Devon’s ‘Let’s Walk’ Workplace Active Challenge 2021

Longing to visit far-flung destinations or just missing your favourite Devon hotspot?  In a time when we are not able to physically travel around our beautiful county the Let’s Walk workplace challenge can help you get a step closer to reaching your dream location – without even leaving your home!

The fun challenge runs throughout March and is open to workplace teams of 3-10 people across Devon.  The aim is to get people walking and actively moving more to achieve a team goal – such as walking the total number of steps to get to your favourite destination.  Walking has incredible health benefits, is good for personal well-being and can make you feel happier.

Whether based at home or a usual workplace, teams can sign-up on the activedevon.org/take-part website. You’ll then be able to track and log steps and the minutes you are physically active for the chance to win some great prizes.

Vicky Radcliffe, Project Officer for the challenge said: “By simply walking more instead of sitting you can improve your health and well-being and give yourself a much-needed morale boost.”

“The challenge allows you to connect with your colleagues and think about how you can be more active before, during and after the working day. All steps count, whether inside or outside the home. 

“At the moment, routines have been disrupted and we know your time is more precious than ever. So, for this year, you can count the number of steps you complete or the number of minutes you have been physically active. Log them on the online platform and these will be added to your team total, so each step counts."

One of the first local organisations to sign-up for this year’s event is the Environment Agency.  Many employees there have taken part in previous challenges and staff are keen to get involved again.

“It’s the Active Devon ‘Let’s Walk’ challenge that’s going to give me that extra bit of motivation to make sure I get out there,” said Ben Evans from the Environment Agency.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity to connect with others in the Agency as we enter a team and compete against other businesses across Devon.

“During these colder, wetter and darker months many of us find ourselves cooped up inside, sat at our desk, and maybe we’re not moving as much or feel as motivated to move. But you can soon warm up and quickly get dry. It’s only the weather and, for me, the variety that our weather and our seasons bring really helps to keep being active out in the environment interesting.”

Instead of sitting down all day, why not walk and talk around your house or garden during meetings or chatting with colleagues. Devise your own active circuit so that every time you put the kettle on you walk three laps of your home while you wait or simply pledge to climb the stairs a set number of times a day.  Getting outside in the fresh air is great for a screen break and allows you to prioritise what you need to do that day.

You don’t have to be super fit to take part. The challenge recognises teams that achieve their goal and individual pledges.  For those who want more of a competition element, all team totals will be added to the online leaderboard so you can see how you fare against other businesses across Devon.

“So, whether you fancy visiting Barbados or Barnstaple this March, set your personal goals and take part in this fun team challenge to reap the benefits of moving more,” said Vicky Radcliffe from Active Devon.

To take part in this fun challenge, sign-up on the activedevon.org/take-part website and compete against other businesses to move more during March.

All those taking part are being encouraged to use the social media hashtag #LetsWalkDevon to post photographs and updates on their progress and see how other teams are getting on.