New challenge in Eastbourne Beat the Street game after 8,260 sign up to get active

The idea is that people will find something they might not have tried before to help them continue to keep up their new active habits after the Beat the Street competition comes to an end on November 4 and to explore the sports and leisure options on offer.

More than 8,260 people have signed up to play the Beat the Street Eastbourne game and have together walked, cycled, wheeled, run and scooted an incredible 55,000 miles so far in the competition.

Anyone of any age is invited to take part and you can still get involved now by picking up a card from one of the distribution points on the www.beatthestreet.me/eastbourne website.

You can join an existing school, community group or workplace team or you can set up your own. Alternatively, you can join the Eastbourne access group’s charity team. If the charity reaches 1,000 points or more by the end of the game, they will receive a donation of £500 which help their campaign to make Eastbourne more accessible for disabled people of all ages.

Liz Trethewey from Eastbourne access group said: “The access group will be very grateful for the grant of £500 towards our funds.

“The Eastbourne Guide for disabled people we produce costs well over £1,000 pounds each year and we are keen to build up funds for events post COVID-19 as well as building our website and updating information to the public.”

Teams of all varieties including schools, community groups and workplaces have been battling it out for the past several weeks across the average and total points leaderboards to take home prizes of vouchers for books if they top the leaderboard. There are also prizes for individuals and ‘lucky tap’ prizes just for taking part.

Once again, Langney Primary Academy of SWALE Academy Trust tops the total points leaderboard and Bellringers are at the top of the average points leaderboard.

Langney head teacher Ben Bowles said: “Everyone at Langney Primary Academy has been so active and loved taking part in the Beat the Street challenge. Our social media has been flooded with positivity as children and their families have been going on extra bike rides and long walks to score further points.

“Teachers and school staff have led the way and shared their successes as positive role models. Habitual car use for short journeys has been hugely reduced and I really do think that this daily exercise for many will be sustained after the event finishes.”

Tilly Howarth, Beat the Street engagement coordinator, said: “The aim of Beat the Street is to encourage communities to become more active and to incorporate those healthy habits into their lifestyles over the long-term so they become part of people’s lifestyle. The Go Active themed week is a celebration of all the ways you can get moving in and around Eastbourne and a fabulous opportunity to try out something new without any pressure. Keep an eye on our social media pages to find out what’s going on.”

Beat the Street is being delivered by Intelligent Health and is funded by the National Lottery on behalf of Sport England, Eastbourne Borough Council, East Sussex County Council Public Health, South Downs National Park and eDeal.