Hirst Welfare Centre junior parkrun

Bus: The centre is highly accessible via local bus routes. You can catch the Arriva 35 or Arriva 2 services from Ashington town centre. Get off at the stops along Woodhorn Road or Alexandra Road, both of which are just a few minutes' walk from the main building.

Train: Ashington has a train station in the town centre, this is the northern-most stop on the Northumberland line.

If walking from the centre of Ashington, head east down Woodhorn Road. Turn right onto Alexandra Road just past the local shops, and you will see the centre straight ahead on your left.

From the South/North (via A189): Travel along the A189 (Northumberland Spine Road) and take the exit toward Ashington (A197). At the roundabout, take the A197 heading west into town. Turn left onto Woodhorn Road, then take another left onto Alexandra Road. The centre will be on your left.

From the West (via Morpeth/A197): Follow the A197 straight through Ashington town centre. Continue onto Woodhorn Road, then turn right onto Alexandra Road.

Every week we grab a post-parkrun coffee: Hirst Welfare Centre Café. Please come and join us!

Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee at Hirst Welfare Centre Café - please come and join us!

Hirst Welfare Centre junior parkrun is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. To make the event as safe as possible, participants, spectators and volunteers are asked to take note of the following rules and guidelines:

• Whilst parkrun fully accepts its duty of care and will do everything it can to minimise risk of injury and harm to all participants whilst at parkrun events, it is parent/guardians who ultimately have responsibility for the welfare of their children.
• It is not mandatory for a parent/guardian to participate in junior parkruns, but children under the age of 11 must be accompanied to/from the event by a responsible adult, and the responsible adult must remain in attendance for the duration of the event.
• junior events are open and inclusive. Disabled people may participate wherever it is safe for them to do so. The event team can provide disabled participants with course information in order that the participant (or their parent/guardian) can make an informed decision about their safe participation.
• Whilst more competitive children can use junior parkruns to test themselves against their own time, and against others, participation should ultimately be for fun, and we urge all parents/guardians/volunteers not to put children under undue pressure to perform.
• junior parkruns are running, jogging and walking events, and the use of children’s scooters, balance bikes, trikes or cycles is prohibited.
• Slower runners are encouraged to seed themselves, by starting towards the back of the group especially if an adult is accompanying them.
• junior parkruns are timed events. Only those aged between 4 to 14 years old completing the course themselves will be given a result. ​
• Exceptions to this rule are subject to the discretion of parkrun head office. Examples include those over 14 with special educational needs (SEN) or those with a registered disability, for whom social interaction and physical activity may be difficult but important.
• A strict ‘no barcode no result’ policy will be enforced.
• Buggies are allowed, subject to course conditions, but only if the adult pushing the buggy is accompanying a junior parkrunner. Adults with buggies are urged to position themselves appropriately for the safety and enjoyment of all.
• With the exception of assistance dogs, dogs are not allowed to accompany walkers, joggers, runners or volunteers at junior parkrun events.
• Take care on uneven surfaces – whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other participants, pedestrians, children, dogs, wildlife, park animals, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
• Spectators should keep clear of participants on the course and keep control of any children and dogs.
• Participants should take care near roads and car parks, congregate away from the cars and be careful if driving to/from the event.
• Photography or filming is likely to take place at junior parkrun events. Please see our photos page for more details.
• Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks. Consider protecting yourself by wearing repellent when at parkrun events in grassy or wooded areas. See lymediseaseuk.com for further details.

Please consider helping the event by volunteering - this event survives only because of your generosity. Please visit the volunteer page for more information.

All parkrun events are organised by volunteers - email hirstwelfarecentrejuniors@parkrun.com to help.

parkrun is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. For our full safeguarding processes and policies please see our Safeguarding Hub.

To report a safeguarding concern please email safeguarding@parkrun.com.