Purpose

This report presents an
application for funding under the Council’s Community Funding Programme.

 

An application to the Community Fund has been received from Fareham Park Run
for £908.10 towards radios and a base station.

 

Fareham parkrun would like to purchase 5 professional grade radios to
improve safety via better communication. Fareham parkrun is a 5k community
fitness event that takes place each Saturday morning at 9am using the Cams Easy
Access Trail and has been operational for nearly 10yrs. It is completely
volunteer led and whilst taking place under the umbrella of parkrun UK, no
additional cash funding is provided. On average there are 226 participants each
week who run, jog or walk and form this very friendly community.

 

As participation has increased and become more inclusive many events,
some locally have experienced serious medical incidents, including cardiac
arrests. At present their current process of relying on personal mobile phones
is not considered adequate. Equipping each of the on-course volunteer marshals
with radio equipment capable of coping with the 2.5k distance and ability to
communicate instantly will significantly improve the safety of participants.

 

The total cost of this project is £1,009 for the equipment to be provided
locally from RS Hill Communications in which this equipment has been tested at
an event successfully. Fareham parkrun are looking for £908.10 from the
Community Fund, with the remaining amount of £100.90 being funded from Fareham
parkrun reserves. Any community funding received would be ringfenced only for
Fareham parkrun.

 

As of 10 February 25, Fareham Parkrun held £404.58 in their ringfenced
accounts for Fareham under the national Parkrun accounts. Within the national
Parkrun accounts, in the accounting year February 2024-January 2025, there was
an income of £11,013,130 and expenditure of £10,364,919. Any community funding
received would be ringfenced for Fareham parkrun.

 

Both Ward Councillors, Councillor Hamilton and Councillor West support
the Fareham Parkrun community funding application.

Decision

RESOLVED that the Executive
Member for Leisure and Community approves the award of £908.10 from the
Community Fund to Fareham Park Run.