Thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of Dumfries this Autumn as schools, community groups and businesses compete each other for a giant walking and cycling challenge.
Running from 30 August to 11 October, Beat the Street is a free, fun challenge which will turn Dumfries into a massive game where people are rewarded with points and prizes for exploring the town on foot or bicycle.
Close to 50 special sensors called ‘Beat Boxes’ will appear across town. Players can pick up their own Beat the Street card and map at their local library or leisure centre in a couple of weeks’ time. Once registered, players can swipe as many Beat Boxes as possible to receive points and win prizes.
Schools across Dumfries will be competing against each other to see who can travel the furthest and win hundreds of pounds worth of sports and fitness equipment. Adult players are also able to create their own teams or register to join existing team or school to be in with a chance to win big prizes which will be announced in the next few weeks.
More than 300,000 people took part in Beat the Street in 2016 in towns and cities across the UK. The game in Dumfries follows hugely successful initiatives in Annan, Dalbeattie and Stranraer.
Chair of Nithsdale Area Committee, Cllr Ronnie Nicholson said: “We are incredibly excited to be bringing Beat the Street to Dumfries and can’t wait to see how far everyone is able to walk, run, cycle and scoot during the six-week challenge. We have already seen hugely popular games in Annan, Dalbeattie and Stranraer. I will be getting my trainers on and taking part and I’m looking forward to seeing how far Dumfries will travel over the six weeks.
“Anyone is able to get involved in Beat the Street – it’s completely free to play and is a great opportunity to go outdoors, spend time with your friends and family and get moving. Watch out for Beat Boxes appearing on a street near you!”
Beat the Street is run by Intelligent Health on behalf of Dumfries and Galloway Council as part of the Scottish Government Smarter Choices Smarter Places Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to encourage thousands of people to explore Dumfries with their friends and family and discover something new about their area.
Want to find out more about Beat the Street? Follow @BTSDumfries on Twitter or ‘Beat the Street Dumfries on Facebook for more information on prizes and how to get involved.
Photos of Nithsdale Area Chair, Ronnie Nicholson and Beat the Street Engagement Officer, Mairi Gordon
