spaces around the world.
Who it reaches
10 EU countries (Ireland, Finland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Italy, Poland and Germany)
Who runs it
NGO
What seems to make it work
parkrun helps to address loneliness by providing a consistent, accessible, and inclusive community-based activity that encourages regular social interaction. By offering free, weekly 5k walking and running events where individuals of all ages and abilities can participate at their own pace, it removes many of the barriers that often prevent people from engaging in traditional group activities. The repeated, informal nature of participation fosters familiarity and gradual relationship-building among participants and volunteers, helping to transform casual encounters into meaningful social connections over time. This sense of routine, belonging, and shared purpose contributes to improved social wellbeing and reduced feelings of isolation, particularly among individuals who may otherwise have limited opportunities for community engagement.
What gets in the way
parkrun has faced a range of challenges as it has grown from a local initiative into a global movement. One of the key challenges has been sustaining volunteer engagement at scale, ensuring that every event has enough committed volunteers to operate safely and consistently each week. Rapid international expansion has also brought complexity, as parkrun must adapt its model to different cultural, legal, and infrastructural contexts while maintaining its core principles of inclusivity and simplicity. Balancing growth with preserving the grassroots, community-led nature of parkrun remains an ongoing strategic challenge.
How it is funded
Sponsorships, government funding and donations
Moving it somewhere else
The model is already successfully operating in 22 countries worldwide and has been specifically designed to be easily replicated by other countries and local communities.
The record
- Lead organisation
- NGO
- Target populations
- Older adults (65+), Children and young people, People with disabilities, Migrants and refugees, Carers, LGBTQ+ communities, Rural and remote communities, People experiencing poverty
- Countries
- Netherlands
- Evaluation status
- Peer-reviewed evaluation
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Publication
- https://www.parkrun.com/
- Contributed by
- parkrun
These details are reported by the member who registered the intervention.
Where this entry comes from
This description was submitted to the LONELY-EU mapping of what is being done about loneliness across Europe. It is published in the language it was written in, and reproduced as it was given to us. The contributor gave permission to be named. Recorded aim: prevention and support.
If this entry is yours and something in it is wrong, or you would like it taken down, write to the Ties moderation team quoting its reference. Consent given to the mapping can be withdrawn at any time.
Cite this entry
parkrun (2026). parkrun. LONELY-EU Intervention Registry, entry LEU-048. https://buddyboss.silc-exchange.com/interventions/parkrun/
Reference LEU-048 is permanent. If the entry is corrected later, the reference stays the same.
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