Workplaces in Leicester & Leicestershire are being pitted against each other for a fun challenge to see who can get the most staff to leave their cars at home.
The Let’s Go – Betterpoints Workplace Challenge is inviting anyone who travels to work to walk, run, wheel, ride or use public transport to help their team climb the leaderboard.
And there’s the chance to get rewarded for your efforts, with participants going into a prize draw to win prizes including an electric bike from Rutland Cycling, a FitBit, and £400 worth of outdoor gear.
The challenge takes place throughout March and is easy to join. Simply download the free Betterpoints app, register and join the Choose How You Move and Let’s Go challenges. You can then track your activities – such as walking or cycling to work – and earn points and rewards.
Workplaces based in Leicester or Leicestershire can register to take part at any time throughout the challenge and workplaces of all sizes can take part, from self-employed individuals to those with hundreds or thousands of staff on site. Email customercare@betterpoints.uk to get started.
Throughout the challenge, there will be daily opportunities to win points, plus weekly prizes such as shopping vouchers and family experiences on offer. There will also be the chance to win free monthly passes for Santander Cycles Leicester, the city’s e-bike share scheme, or to win credit for your Santander Cycles Leicester account.
A £500 charity donation will also be given as a reward and split across the five workplaces in each size category which get the most employees taking part.
All public transport, walking, cycling and running activities recorded within Leicestershire, of at least half a mile, will count towards the challenge. If you are working from home, all walking, cycling and running completed will also count.
Deputy city mayor for environment and transport Cllr Adam Clarke said: “This is a great challenge with some really good prizes on offer. We know how popular last year’s Beat The Street game was with schools and families, where you could collect points for walking and cycling – so this is a chance for workplaces to get involved in something similar.
“We’re facing a climate emergency and it’s never been more important to think carefully about how we travel and whether car journeys are the best option for the environment, our health and the air quality in our city. This is a chance for people to try out different ways of getting around, discover the benefits of active travel, and get rewarded for doing so.”
The workplace challenge is being supported by a project called Choose How You Move Leicester and Leicestershire. This is a Department for Transport-funded programme to promote walking and cycling, supporting active travel across the city and county.
