I grew up in Shropshire, where there are rolling hills and places to buy homemade jam. It also has some of the lowest rates of access and participation to higher education in the country.

And it’s going to get worse.

It’s obviously common sense that Parkrun is good for your health. Spending money evaluating it is a waste of taxpayers money, right? ….what a load of nonsense.

Budgets for evaluation are being slashed. I’ve seen this first hand in Higher Education Institutions, and I’m betting it’s happening elsewhere too.

But the need for measuring impact and evaluative work remains. So what is the solution?

Billy Wong’s recent article about how Theory of Change is being used, is excellent.

However, there is one area where I take a slightly different view.