More than 800 Derbyshire workers sign up to fitness challenges

A Derbyshire initiative encouraging workers to become more active has been hailed a success.
Active Derbyshire Workplace Challenge.Active Derbyshire Workplace Challenge.
Active Derbyshire Workplace Challenge.

The Derbyshire Workplace Challenge programme was launched on January 6 to get workplaces across Derbyshire in shape and is being rolled out nationally by the County Sports Partnership Network (CSP Network) in collaboration with the British Heart Foundation Health at Work programme.

Its programme aims to reach more than 8,000 workers, nationally, to encourage them to lead more active lifestyles.

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In Derbyshire more than 800 workers have signed up to take part in the Workplace Challenge so far, including those working at district and borough councils in the county, at schools and colleges, and those working within engineering, construction, arts, sport and leisure and the financial sectors.

Now Derbyshire Sport is calling on workers from other professions across Derbyshire to take up the Workplace Challenge too.

Anyone can sign up to the Workplace Challenge for free at the website www.workplacechallenge.org.uk/derbyshire and can earn points by logging details of any sport or physical activity which they take part in.

Each time an activity such as walking, cycling or swimming is logged via the Workplace Challenge website points will be earned.

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The more physical activity workers take part in, the more points they earn for their place of work.

The workplace with the highest number of points will then be crowned Derbyshire’s Workplace Challenge winner in early March.

Workers will also be given the chance to win a number of spot prizes.

The first eight-week challenge began on January 6 and will run until March 2.

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There is still time to sign up as activity can be logged retrospectively.

Angela Kirkham, Active Lifestyles Development Officer at Derbyshire Sport, said: “The Workplace Challenge roll out in Derbyshire has been a great success so far.

“The Workplace Challenge has really captured the imagination of workplaces across Derbyshire to be more active in a competitive yet fun way.

“We would now like to extend the programme out to more workers across the county to encourage even more people to take up activity and in turn lead healthy and active lifestyles.

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Participants don’t have to be sporty and fit to join in, any activity can be logged. This could include walking or cycling to work, going for a lunchtime swim or gym class, or going for a jog or playing football with friends or colleagues after work.”

The Derbyshire Workplace Challenge is free, open to anyone, and aims to help participants stay motivated and become more active and stay active.

Activities logged can remain private or public and workers will be able to analyse how many points they have earned (which roughly equates to calories burned), how much carbon dioxide they have saved (if a worker travels to their place of work actively, for example, cycling to work), weight loss, comparing against friends, colleagues and others taking part in the challenge.

Prizes on offer include a team building ropes session at Lea Green Learning and Development Centre, a three-month gym pass for use at one of North East Derbyshire District Council’s leisure centres, Derbyshire County Cricket Club match day tickets, Derby County Football Club match day tickets, and a meal for two at the Fox and Goose in Chesterfield.

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DC Leisure has also donated a number of prizes including a five-day gym pass, free sports hall and badminton/squash court hire and free swim sessions, all of which can be used at either Ripley Leisure Centre, Alfreton Leisure Centre or William Gregg VC Leisure Centre in Heanor.