A special celebration event will be held this weekend as Bridport's weekly parkrun reaches a major milestone.

it will mark the 200th running of the popular 5km course, named after the St Mary’s playing fields in the centre of Bridport where it starts and finishes. 

It is one of nearly 1,300 such events throughout the UK that takes place every Saturday at 9am. 

Since starting in summer 2019, more than 6,200 people have taken part, which is over 20,000 individual finishes and more than 100,000 km run around the park. 

Bridport parkrun supporters Bridport parkrun supporters (Image: Sam Rose)

While the number of attendees dwindled following the pandemic, the activity began to see a resurgence and became an "integral" part of the community 

Sam Rose, co-event director, believes the event appeals to so many people due to its relaxed and inclusive atmosphere. 

He said: "People love it because they don’t feel under pressure. You can walk or run the course and everyone gets cheered on. Friendships have been made out of this and it has become a lasting part of the community and a lovely thing to be involved in." 

The runs are all put on by volunteers, and St Mary’s gets an average of 100 runners by putting on the run, involving 20 volunteers each week.

Father with his daughter in Bridport St Mary's Parkrun Father with his daughter in Bridport St Mary's Parkrun (Image: Sam Rose)

This Saturday's event is expected to be "one of the busiest runs of the year" with the Mayor of Bridport due to start the run at 8.45am. 

Participants are encouraged - in true Bridport Hat Festival style - to wear some kind of special headgear and there will also be cake on the day. 

Mr Rose added: “It's a fantastic way to start your weekend. A walk or run to wake up, a catch-up with mates at the event, and then a great cup of coffee and chat afterwards at Rockburn climbing centre. 

"We encourage anyone to come along, parkrun is more than a run, it’s a community.”

To register for the run, you need to visit the park run website and bring along your registration barcode on paper or on your phone: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/ 

More information about the course can also be found on the website:  https://www.parkrun.org.uk/stmarys/