The Birth of Parkrun in Storms River Village
The Birth of Parkrun in Storms River Village
In early 2025, a local resident proposed the idea of organising a Parkrun for Storms River Village. Despite our ignorance and uncertainty, we dutifully gathered outside the shops.
On the signal of “Go”, we set off based on a flurry of uncertain directions, which included memorising sequences such as “second right, third left, onto the dirt road, stand on your head for 30 seconds, and then return to the start”—or at least, that’s how it felt at the time!
The Origins of Parkrun: Paul Sinton-Hewitt’s Vision
Bruce eloquently shared the origins of the Parkrun concept, explaining it was conceived by South African, Paul Sinton-Hewitt (CBE), who in 2004 organised the first event at Bushy Park in London.
This initiative rapidly gathered momentum and developed into a global network of free, weekly events. Today, there are about 2,600 Parkrun starting points, with in excess of 10 million participants worldwide.
Locally, the Storms River Village Plaatbos Nature Reserve Parkrun holds special significance, as it became the 263rd Parkrun venue in South Africa. This achievement highlights the ongoing expansion and community spirit fostered by Parkrun, both in the country and internationally.
Parkrun Participation and Local Impact
Including the 83 inaugural runners, an additional 18 events have been held to date (mid Sept), each attracting an average of ±17 participants per event, making it about 390 visitors since its inception.
Remarkably, about one third of these participants were previously unaware of the existence of Storms River Village. As the number of participants continues to rise, the local tourism sector benefits accordingly, leading to increased opportunities and improved employment prospects within the community.
Come and join us for our next Parkrun event. For details, please visit https://www.parkrun.co.za/plaatbosnaturereserve/
The Official Opening of Parkrun by Bruce Fordyce
Some 4 months later and thanks to the dedication of our early volunteers, Storms River Village witnessed the formal launch of its own Parkrun event. On 24 May 2025, ultramarathon legend, Bruce Fordyce, presided over a memorable opening ceremony.
An impressive 83 enthusiastic runners and walkers turned-out, heralding the first official 2½ kms decent down our historic ‘Thomas Bain’ Pass, before a gruelling return to the start. An exceptional level of organisation was more than apparent
Donate
We receive small monthly donations from the businesses in the village and rely on funding and volunteers.
Use the details below to make an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) straight into our account: STORMS NPC, Standard Bank, Account No: 10186030264, Plettenberg Bay, Branch Code: 050714. Please use your name as reference, and get in touch with us.
Volunteer
We have an ongoing requirement for volunteers and will be posting more details on the website soon. In the meantime please get in touch with us.
