Olympian supporting free games sessions across the UK to keep communities active

Decathlon has teamed up with charity ParkPlay to offer hours of games and activities across the UK at no cost. Top-quality equipment will be provided at every event by Decathlon which dedicated PlayLeader’s turn into fun, family friendly games for people of all abilities.

Two hours of free and inclusive community play takes place every Saturday morning from 10am at over 60 locations, helping over 8,000 ParkPlayers young and old across the UK to keep active after being inspired by the summer of global sporting events.

Family-favourite games such as football, cricket, touch rugby and much more are organised by the PlayLeaders with each weekly event being tailored to its local community. There is a fluid structure with minimal rules in sessions to ensure people of all fitness levels, age, confidence and ability feel included in the games.

Guests that want to participate in their local ParkPlay can simply register online for free and then quickly sign-in upon arrival on the Saturday morning to get straight into playing. And once registered, that is all you need to be able to attend any ParkPlay nationwide*.

ParkPlay often takes place in areas of the greatest inequality to provide a free boost to physical and mental health. People in these areas have felt the biggest improvement to their wellbeing with 78% of attendees saying they were inactive or fairly inactive before signing up.

Delphine Bouchereau-Mazillier, Community Engagement & Social Impacts Leader, Decathlon UK said: “ParkPlay shares our ambition in making sport accessible and enjoyable for all and following the busy summer of sport, we are thrilled to play a part in offering free games sessions across the country. We hope to encourage more individuals to discover the wonders of sport and this collaboration reinforces our joint commitment to making a positive difference in local communities by embracing an active lifestyle.”

Rick Jenner, CEO of ParkPlay said: “We’re tremendously excited to be Decathlon’s first charity of the year, as we continue to deepen our partnership with our favourite sports retailer. The partnership is based on our joint belief in the importance of discovering the joy of play to leading a more active life. The support from Decathlon, their staff and customers will help us take the power of play to more communities, supporting people to be happier and healthier.”

Decathlon named ParkPlay its inaugural UK Charity of the Year earlier this year for its shared ambition in helping to build a happier and healthier community through greater access to games and activities. Donations from all UK store tills directly support ParkPlay events with funds helping to provide essential equipment, train further volunteers, and expand sessions to new communities. To sign up to ParkPlay or for more information, please visit: https://park-play.com.