Wicksteed Park featured strongly in my childhood and is a happy place for my own children too. They love the play equipment most of all and I still enjoy riding the train.

Both of my children have enjoyed visiting the park with their friends, one even celebrated his birthday there last year. By now, under different circumstances, we might have used our annual passes half a dozen times or more. Almost exactly a year ago we had a brilliant day taking part in the soapbox derby. We had hoped to do the same this year.

My children are sad that the park is in trouble, and so am I. The park needs some help to get through the months ahead without its usual income, you may have seen Oliver Wicksteed's statement, which said, "without urgent significant support Wicksteed Park will not survive as we know it."

Our home parkrun is Northampton, but Kettering is one of our favourites to visit. The picture on this page features my son and I joining Kettering parkrun's 3rd birthday celebration at Wicksteed, by running the course in reverse (used with kind permission from John Woods).

On the morning of Saturday 20th June 2020 I will run from the start line at Northampton parkrun directly to the finish line at Wicksteed Park to extend a hand of friendship to Kettering parkrun and to generate support for the park.

I haven't set a target to raise; I'll do this run whether I raise five thousand or just a fiver! Please join me in supporting Wicksteed Park, donate if you can, and let's hope for happier times in the future when we can go back again and enjoy doing the things we've always loved to do there.