GPs take the lead at Banbury's Parkrun

A Banbury doctors' surgery is walking the walk and taking part in the Banbury Parkrun to inspire patients to do the same.
West Bar Surgery have become a Parkrun Practice. NNL-181009-121835001West Bar Surgery have become a Parkrun Practice. NNL-181009-121835001
West Bar Surgery have become a Parkrun Practice. NNL-181009-121835001

Staff and patient representatives from West Bar Surgery will take part in this weekend’s 5km Banbury Parkrun in Spiceball Park.

The team effort has been inspired by Dr Gwyneth Rogers who has shared her preparations for the run on the surgery’s Facebook page.

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She said: “My sister emailed me and asked if I would do the park run because my niece had left home.

“I don’t run and have never run and am not sporty in any way. So I started doing the couch to 5km, it’s a free app and you start off doing 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking and over a nine week period you build up to 30 minutes of running.”

Parkrun and the Royal College of GPs joined forces earlier this year and asked West Bar Surgery if they would become a Parkrun Practice to promote the health benefits of the weekly free event.

Dr Rogers said: “It’s good even if you don’t run, if you come along and marshal and cheer people on, because you’re going out, you’re interacting, getting fresh air. Positivity breeds positivity. There’s a lot of evidence that it is good for depression and mental health problems.”

The Parkrun takes place in Spiceball Park every Saturday from 9am.

To find out more visit www.parkrun.org.uk/banbury.

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