New scheme rewards physical activity in Birmingham parks

Loyalty points for exercise.

Birmingham’s Active Parks scheme has joined forces with the innovative Reward Your World programme to reward Brummies for being physically active.

Now, through the latest release of the Reward Your World™ GPS enabled mobile app Birmingham residents will be encouraged and rewarded for recording selected activities in parks across the city.

The“Reward Your World™ App, available for both Google Android and Apple iOS platforms, allows users to track their activities such as walking, running and cycling. The App tracks the activities via the mobile phone’s GPS functionality and validates the activity against defined goals. If the activity meets the criteria, the user is rewarded with BetterPoints™ – the digital currency at the heart of the Reward Your System.

The BetterPoints™ earned through activities can be redeemed for the benefit of the user in the form of high street vouchers and other similar offers. Alternatively they can be donated as cash to charities and causes, who in turn, can post appeals for support and volunteers on the Reward Your World web site.

Birmingham City Council Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing, Cllr John Cotton, said: “Our programme of free physical activities in parks across the city is proving to be extremely popular and, thanks to this exciting partnership, there’s now an added incentive for the people of Birmingham to get fit and stay active.

“Physical inactivity is a massive challenge and by working with RYW we can shape future activities to better meet that challenge.”

Christopher Bristow, COO of RYW said: “We believe the Active Parks programme is a leading example of how local authorities can motivate residents to take advantage of local amenities and reap the health and wellbeing benefits of being outside and exercising. By tracking their activities within the parks, residents will play an important part in helping Birmingham City Council define future health and wellbeing activities and programmes. As a thank you for their participation residents will be rewarded for recording their activities.”

Alongside obesity, inactivity has been identified as one of Birmingham’s biggest public health challenges. Only 31.7 per cent of Brummies participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week, compared to the national average of 34.7 per cent. Active Parks is one of the initiatives looking to address the issue and now participants can earn rewards for joining the activities.

For more details about how you can earn BetterPoints™ go to: www.rewardyourworld.com/activityrewards