BEAT the Street is coming back to Calne and residents are once again being urged to take part in a huge game designed to help them get active and keep fit.

The game first came to Calne in 2015 as part of the Air Quality Initiative and returns next week from Wednesday, September 15 to Wednesday, October 13.

Beat the Street turns towns into giant games. It enables people to earn points, win prizes and discover more about their local area by walking, running and cycling.

All you have to do is to pick up a Beat the Street card from Calne Town Council and swipe Beat Boxes as you walk, run or cycle around your local community.

Cllr Glenis Ansell, of Calne Town Council, said: "During the pandemic we all left our cars at home and started walking, so we wanted to encourage people to keep doing that and Beat the Street was the obvious solution. We invite everybody to join in the adventure and see how far you can walk, run or cycle around the town.

"The aim of the programme is to improve the health and wellbeing of the community. It is evidence-based and leads to long term behavioural change by creating a social norm around walking and cycling."

Dr William Bird, chief executive officer and founder of Intelligent Health who developed Beat the Street, said: "If we want to improve the health and wellbeing of the country we need to be ambitious, provide a clear narrative to get people active and support them on their journey.

"Physical activity has more health benefits than any other single intervention and is the means to a healthy community."

Cllr Ansell added: "Beat the Street is a free game that everybody can play, it is an interactive challenge that encourages people to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives by turning their town into a four week long game.

"School teams can win prizes of up to £350 of book vouchers while community teams can win up to £350 worth of sports and fitness vouchers."

You can pick up a card from the following distribution points from Thursday, September 9: Calne Leisure Centre, White Horse Way, Calne; Calne Town Council, Bank House, Calne, from Monday-Saturday 10am-2.30pm

To sign up click here https://www.beatthestreet.me/calne