CHERRIES players helped launch a new reward scheme for parkrun volunteers at the weekend.

AFC Bournemouth's Steve Cook, Simon Francis and Charlie Daniels were joined by club legend Steve Fletcher and mascot Cherry Bear to hand out goody bags to 10 local volunteers in recognition of their hard work.

The prize-giving organised by insurer Vitality, which took place before a parkrun at Bournemouth’s Kings Park Athletics Stadium, was followed by a football skills and games session with runners and their friends and family.

Vitality, which sponsor's Cherries' own stadium in King's Park, says its Volunteer Reward Programme will "recognise and celebrate parkrun volunteers, who every Saturday morning help to make sure their local event goes smoothly".

Commercial director Nick Read said: "We’ve been sponsors of parkrun for five years and during that time it has gone from strength to strength.

"I am delighted that through this new programme we can give something back to those people who dedicate their time to ensure parkrun continues to be such an amazing success."

The scheme will see up to 10 volunteers a month from across the UK nominated by parkrun event directors to receive a Vitality goody bag filled with kit and merchandise, as well as prizes from the firm’s partners, such as Starbucks and cinema chains Cineworld and Vue.

Parkrun chief executive Nick Pearson said: "Volunteering is a cornerstone of parkrun and more than 200,000 different people have given their time to support their local event.

"Vitality’s new initiative is a fantastic opportunity to say an extra thank you to the people who help make parkrun happen every week."

Vitality is one of the largest employers in Bournemouth and is also the Official Wellness Partner of AFC Bournemouth and headline sponsor of the club's Community Sports Trust.

Earlier this year the firm, a partner of parkrun UK since 2012, announced it would become the first headline partner of the running event in the UK.

Parkrun supports local communities in organising free, weekly, timed 5k runs every Saturday morning at more than 480 venues across the UK, along with 190 2k junior parkruns.

More than 200,000 people have volunteered at parkrun events across the UK.