Street Tag players take 67 million steps

A FREE game to help communities get more active saw players take 67million steps.

Street Tag launched in Harwich and Dovercourt, and in Walton, in June last year.

The game, split into three seasons, turned roads and green spaces into giant virtual playgrounds.

Players downloaded the app and earned points by collecting virtual tags scattered around the towns.

Becky Dowling, physical activity capacity building officer at Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST), ran the game.

She said: “Street Tag was a great success.

“It was a brilliant way to get active by just having fun.

“There were ways to earn extra points by using power hours, going to special events, and you could even add your own tags onto the game.

“The app was free and those at the top of the school and community leaderboards at the end of each season won cash prizes.

“People got quite competitive trying to earn more points, and I’ve spoken to so many players who have said how much it helped them to get out more and improve their fitness.”

The game saw a total of 67 million steps taken, 162,109 tags collected, and 100, 544 miles covered.

Lynne Barker, who took part in the game in Harwich and Dovercourt, said: “Since I’ve been doing Street Tag I’ve got more energy.

“It’s such a brilliant idea, as it’s got people like myself up out of the chair, getting more healthy and feeling a sense of achievement with it.

“It got to a stage where after I’d done Street Tag, I’d eat and rest and be up in about an hour and doing other things.

“I thought ‘oh, this is great, I’ve got my days back again’.”

Street Tag in Harwich and Walton was delivered by Active Essex and CVST, in partnership with Street Tag, Tendring District Council, and Harwich Town Council.