Event Director: Wynyard Woodland parkrun is managed by an event director (Rosie Dawson) who is responsible for ensuring the event is delivered appropriately, building relationships with landowners, and for liaising with parkrun HQ. The Event Director is assisted by a number of Run Directors.

Run Director: The designated Run Director for an event has the overall responsibility for safety and oversees proceedings before, during, and after the event. They must be near the start/finish area at all times. The Run Director has the ultimate authority to decide whether the event should be cancelled or postponed or if an adjustment to the course is required. The Run Director also welcomes all parkrunners to the event via the pre-event briefing and communicates all important messages prior to the event start, recognises the contributions of the volunteers, acknowledges visitors, first-timers and ensures everyone understands the event and stays safe for the duration. The Run Director at Wynyard Woodland parkrun is usually the Volunteer Coordinator that week and also the Results Processor. We are always glad for help setting up the event and clearing away afterwards.

Course Checker: Every Saturday a course checker runs, walks, or cycles the course to check it’s safe to use and free from anything that might be hazardous to runners and volunteers. These hazards could be rocks, branches, or flooding, etc. The check takes place on the day of the parkrun and as close to the start time as reasonably possible, this usually involves meeting the Run Director at about 8.00 am.

First-Timers Welcome: This role is to create a friendly atmosphere for first timers and visitors. The volunteer introduces parkrun, its inclusiveness and ethos, highlights any course-specific information, and explains the finish procedure. This vital volunteer role provides essential reassurance for first-timers especially. It can also help the volunteer to gain confidence in public speaking in a relaxed atmosphere. We sometimes provide an additional welcome volunteer in the car park to encourage people and point them in the right direction.

Timekeeper: The thought of timekeeping can seem daunting, but it’s very straightforward. The timekeepers are responsible for recording the finish times of all participants at parkrun by using the Virtual Volunteer app (which is also used for barcode scanning) in aeroplane mode. We always have two timekeepers to protect against losing one set of times. The Run Director instructs them to start timing on the word GO! Then they press the timer once as each participant crosses the finish line. They liaise with each other to make sure the numbers match during the event. They work with the funnel manager (if there is one) to keep everyone in order until they have received their finish token. The last person to cross the line is always the tail walker(s). It’s then a simple matter of uploading the results with the Run Director. The timekeepers retain the results in their app in case of problems but can delete them the next time they use the app.

Finish Tokens: This person is responsible for handing out position tokens to all participants. They work closely with the funnel manager and timekeepers because finishers must stay in order until they have received their token. They may be assisted by a finish token support volunteer, and this is an ideal role for a younger volunteer.

Barcode Scanner: Volunteers use the Virtual Volunteer app to scan the personal barcode of every finisher along with their finish token. This ensures that every participant who completes the course receives a result. The data is then uploaded to be processed by the Run Director. The barcode scanners retain the results in their app in case of problems but can delete them the next time they use the app. The Virtual Volunteer parkrun app is available in your app store. It’s used for both barcode scanning and timekeeping and is always used in aeroplane mode.

Funnel Manager: This person is responsible for the whole finish area but is primarily focused on ensuring that participants move smoothly and swiftly through the finish funnel. Also, along with other volunteers at the finish line, they ensure participants stay in their finish order until they have received a finish token. They also look out for ‘funnel dodgers’ who cross the finish line but ‘escape’ before taking a token as this causes problems with the results. Even if a participant wishes to remain ‘unknown’ in the results, they must take a token and return it to the barcode scanners.

Marshals: The main tasks performed by marshals are guiding, interacting and encouraging the participants along the course, warning them of any obstacles or hazards, alerting the Run Director of any incidents, as well as ensuring that other park users are aware of the event. The marshal should stay in position until the tail walker passes them for the last time. The turning point marshal is usually responsible for unlocking and locking the gates.

We sometimes have a marshal(s) in the car park to encourage people and point them in the right direction. They also supervise parking if we’re especially busy. Ideally, we’d have a marshal beyond the turning point every week, but the turning point marshal always takes a ‘Caution Runners’ sign to warn other park users.

Tail Walker and parkwalker: The Tail Walker role is a friendly face who stays right at the back of the field and should be the last to go through the finish funnel, ensuring that everyone is accounted for. The parkwalker role is also a friendly face who provides support and encouragement to walkers, as part of our commitment to increasing the number of people who walk at our events. This is a separate role from that of tail walker. The parkwalker should be positioned ahead of the tail walker but behind those who are running.

Tail walkers and parkwalkers are entitled to receive both a volunteer credit and a walk/run credit when carrying out this role. We ask that these roles aren’t filled by the same volunteers each week (for more than three consecutive weeks) and whenever possible multiple people carry out the role. This is both for safeguarding purposes and to provide as positive and sociable experience as possible for everyone.

Setup and Close Down: The Pre-event Setup volunteer(s) help the Run Director prepare for the event. This involves the placement of markers and signage around the course, setting up the start/finish area including the finish funnel, and placing signs to indicate the route. Not forgetting the personal best bell! The Post-event Close Down volunteer(s) help clear up and return any kit to its storage place, leaving our parkrun space as we found it. Both volunteer roles are very suitable for our young people, and they also allow you to volunteer and run.

Photographer: The official photographer is an optional volunteer role. They take photographs and videos for our Facebook page. Photographers must always register as an official volunteer, make themselves known to the Run Director, and wear a high-vis vest at all times. Photographers cannot charge individuals for event photography at parkrun events and watermarks are not permitted.

In conclusion, there are a few volunteer roles that are self-explanatory. Token sorting, report writer, and pacers. Obviously, we need volunteers to sort the tokens each week, the report writer role is optional, and we have pacers on the last Saturday of the month.

Volunteers are welcome to be accompanied by their children. However, they can be distracting and volunteers may find themselves in very challenging situations, so volunteers must be mindful of this at all times.

Volunteers are requested to: Wear a volunteer vest to make them visible as a person who can help. Keep a watchful eye as people arrive looking for those who are there for the first time; they may be looking apprehensive and unsure of what to do. Greet people with a warm welcome, asking where they are from and what brings them to parkrun.

Let’s keep parkrun friendly and inclusive!

John Ager, Run Director. 😎