A free volunteer-led exercise programme in five borough parks has reached its sixth birthday.

Park Active, a programme of weekly exercise sessions co-ordinated by Dudley Council, first launched in February 2019.

Since then there have been more than 6,000 total attendances and 50 volunteers have been trained.

The authority recruits volunteers who have usually never worked in the fitness industry before and trains them to deliver simple outdoor fitness sessions using body weight exercises.

Two such volunteers – Donna Dawson and Prit Patel – have clocked up 100 hours of volunteering since 2022 delivering the sessions at Abbey Street park in Lower Gornal.

They met with the council’s cabinet member for public health, Councillor James Clinton, on Saturday. Along with two other volunteers who have also clocked up 100 hours of service – Malcolm Charles and Samantha Brown – the quartet received passes for Dudley Zoo, Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust.

They were also given certificates and a personal thank you letter from the council’s interim chief executive, Balvinder Heran.

Councillor James Clinton, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “Park Active is a brilliant example of how councils and communities can work together to create something great.

“It couldn’t work without our brilliant volunteers, and I was really pleased to meet with them to say thank you for the fantastic work they are doing. “I would also like to thank the Friends of the Parks groups where Park Active takes place, for their ongoing support.”

The sessions run weekly at five borough parks:

• Stevens Park in Quarry Bank
• Buffery Park and Grange Park in Dudley
• Abbey Street Park in Gornal
• Stevens Park in Wollescote

They are aimed at people of all ages and fitness levels but especially popular with people who are not typically sporty. It is believed to be the only volunteer-led programme of its kind in the country.

The council co-ordinates and is responsible for the governance of the scheme but it is the volunteers who drive the programme forward and make the weekly sessions happen.

The council also works with Friends of Parks groups to help promote and sustain the classes. More details and how to volunteer at Park Active sessions are available online.