Vhi has launched a new six-week Couch to parkrun programme aimed at encouraging newcomers to take their first steps into the weekly 5km community event.

Olympian David Gillick and broadcaster Fionnuala Jones are fronting the campaign, which will operate through more than 50 parkrun locations across Ireland from next Monday, September 7th.

The initiative forms part of Vhi’s partnership with parkrun and is free to join.

Participants will be encouraged to attend their local parkrun on each of six consecutive Saturdays, with registered participants receiving a weekly training programme, nutritional recipes and guidance from Vhi clinicians to help build fitness and confidence.

Registration remains open until midnight on September 6th through couchtoparkrun.ie.

Those who complete all six weeks at a participating location and scan a QR code at each event will also be entered into a draw for a two-night hotel break.

The programme is an interesting extension of Vhi’s long-standing association with parkrun, moving beyond traditional sponsorship visibility to actively address one of the challenges facing participation campaigns: getting people to make the first move.

Research highlighted by Vhi and parkrun shows that nine in ten parkrunners believe participation has a positive impact on their mental health for the week afterwards, while 99 per cent report feeling more socially connected through taking part.

Separate research cited as part of the campaign found that 92 per cent reported an improved sense of achievement, 87 per cent reported increased happiness, and 71 per cent reported improved confidence.

Volunteering is an equally important element of the parkrun model, with 93 per cent of volunteers surveyed saying involvement had improved their health and wellbeing.

“As the presenting partner of parkrun, Vhi is committed to helping people live longer, stronger, healthier lives,” said Brighid Smyth, Head of Corporate Affairs and CEO Office at Vhi.

“We firmly believe in the benefits of parkrun to participants’ physical and mental health, and we want as many people as possible to experience these benefits.

“That’s why we have created the free Vhi Couch to parkrun programme, to help people around the country to build their fitness and become part of the wonderful and welcoming parkrun community over a six-week period.”

Roadshow Across Six Counties

A Vhi Couch to parkrun roadshow will also visit a different event on each Saturday of the programme, with Gillick and Jones joining participants.

The six stops will be:

September 12: Fairview parkrun, Dublin
September 19: Lees Road parkrun, Clare
September 26: Wexford Racecourse parkrun, Wexford
October 3: Mullingar parkrun, Westmeath
October 10: Clonmel parkrun, Tipperary
October 17: Corkagh parkrun, Dublin

Gillick has been a regular parkrun participant himself and believes its appeal goes well beyond running.

“No matter whether you walk, jog, run or volunteer, parkrun is the perfect combination of physical exercise and social connection to kick off your weekend,” he said.

“The Vhi Couch to parkrun programme is a brilliant entry point for people across Ireland who are keen to try parkrun but aren’t sure how to go about it.”

parkrun, supported in Ireland by Vhi, now operates 164 events around the country, comprising weekly timed 5km events on Saturday mornings and junior 2km events on Sundays.

Around 16,000 people participate each week, with the organisation saying more than 561,000 people have registered since parkrun began in Ireland and more than 700,000 instances of volunteering have been recorded.

For Vhi, Couch to parkrun gives the partnership a defined recruitment campaign alongside the weekly visibility of its existing association.

It also makes use of one of parkrun’s strongest characteristics as a sports sponsorship property: participants do not have to consider themselves runners, with walking, jogging and volunteering all forming part of the community.

The challenge over the coming six weeks will be converting those attracted by the campaign into regular participants once the structured programme ends.

 

Sport for Business Perspective

The best participation sponsorships provide both a reason to act and a reason to notice the brand.

Couch to parkrun does that neatly. There is no entry fee, no requirement to run the full five kilometres, and an existing network of more than 50 participating locations removes much of the friction that can prevent a national campaign turning into local activity.

The six-week structure is also important. Getting somebody to participate once is relatively straightforward; helping them establish a habit is considerably more valuable.

For Vhi, that creates a direct connection between its wider health positioning and an activity taking place in communities every Saturday morning across the country.
 

 

 

If you would like to be part of the Sport for Business community and see your organisation in our content, on our stages, and in the conversation happening every day around the commercial world of Irish Sport, email us today and let’s see what is possible.

Image Credit: Vhi ParkRun, Teneo and Sam Barnes, Sportsfile.

ABOUT SPORT FOR BUSINESS

Sport for Business is Ireland’s leading platform focused on the commercial, strategic and societal impact of sport. It connects decision-makers across governing bodies, clubs, brands, agencies, and public institutions through high-quality content, events, and insights.

Sport for Business explores how sport drives economic value, participation, inclusion and national identity, and how your story can be part of ours.

Through analysis, storytelling and convening the sector, it helps leaders understand trends, share best practices, and make better-informed decisions. It positions sport not just as entertainment but as a vital contributor to Ireland’s social and economic fabric.

Find out more about becoming a member today.

Or sign up for our Daily Sport for Business Snapshot email bulletins to get a flavour of the material we cover.

Sign up for our News Bulletins here.