The 2022 Christmas weekend was a busy one for parkrunners, as it offered the opportunity for two parkruns over one weekend, as Christmas Day fell on a Sunday, and Christmas Eve therefore had a parkrun as is normal for a Saturday morning. Newport & District Running Club’s members were out and about in force at a number of different parkruns over the weekend, with many of them running parkruns on both days.
As is often the case, Telford parkrun was very popular on both days – Donna and Darren Hesbrook-Edwards both ran there on Christmas Eve, as did Wendy Tonge, Chas Bickford-Smith, Louise Heath, Toni Ireland, Simon Smith Martin Murdoch, and the Wilmot family (Andrew, Sarah, Emily and Harry). They were joined by Ashley Moore, who was running his first ever parkrun, and did so in a very rapid time of 19 minutes, 41 seconds. On Christmas Day, The Wilmots and Hesbrook-Edwards returned to Telford for another go, and this time they were joined by Oliver, Harry and John Stokes, as well as Daniel and Heather Campbell-Miles, Wendy Tonge, and Louise Patterson.
Isabel Trail parkrun in Stafford is another popular Saturday morning destination for NDRC members, and on Christmas Eve, Louise Patterson volunteered as Tail Walker. She was joined by Phil Dolding, Tracey Powell, and Daniel and Heather Campbell-Miles. Isabel Trail chose not to host a parkrun on Christmas Day, a decision also taken by Trentham Gardens, where Neil Fairbrother, as well as Harry, Oliver and John Stokes, ran on Christmas Eve.
On Christmas Day, Neil Fairbrother was the lone NDRC representative at Cannock Chase parkrun, whilst Phil Dolding did the same at The Wammy parkrun in Newcastle-under-Lyme, as did Anne Strowger at Chichester parkrun. Amy Hughes (dressed as a penguin!) took part in Eden Project parkrun in Cornwall with her family on Christmas Eve, whilst Emily and Tom Pope were at Evesham parkrun on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Ellen Deighton ran at Alderford Lake parkrun, near Whitchurch, on both days.
Newport & District Running Club 