West Limerick Resources - "Committed to the Community"

Promoting Physical Fitness

Following five active months, the 2011 Community Step Challenge came to an end recently, having seen fifty six men and women take up the gauntlet to increase their daily physical activity and promote better health and wellbeing.  A partnership initiative between the West Limerick Primary Health Care Project, County Limerick Local Sports Partnership and the Irish Heart Foundation, the Community Step Challenge was designed to raise awareness of the need to take at least 10,000 steps every day (or be physically active 30 minutes at least 5 days a week) to maintain proper physical health.  For children and young people this is doubled, needing sixty minutes of physical activity every day.

Participants of the Step Challenge wore a step counter each day over a five-week period, recording their steps each day, and aiming to gradually work up to 10,000 steps each day. Ranging in age from teens to sixty plus, many of the participants found the Challenge so rewarding that they chose to take part on repeated occasions over the five month period.  Feedback from participants was very positive with many using it as an opportunity to work in teams and support each other efforts to take regular exercise while having some fun in the process. 

At the end of each challenge, participants who returned their completed record cards and were entered into a draw as an additional recognition of their efforts. The youth, adult and team draw winners this year were Mary O'Brien, Ashley Joyce, John O'Brien, Katie O'Brien from Newcastle West, and Danielle Harty, Noreen Harty, Neddy Harty, Nora Harty, Hannah Hehir and Joe Harty from Askeaton and Christina McCarthy from Rathkeale.  Organisers would like to congratulate all involved and say they are looking forward to running the challenge again in 2013. For more information on the West Limerick Resources Primary Health Care Project for Travellers contact 069 61316.

Posted on 11/11/2011 by Suzanne Rowley, Information Officer