Active Wellbeing, the UK's largest physical activity campaign, is back in February '25 with the aim of giving you a 'nudge to budge' for their Around the World Challenge.
January is never the most inspiring of months, and with it always so dark - and often rainy and cold - outside, it's not that tempting to get out and move; it's all too easy to stay snuggled up on the sofa. But Active Wellbeing, in association with Government People Group, is a fun way to get active, lift your mood, and potentially win some great prizes such as days out, smart watches, holiday vouchers, headphones and activity equipment.
Run by CSSC, Active Wellbeing is aimed at people who work in the Civil Service or Public Sector, many of whom spend their working days sat to a desk. You don't need to be a member of CSSC to join in with Active Wellbeing this year, although members who sign up before the end of the 31st January do stand the chance of winning a £2000 holiday voucher. Meanwhile non-members who sign up this week will be entered into a draw to win one of 10 £100 John Lewis vouchers.
How does Active Wellbeing work?
Active Wellbeing uses the Big Team Challenge platform so that participants can benefit from all the features their app has to offer. In teams of 10 you sign up do as many steps during the 26 days the challenge runs for as possible, the idea being that cumulatively, across the whole challenge, everyone participating will walk far enough for it to equal a lap of the world.
When it comes to steps though, anything goes! The school run counts, walking the dog definately counts, weekly yoga counts, swimming counts, the treadmill on your lunch break counts - absolutely anything and everything that gets you moving, can add to your team's total. You can upload your steps directly from your smartwatch into the Big Team Challenge app, so remember to have a tally up after you've finished a bout of cleaning the house!
Whether Active Wellbeing encourages you to get outside in the fresh air, or simply move more at home or in the office, it'll be improving your physical health as well as your mental and emotional health immensely. Over 50,000 people from across the civil service and public sector have taken part in Active Wellbeing since it began, with 94% of participants reporting that Active Wellbeing encouraged them to be more active and - crucially - value their own wellbeing. What's even better is that over two thirds of participants have kept up healthier habits after carrying out an AW challenge.
If you haven't got a team, register for free anyway as the process will walk you through joining one, just read the instructions here. The CSSC Active Wellbeing team will be feeding you motivational tips and tricks to keep you going throughout February from when the Challenge starts on the 3rd until it finishes on the 28th. Hopefully you'll pick up some good habits that will stick with you long after the challenge is finished and you'll never look back!
