parkrun is completely run by volunteers. Regularly we get 400+ at Fletcher Moss parkrun.

With Storm Darragh being highlighted in the media and weather warnings around, many other local parkruns cancelled ahead of time, awaiting winds of 50+ mph and heavy rain. The course remained clear on Friday and actually OK on Saturday morning (after removing the odd stray branch or small tree that had come down). However, with only 3 marshals (two having to leave early), many first-time volunteers handing out finish tokens, barcode scanning, and timekeeping, and likely much higher participant numbers due to local cancellations, we had to cancel as the forecast remained high winds and the poplars were starting to sway a bit.

I managed to recruit some sign language support for the pre-run briefings and actually ran >5 km by running to the course and then running the course to check it was safe.

Thank you to all the volunteers, who continued to receive their parkrun volunteer credit despite the cancellation.