A new active challenge has been launched to encourage employees from workplaces in Torbay to move more, before, during and after the working day.

The Torbay on the Move Active Workplace Challenge is free to anyone who is over 18 and works in Torbay. Taking part is simple – just register and create a team of three to 10 colleagues, motivate each other to be active by encouraging more walking, wheeling or cycling and use the app to monitor the number of steps achieved.

The challenge runs from 4 to 28 March. Teams will compete against each other to win prizes – and one team will be crowned the most active workplace in Torbay!

Councillor Hayley Tranter, Torbay Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services, Public Health and Inequalities, said: “This is the first time we have run a workplace challenge in the Torbay area and we are very excited to see how many businesses take part.

“Taking part in regular activity is fantastic not only for your physical health but also for your mental wellbeing, meaning you feel happier, experience less stress, can reduce your carbon emissions by not using the car as much and save money. It’s also a great opportunity to explore Torbay, connecting with your community and the nature around you.”

Over the four weeks of the challenge, daily walking steps can be added to the app manually or by syncing with a tracker and there is a handy convertor if you are wheeling or cycling.

Steps will be added together from the team and progress will be plotted and monitored against the South West Coast Path route – a distance of 1.15 million steps from start to finish. The challenge is to see how far your team can get, virtually, during March.

The Torbay on the Move Active Workplace Challenge is a great opportunity for individuals to swap the car for a more active form of travel for their daily commute, to hold walking meetings rather than sitting at a computer all day or to just use breaks from the screen as a chance to move more. The challenge offers a fun way to connect with colleagues and it is totally free!

The challenge will be run by Active Devon.

Register to receive more information about the Active Workplace Challenge