A NATIONAL partnership between the NHS and parkrun is going to be launched in Colchester this weekend as the NHS prepares to mark its 75th birthday next month.

Called parkrun for the NHS, the collaboration will be celebrated at one parkrun each in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – and Colchester’s Highwoods parkrun has been chosen as England’s venue.

Every parkrun across Britain will then be invited to celebrate the NHS next month, on the weekend starting Saturday, July 8.

The collaboration between parkrun and the NHS was formed so parkruns and communities can aknowledge the contribution the health service makes to the health of the nation, and celebrate all the staff and volunteers, past and present, who have made the NHS what it is today.

A bumper turnout is expected for Saturday’s parkrun at Highwoods, which normally sees about 80 competitors.

John Wheatley, who is the regional ambassador for parkrun across East Anglia, said it will be an exciting event for the parkrun community in Colchester.

He said: “Parkrun HQ chose the venues for each of the home nations, and for England, they chose us.

“We were only too delighted to host it.

“[The Highwoods parkrun] is not an easy one but it is a lovely venue to hold the celebration.”

As well as the parkrun founder attending Saturday’s event, there will also be special guests from the NHS, though their identity has not yet been revealed publicly.

Mr Wheatley, 80, will also be in attendance on Saturday as runners take on the course which he himself designed and measured in 2019.

Dame Ruth Mary, The NHS’s chief nursing officer for England, encouraged people to come along regardless of whether they were running or not.

She said: “I’m delighted that the NHS has teamed up with parkrun UK in a celebration of the NHS’s 75th anniversary in July.

“I know it will be popular and I encourage as many people as possible – from local communities to NHS staff and volunteers – to get involved, whether it’s by walking, jogging or running the course, or lending a hand as a volunteer.”

The event will kick off at 9am on Saturday morning at Highwoods Country Park, Chanterelle, Colchester, CO4 9RY.