Team behind Chesterfield’s Beat the Street game launches new campaign to keep you active during coronavirus crisis

Intelligent Health operated Beat the Street in Chesterfield and is now about to start Beat the Bug.

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Intelligent Health was set up in 2010 by GP and physical activity expert Dr William Bird to encourage people to get more active and for communities to come together to improve their health and wellbeing.

Dr Bird, who is an adviser on physical activity to the World Health Organisation and the UK Government, is also a doctor working on the NHS frontline against the coronavirus at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.

He said: “As we’re supporting patients every day, me and my team at Intelligent Health have turned our attention for now from Beat the Street to Beat the Bug.

“My team and I are asking you to do one thing to help yourselves, help Britain and to protect the NHS, and that is to ensure you and your family get up and get active at least twice a day.

“Moving in short bursts is enough to boost your body’s production of natural killer cells.

“These wonderful little cells work as your body’s natural defence system, killing viruses as they try to enter your body.

“In order to do their job effectively though, they need to be woken up regularly with a burst of exercise – that’s why we recommend at least two activity sessions per day.”

To get involved with Beat the Bug, sign up at www.beatthebug.me and like the Beat the Bug Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BeatTheBug1

The first Beat the Bug Facebook Live takes place at 1pm today with advice, interactive sessions, question and answers, tips on how to get the most out of your exercise and lots of other activity ideas including fun activities for children and exercise ideas for older adults – plus information on how everyone will get through the Covid-19 pandemic together.

More than 13,800 people took part in Beat the Street in Chesterfield. Together they walked, cycled, ran and wheeled 143,132 miles.

MORE: Chesterfield Royal Hospital statements about coronavirus deaths

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