Coca-Cola Great Britain Parklives – Super fun in Brum

Earlier this year, Coca-Cola Great Britain launched its Parklives programme, in partnership with Active Parks Birmingham. This is a programme that has created hundreds of fun and free activity sessions designed with getting people out into the great outdoors in order to get fit and active, whilst enjoying a little socialising too. Over this Summer there have been lots of super fun activities taking place in over 60 parks and green spaces in Birmingham, and this is set to continue well into September. Parklives activities run throughout the week and are free of charge. Yesterday I took Joe to check out one of the activities, with a little table tennis right in the heart of the city. I have to say, it was amazing fun!

For each Parklives activity, you can register on the website, but with the table tennis, it seems that people walking past just couldn’t resist a little bit of ping pong. Joe was very excited to see the table and was raring to have a go, and this is basically the crux of the programme – you do not need to be experienced at something, it is all about having a go at something new and just getting involved. The table tennis was great fun, I had a go myself and it really is addictive, and despite being a rather windy day, lots and lots of people wanted to get involved and play a game. (If you are interested in taking your table tennis a little further, Onlysportsgear.com has a great range of bats and equipment for the table tennis aficionado.)

The Parklives programme is proving to be very popular, with good turnouts at a range of Birmingham Parks including Aston Park, Calthorpe Park and Balsall Heath Park. (You can access a full list of the parks involved and a free activity finder here.) Activities are not limited to games like table tennis, there is Zumba, Tai Chi, Beginners running, tennis, canoeing on Edgbaston Reservoir and a women only led walking group – there really is something for everyone, whatever your age, with weekend family fun days an activity the whole family can get involved in.

The table tennis we got involved in will be running throughout September, so it is worth checking out the website to see when the next session will be. Joe loved it so much we spent a full hour playing and will definitely be making a return trip – it certainly breaks up a shopping trip!

A few sessions to watch out for next week.

• Free Family Fun sessions taking place across the Bank Holiday Weekend at Aston Park, Balsall Heath Park, Ward End Park and Calthorpe Park amongst others. (Time and details here.)
• Tai Chi at Calthorpe Park on Bank Holiday Monday.
• Active Conservation at the Lickey Hills Country Park on Tuesday 1st September

Have you tried any Parklives sessions this Summer?

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