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30-a-day challenge winners rewarded for being active

27 November 2008

Back in May 5,000 people from across the city and county signed up to the b-active 30-a-day Challenge, agreeing to try and do 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity, five days a week for eight weeks. Each person taking part in the Challenge had to keep an activity diary, recording what activities they did throughout the eight weeks.

Kerry Gjokaj, (32), from Alvaston, won the first prize of a £1,000 shopping sprint at Westfield Derby. The b-active team were impressed by the way she included physical activity into her everyday life by walking more, taking the stairs at work and devising dance routines with her daughter. She also encouraged her work colleagues to go to a lunchtime aerobics class at Queen’s Leisure Centre with her. Kerry lost weight over the eight weeks, feels fitter and healthier and is enjoying buying size 10 clothes for the first time in 12 years.

Rosemary Rose, aged 53, from Bakewell also collected her runner’s up prize of a £100 Westfield Gift Card. Rosemary signed up to the Challenge as a result of taking part in the Cancer Research UK Race for Life in Bakewell. Walking was a key part of Rosemary’s activity plan and she persuaded her husband to join her and improve his fitness at the same time.

The two other runners-up were Helen Allen, aged 27 from Ilkeston who has won Nike running shoes, a Nike+ iPod sport kit and iPod nano, and Lynn Ludditt, from Chesterfield, who has won a year’s gym membership at the Healthy Living Centre, Staveley.

The b-active 30 minute Challenge was launched by Derby City Council, Derby City Primary Care Trust and Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust to encourage more adults living in the city and county to get more active. The Challenge was launched at Westfield, Derby by Olympic rower James Cracknell in May this year.

Mike Sandys, from Derby City Primary Care Trust said: “We are very pleased that lots of people took part in the challenge, showing real commitment. The response shows that this has been a really good way of encouraging local people to get active and stay motivated.”

Janine Bone, Westfield Derby Centre Manager said: “Anything from taking up a new sport to walking around Westfield Derby with your shopping counts towards achieving 10,000 steps a day which is a great way to get active. Westfield are a proud partner of b-active which is a great local initiative to get people more active.”