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I heart walking’: “smart pedometer” loan scheme

Building on the success of the Trust’s ‘I heart cycling’ bicycle loan scheme, the Trust is keen to run a similar programme to encourage active travel through walking.

The idea is that staff will be given the opportunity to borrow a “smart pedometer” from the Trust. Staff will be encouraged to use their pedometer to baseline their current level of walking activity and then over the course of the remaining seven weeks, to gradually increase their daily activity levels.

The “smart pedometer” allows the user to upload their daily steps into a management system and to chart their progress over time. Access to this information helps the member of staff to attain their targets and motivates them to do more.

The programme will be marketed to those members of staff who completed a recent ‘Walking and Physical Activity’ and responded as follows when asked about walking to and from work*:o 55.2% of respondents said that they would like to walk as part of their journey more ofteno 72.2% of respondents are confident that they can include some walking into their commute o 52.6% intend to walk for all or part of their journey to and from work in the next few months

* 433 staff completed the survey in October 2011

Objectives1. To increase the amount of active travel by staff through walking and improve the health and fitness of participants in the programme2. To encourage those who live within 2 miles of work, to give up non-sustainable methods of transport.3. To reduce our travel related carbon emissions by 25% over next 5 years, as part of the Carbon Management Programme4. To meet NICE guidance on workplace health and tackling obesity

Costing:

30 x Omron pedometers @ £25.00 each
OR
15 x annual Fitbug* memberships @ £50.00 each (and pass on membership every 8 weeks as agreed with Fitbug.com)
OR
combination of the two £750.00 *ICHNT is currently participating in an NHS London funded trial of Fitbug – due to finish end of Nov 2011.

Based on the results of the trial, we would like to reserve the right to purchase a number of smart pedometers OR procure full Fitbug memberships (which includes a smart pedometer) OR a combination of the two.
£20 prize voucher for:
- top stepper
- highest % step improvement

Prizes to be handed out on completion of each of the five programmes £200.00

Total: £950.00 (bid to London NHS Travel Network for £475 with total met from elsewhere)