Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group are challenging staff to walk collectively to London, Paris and even Dubai, as part of their ‘Around the World’ campaign to encourage walking. Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group are offering every one of their staff a free pedometer, so that they can all keep count of how many steps they’re taking and to encourage them to become more active. They hope that collectively they can walk around the globe.
Thanks to a kind donation by Coventry City Council’s ‘Coventry on the Move’ team, the CCG has been able to offer pedometers to all of their staff.
One of the easiest ways we can all make a change that will improve your health and wellbeing is simply to walk more every day. A recent study by the Medical Research Council at Cambridge University established that those who engaged in moderate levels of daily exercise, equivalent to taking an energetic 20 minute walk, could increase their life expectancy by 16-30% than those who are inactive.
General guidance says that walking 10,000 steps a day will significantly improve your health and Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group are challenging their workforce to achieve this as often possible in the next few months.
Putting one foot in front of the other can build stamina, burn excess calories and give you a healthier heart. However, any amount of walking is quite literally a step in the right direction! Coventry and Rugby CCG is encouraging staff to start small and challenge themselves to a small increase each week – every step counts!
Their ‘Around the World’ campaign will map out a route around the globe, challenging staff to walk collectively to London, Paris and even Dubai! They are encouraging staff to change their ways and think of creative methods to increase their steps. Some top tips are taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking to colleagues desks rather than sending an email and taking a walk during the lunch break, or, if travelling by bus, why not get off a stop earlier and walk to your destination!
There are so many ways we can change our habits and increase our physical activity to support a healthy lifestyle. If Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group’s campaign has encouraged you to take those extra steps per day, why not replicate this within your setting, then share your action and inspire others to take that first step.
NHS Change Day spoke to Coventry and Rugby CCG in June and they gave us an update on where they had got to:
In January CCG staff were given pedometers by the Coventry on the Move team to encourage walking to promote a healthy lifestyle. The CCG launched an Around the world in 80 days campaign which saw staff competing with their colleagues in the amount of steps they could take each month, which were tracked and converted to miles. Since January CCG staff have walked 12,423,026 steps and they are still going strong.
This month, thanks to staff at the CCG, we have walked tremendously far and now it is time to relax on the beach! We have arrived at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, which is home to the world's only 7* hotel. In 44 degree heat you will need an ice cold drink to cool you down.
Well done and thank you to all staff who have taken part in the CCGs Around the World campaign. We have been continuing this campaign for 140 days - only just over 80 days(!). We hope staff are making the most of the long summer evenings, continue walking and challenging yourself to 10,000 steps a day. Walking can help get your heart rate going, build stamina and burn calories to help you lead a healthy lifestyle.