West Limerick Resources - "Committed to the Community"

Community Step Challenge

COMMUNITY STEP CHALLENGE

In 2011, the West Limerick Primary Health Care Project for Travellers (PHCP) - in partnership with the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) and County Limerick Local Sports Partnership - launched its first Community Step Challenge. The annual challenge is based on the Irish Heart Foundation's Walking Challenge. The Irish Heart Foundation's record cards were amended and an easy-to-read flyer was developed on being safe and well when walking (based on A Handy Guide to Walking for a Healthier Heart from the Health Promotion Unit).

All participants wear a step counter which counts their steps each day over a four-week period. People then return their completed cards where they have recorded how many steps they have taken every day. All the cards go into a draw for a prize. This is not a competition so people are not compared. The Challenge aims to raise people's awareness of how active they are and to encourage people to become more active. The Community Health Workers encourage adult participants to gradually work up to 10,000 steps each day - which is the minimum all adults should be doing for good health. Participants aged 14-18 years are encouraged to work up to 20,000 steps each day (or the equivalent). People can do the Challenge as many times as they like during the months the Step Challenge is begin run (May to September).

When people return their cards, their average number of steps each day is worked out and they are given a gold IHF pin if their average is 7,500 steps or more per day, and the silver IHF pin if their daily average is 7,499 steps or less. For participants who are under 18 years of age, the gold is for an average of 15,000 steps or more per day and silver is for an average of 14,999 steps per day or less.

The Step Challenge is about being active in everyday life: we can be more active by making small changes such as parking a little bit further away from the supermarket door or walking to the shop instead of driving. For good health, adults need to be physically active where they break sweat for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week or take 10,000 steps each day. Children and young people need to be physically active at least 60 minutes every day.

Updated March 2012