Pictured: Amy, Aaron and Nieve from Bainsford Primary School
The Beat the Street walking, cycling and running game is now underway!
Bainsford Primary School is the first school in Falkirk to organise this community-wide walking, cycling and running game.
Beat the Street has previously been played across parts of Glasgow, as well as along the Forth and Clyde Canal at Camelon where thousands of people have signed up to take part and get more active.
Beat the Street is returning and this time taking place across Falkirk North area for four weeks from Wednesday, 17th May to Wednesday, 14th June.
Eight local primary schools; Bainsford, Langlees, Carmuirs, Easter Carmuirs, Comely Park, Bantaskin, St Francis and Victoria will be taking part and competing to see who can clock up the highest number of active travel miles.
Prior to the game, residents will see special sensors called Beat Boxes appearing on lampposts around safer walking routes between Carmuirs and the Kelpies and Falkirk High Station and Langlees. Once the game starts, players will hover their card over the Beat Box to start their journey, before walking, cycling or wheeling to the next one to score points.
There will be 26 Beat Boxes placed around the Falkirk North area and players can then clock up active travel miles for their team. Alternatively, team players over the age of 13 can download the free Beat the Street app to play the game with their phone.
The game is free and open to anyone of any age. Primary school children will be provided with cards and maps via their school and the wider community is invited to collect a free card from a distribution point.
Beat the Street was developed by Dr William Bird, a GP who wanted to get people active, ditch the car and to get communities walking together. Since it was developed in 2010, more than 1.5m people have played the game across more than 100 towns and cities across the UK and internationally.
Beat the Street Falkirk North has been commissioned by Bainsford Primary School and is funded by Paths for All through the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund. It is being delivered by Intelligent Health.
Susanne McCafferty, Headteacher at Bainsford Primary School, said: “We are incredibly excited to be bringing Beat the Street back to the area again as it received great feedback with many people still implementing the healthy lifestyle habits created during the game. The Beat the Street game is a positive community-focused way of encouraging people of all ages to work together to improve air quality and to reduce congestion and pollution by using active modes of transport for short journeys.”
Councillor Iain Sinclair, spokesperson for Education said: “Well done to Bainsford primary school for bringing Beat the Street back to the Falkirk Council area.
“This initiative is a fun packed way to encourage healthier lifestyles by getting pupils and the wider community out and about walking, cycling and running. Good luck to all the schools taking part!”