A parkrun volunteer from Milton Keynes has said volunteering at their local event has helped encourage them to get back running the Saturday morning community event too.

Gemma Wickham, who’s parkrun journey began at just six-years-old at Bushy junior parkrun, said: “I first ran at a parkrun when I was six years old at Bushy junior parkrun, it was just after the 2012 Olympics, so I remember being inspired by all of the athletes I had seen there and wanting to be like them - back then, it was only once a month, but I was always so excited to join my friends and try to beat my own times.

“When my family moved to Milton Keynes, I began running weekly at Milton Keynes junior parkrun, and that consistency helped me improve my times.

“My parents would often volunteer when I was running, so this helped me to get into volunteering.

placeholder image — Gemma volunteering at parkrun

“My dad joined me at the regular 5k parkrun events whilst doing the Couch to 5K programme, and we even started planning our parkruns around football games when we travelled.

“I still have a map on my wall with pins marking each parkrun I’ve visited!

“My little brother also started doing junior parkruns, so it has become a real family affair.”

Gemma, their dad and brother are just three of the 10 million strong parkrun community around the world.

By the time Wickham turned 12, they had completed 150 junior parkruns and 50 parkruns, but the following years brought big changes, injuries meant Wickham couldn’t run and they were diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome and Autism.

With the pandemic interrupting their routine, Wickham hadn’t parkrun for a while but it was a trip to their local parkrun, Bury Field, which sparked a passion for volunteering, they explained: “At the start of 2023, I decided to go along to my local parkrun, Bury Field, which had recently started up.

“I began volunteering in roles like barcode scanning and handing out finish tokens, and I quickly felt welcomed by the Bury Field community.

“It’s a smaller parkrun, so I got to know everyone there, and that made a big difference.

“Volunteering encouraged me to start running again, and in the summer, I completed my first parkrun in four years!

“It was slow, but I was thrilled to be back.

“Now that I’ve turned 19, I’ve tried marshalling, tail walking, and my favourite role, leading the first-timers’ briefing, speaking in front of groups was intimidating at first, but now I enjoy welcoming new parkrunners and hearing their stories!

“Alternating between running and volunteering is the perfect balance, especially as I was training for my first half marathon back in April.

“The general confidence I gained from volunteering led to me putting myself forward for, and getting, a leadership role at my sixth form!”

Wickham hopes to achieve their next parkrun milestones of 50 volunteer credits and 100 parkruns, and their experience of doing parkrun as a disabled person is a good one, they added: “My experience as a disabled person at parkrun has been a really positive one – having Tourette’s means you get stared at wherever you go, but the calm, friendly atmosphere always puts me at ease.

“Being autistic means that I struggle with new places and people, but when I go to new parkruns they always have a familiar feel to them which really helps.

“If I could give any advice to other disabled people interested in parkrun, it would be this: just give it a go!

“It can be nerve-wracking initially, but parkrun offers such a welcoming, inclusive space, and I’ve found it life-changing.”

You can find your nearest parkrun to run, walk, jog or volunteer at parkrun.com