Centre for Workplace and Community Health Runs Competition to Boost Workplace Exercise

The Centre for Workplace and Community Health (CWCH) at St Mary’s University, Twickenham has boosted health in local workplaces after hosting a competition as part of Workplace Challenge for two local councils that ran in the Richmond 10k, on the 22^nd March. Two local councils are enhancing health in the workplace as part of the Workplace Challenge, a scheme run by the CWCH at St Mary’s. Kingston and Richmond councils competed in a mini challenge to see who could run the most training miles in preparation for the Richmond 10k. Richmond Council won the competition, running a total of 275 training miles, whilst Richmond’s Workplace Challenge advocate Michelle Beaumont claimed the individual prize, a £25 Amazon voucher, for running the most miles. CWCH Project Coordinator John Downey said, “It is always good to have some measureable short term goals with your physical activity, the Workplace Challenge website allows for people to create targets and compete against peers of a similar level regardless of what level you are at.” The CWCH is a public health service delivery and training centre; and is currently contributing to the ‘Get Active Hounslow’ project and Workplace Challenge. These projects run alongside the Royal Society of Public Health training courses delivered to local councils by the centre. The CWCH works in conjunction with London Sport to coordinate the Workplace Challenge, a Sport England funded project aimed at decreasing sedentary behaviour in the workplace.