A free, interactive app called Street Tag, which promotes physical activity in a fun accessible way, launches today in Colchester.
The app has been brought to Colchester by a partnership between Colchester Borough Council and the Essex Local Delivery Pilot (LDP). Street Tag turns physical activity into a game by converting walking, running and cycling into Street Tag points (tags). It is a way to transform streets and parks into a giant virtual playground for local communities.
Two exciting leader board competitions launch on Monday 29 March 2021: one for the local community and one for primary schools. The leader boards engage and incentivise families, individuals and schools to walk or cycle around the borough, discovering their local areas, parks, and green spaces. Competitors can compete to top the leader board and win prizes. All prizes for the top 15 community leader board winners have been sourced to support local businesses and organisations.
Street Tag Creator Seun Oshinaike said: "Our team is delighted to have the Street Tag app and a dedicated leader board going live in Colchester. We have been mind-blown by the early interest from Colchester residents with over 80+ community teams signed up already before the official launch and 17 school teams signed up.
“The fireworks of physical activities are about to go off in Colchester. We are looking forward to welcoming and supporting more families in Colchester with their physical and mental wellbeing through the Street Tag app.”
Downloading the app is completely free and leader boards are refreshed after each season of 13 weeks, giving schools and the local community a number of opportunities to win prizes.
There is a special Easter launch competition set to run from 29 March to 11 April where all app users have the chance to win prizes! As an extra incentive, all primary schools that collect over 100,000 points during this time have the chance of winning a spectacular performance programme worth £350 from the Dance Network Association called 'Let’s Go Tokyo!'*.
All teams that collect over 10,000 points in that time will be entered into a free prize draw and have the chance of winning a range of incredible prizes from a £100 Fenwicks voucher to a signed Colchester United football shirt.
Organisers behind the initiative are expecting hundreds of people in Colchester to download the app, get outdoors and start having fun and competing over the next few weeks.
Getting outdoors and being more active has been proven to make an enormous impact on people’s physical and mental wellbeing. Incentivising getting more people outside and moving, works towards the Council’s strategic aim to create safe, healthy and active communities.
Street Tag has already been a big success in several other locations including Barking and Dagenham, Kingston Upon Thames and Basildon.
The app launches on 29 March 2021, so in line with government guidelines, outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed. App users are strongly advised to continue to follow social distancing guidelines to help reduce the spread of Covid -19.
Find out more about street tag here: www.colchester.gov.uk/street-tag
Page last reviewed: 29 March 2021