The parkrun practice podcast

Lead Applicants: Rosina Cross & Emma Cockcroft

Lead Member: Exeter

Our proposed activity is to co-produce and launch a short podcast series of approximately four 30-minute episodes to share findings from our parkrun practice evaluation project with a wide audience, including patients, the public, healthcare professionals, and decision-makers.  The wider project explores how GP practices across England implement the parkrun practice Initiative, which encourages GP practices to link with local parkrun events, promoting physical activity (PA) and community connection for patients and staff. We aim to identify the key facilitators of and barriers to successful implementation, through interviews with 20–30 GP practice staff from sites that have implemented the initiative successfully and others facing challenges.  The podcast will form a key part of our dissemination strategy, developed in partnership with our Patient and Stakeholder Advisory Groups, ensuring that the voices of people with lived experience and those working in primary care are central to how we communicate findings. 

This activity aims to: 

• Share research findings in an engaging, accessible format that reaches beyond academic audiences. 
• Involve patient and stakeholder partners meaningfully in planning, producing, and presenting the podcast so their experiences shape the content, tone, and delivery. 
• Promote wider understanding and use of findings among communities, healthcare professionals, and policy audiences. 
• Build confidence and skills among advisory group members in research communication and digital storytelling. 

We will work closely with our advisory groups, which include people living with long-term conditions, from diverse communities, and with varied experiences of PA and community engagement. Together we will co-produce each episode, focusing on key themes emerging from the research. Advisory group workshops will prioritise which findings to feature (barriers to participation, successful community partnerships, or examples of inclusive practice) and determine the most effective formats to reach different audiences. Episodes will feature conversations between patient and stakeholders, research team, and guests such as GPs, social prescribers, and community leaders, combining lived experience with evidence-based discussion. 

Podcast episodes will be recorded online using Riverside software and edited by a trained member of the research team in Adobe Audition. They will be hosted on freely accessible platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Our advisory groups (6–8 members each) will: 

• Identify key messages, themes, and target audiences. 
• Advise on the structure, tone, and accessibility of content. 
• Participate as co-hosts or guests where appropriate. 
• Review and approve draft episodes and guide dissemination. 

Accessibility will be prioritised with plain-English scripts, transcripts, and captions, with small allowances for caring responsibilities to support equitable participation. 

Amount: £2,026