Individuals, groups, households and schools are all being invited to get active for at least fifteen minutes a day for four weeks early in the New Year, as part of the Jump Start January challenge.
The challenge has been created by staff from SIC Sport & Leisure, NHS Shetland, Ability Shetland and Shetland Recreational Trust, and gets underway on Monday 2nd January 2023.
People can undertake whatever physical activity they like – go out for a walk or jog, swim in their local pool, take part in a local fitness class or sport activity, or exercise in the comfort of their own living room. There will be weekly prize draws for anyone submitting information on how they were active every day each week, as well as a bigger prize draw at the end of the challenge for participants who were active on all 28 days. One of the prizes is a pair of tickets to the Scotland v Italy Six Nations rugby match in 2023, generously donated by Scottish Rugby Union.
Louise Johnson from the Council’s Sport & Leisure Service, says:
“New Year is a great time to think about starting a new healthier lifestyle. Our challenge can include any type of physical activity – we don’t mind, as long as people are moving more than they usually do. We are also sharing a number of links to support people who may want, for example, to feed their family more healthily on a budget or give up smoking. We know that a healthy and happy life involves a lot more than just exercise; we’re hoping that families and individuals will get involved – and have some fun along the way.”
Schools and classrooms are also being encouraged to join in when they can. All participating school names will go into a draw, with a chance for one school to win £100 worth of sports or playground equipment.
More details are on the Council’s website at: www.shetland.gov.uk/jumpstartjanuary