Hogmoor Inclosure was buzzing and bouncing to the sounds of excited juniors, their families and the volunteers of junior parkrun on Easter Sunday when a VERY special guest made an appearance.

Having heard there was an ‘animal’-themed junior parkrun taking place, the Easter Bunny himself arrived just in time to join in with the warm up, group photo and even officially started the run.

Mr Bunny said: “I had heard the juniors of Hogmoor are a particularly welcoming and fun group so I really wanted to hop in to say hello before continuing on with my deliveries.

“It was amazing to see so many other bunnies as well as foxes, sheep and a very colourful butterfly helping the little ones at the back.

“There was also a few parkrun giraffe, which I hadn’t known were native to Hogmoor! Thank you to the families and volunteers of junior parkrun for making my Easter eggstra special!”

In total, 77 juniors ran, walked or hopped their way to the finish line and alongside them were plenty of grown-ups trying their best to keep up.

Among the juniors were ten newcomers and a whopping 22 who achieved a personal-best time – so clearly they had a spring in their step!

One newcomer who is already looking forward to coming back again is Ethan, who celebrated his fourth birthday just two days before the event. Dad Steve said: “Ethan really enjoyed his first parkrun. He’s looking forward to running even faster next Sunday. Thanks to all the volunteers!”

Among the volunteers helping to make the day safe and fun for everyone were teenagers Aggie, 15, and George, 17. Aggie is a familiar face to the regulars at Hogmoor junior parkrun, having been a part of the core team since it started three years ago.

“I love volunteering at junior parkrun and seeing everyone dressed up for Easter made it feel really special,” she said.

“I love it when the little ones come up and say ‘thank you’. It always reminds me how important volunteers are.”

George was introduced to parkrun on Sunday by Aggie but was clearly already impressed. “It was my first junior parkrun and the atmosphere felt really nice – you could see it was really special for the kids. I didn’t even mind being dressed up as a dog!”

Another member of the Hogmoor junior volunteer core team is Sarah Stanbridge, who is soon approaching her own 100th Saturday parkrun.

“I enjoy volunteering at junior parkrun as I want to give others the chance to experience the joy I have found in running,” she said.

“In today’s hectic and social media-heavy society, sometimes the simple things in life are forgotten.

“It’s lovely watching the juniors enjoy the outdoors while keeping fit, spending quality time with their families and seeing their progression each week.”

Event director George Longland agreed. “From excited newcomers or one-time visitors on holiday to regulars we have seen grow over the years, it is such a gift to watch all the different families and the experiences they are having,” she said.

“It’s the same with the volunteers – the first week you volunteer can be really daunting but in no time at all I see folk become part of a special family who make this event happen every week. The simple act of wearing a pair of bunny ears and smiling should never be underestimated!”

One family who appreciate this more than most are the Eeles, who were excited to recount their favourite things about the morning.

Teddy, four, said: “I loved it! I loved running, running, running and the big Easter Bunny.”

For sister Anabelle, seven, it was all about the costumes. “I love that we got to dress up and the marshals were dressed up,” she said.

And for Harriet, nine, a bit of encouragement can go a long way. “The marshals always cheer us on and that helps me keep running!” she said.

Mum Carly summed it up: “Thank you for another wonderful junior parkrun, from all of us!”

Event director George added: “For those who remember the deluge of our Halloween special, it was a relief to see the beautiful sunshine on Sunday morning, as I had been watching the weather all week.

“As our wonderful volunteers and families began arriving in their splendid outfits, I was a very happy penguin! Thank you so much to the Easter bunny for making a guest appearance and extra-special thanks to our fellow team at Hogmoor Inclosure parkrun (aka the ‘seniors’ ) for the loan of Mr Bunny’s ‘outfit’.

“I was so excited by the arrival of the Easter Bunny that I completely forgot to hand out the three marathon wristbands, awarded after completing 21 junior parkruns, due to Clara, Lucas and Cayden – so we were super lucky they were all there at the end.

“Well done to you all and huge congratulations.

“Thank you to our volunteers who made the day possible – we loved their outfits and it really made it extra special for the juniors.

“Big thanks also to the Seager family who made a stack of chocolate Easter nest cakes for us all to enjoy. What a perfect way to spend Easter Sunday.”

n Junior parkrun is a free weekly, timed 2k parkrun for four to 14-year-olds at 9am every Sunday. They are all over the country and to learn more or register see www.parkrun.org.uk

For anyone interested in participating or volunteering at Hogmoor Inclosure junior parkrun, visit www.facebook.com/hogmoorinclosurejuniors