The Virgin Group has increased its involvement in the fitness and exercise sector with the launch of Virgin Sport, which aims to get more people active and make sport accessible to all.

Four sporting festivals will be held in the UK and US this year - in Hackney (30 April); Westminster (9 July); San Francisco (14-15 October); and Oxford (October - date to be confirmed). The events will be customised to each host borough or city and include a distance run, short runs and group fitness training.

Virgin Sport Hackney will include a Hackney Half (a 13.1 mile run through Hackney), a Chase your Mate 5.5k, and a free fitness and yoga bootcamp on Hackney Marshes.

In Hackney, Virgin Sport is partnering the Youth Sport Trust to get more youngsters in the area playing sports.

Virgin Sport is led by chief executive officer Mary Wittenberg, who is former president and chief executive officer of New York Road Runners and race director for the New York City Marathon.

Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group founder, said: “Sport is something that I try to make time for every day. Pushing past physical and mental expectations has been an important part of my life. Some of my favourite memories have been spent running, cycling and being active with family and friends. Festivals of sport embody our work hard play hard lifestyle at Virgin, and I can’t wait to line up with everyone in Hackney and San Francisco.”

Registration for Virgin Sport Hackney is available at virginsport.com.