HMP Dumfries has become the first prison in Scotland to hold a parkrun.
For almost 20 years, parkrun has taken place in communities all over the UK. Every Saturday morning, people come together to walk, run or jog 5k, always supported by a team of volunteers and spectators.
After developing a popular 'couch to 5k' training programme for people in custody, Physical Training Instructor (PTI) Danny Dunglinson contacted the parkrun charity to look at the feasibility of setting up a parkrun in HMP Dumfries.
parkrun had already been established in a number of prisons within the English Prison Service but this would be a first for Scotland.
After much planning, on Saturday 14 September, the first official ‘Jessiefield’ parkrun took place on the vast playing field within the prisons' grounds.
Jim Smith, Deputy Governor at HMP Dumfries said: "The participants got a great deal from the parkrun as it allowed them to feel part of something much larger by feeling part of the wider community."
The story was featured in The Scotsman: Inside Scotland's first prison Parkrun (scotsman.com)
