Kettering hospital staff proving to be some of the most active in Britain with global challenge

On day 62 of the 100-day challenge, Kettering General Hospital had two of the top performing British teams and is in the world top 45.

The Global Corporate Challenge is a worldwide event that organisations can join as a way of encouraging staff to improve their health and well-being through exercise.

More than 48,000 teams at major public organisations and private companies across the world - including many NHS organisations - are taking part in this year’s challenge which lasts from May 25 to September 1.

Each organisation creates teams of seven staff (KGH has 30 teams) and every step they take each day is measured using a special measuring device usually worn on clothing  - with equivalent step measures being taken for other forms of exercise such as cycling and swimming.

Kettering General Hospital’s director of human resources Mark Smith said: “Our staff have really embraced the Global Corporate Challenge following its initial launch at the trust last year.

“This is a challenge which allows individuals, at whichever fitness levels, who want to become more active through walking, running, swimming or cycling, to measure their progress and improve their health and well-being as part of a team, supported by the trust.”

So far this year (at day 62) the hospital’s 210 employees taking part in the challenge have:

- Taken a daily step average per person of 14,675 – the equivalent of 5.8 miles per day for each participant

- Between them walked 177 million steps – more than 70,635 miles (this equates to walking around the world 2.84 times).

- Some members of staff have gone way beyond the 5.8 miles per day average which is why they as individuals – and as teams – are doing so well.

Local security management specialist James Donnelly is currently one of the UK’s top performing individuals and the KGH estates team he is part of - The Road Runners - is also one of the top performing UK teams.

James, 53, from Corby, is married to Susan and has a daughter, Rebecca, 25.

He said: “So far I have achieved a daily step average of 87,500 steps (43 walking miles per day).

“I get up at 4am each day and do 2.5 hours on the bike.

“I have an active job at the trust which averages about 15,000 steps and in the evening I do another 2.5 to 3 hours on the bike.

“I even walk to and from the gym instead of taking the car that’s another 6,000 steps a day - and every little helps.”

If this wasn’t enough James has set his sights on achieving the equivalent of 200,000 steps in a single day on August.

This will be probably the highest single day total ever achieved by anyone taking part in the GCC event.

He said: “I am doing the 200,000 step challenge (500km or 311miles bike miles) on a bike in the main reception at Kettering General Hospital on August 12.

“I estimate it will take up to about 18 hours of peddling which is way beyond anything I have done so far.

“So I hope I can make it.”

On the day James will be raising money for the hospital’s Revive the Rec Hall Appeal and Staff Benefit Fund.

He has already lost about 20 pounds of bodyweight through the challenge and is really enjoying it.

He said: “Not everyone wants to go to the extremes that I do but I think everyone involved in the challenge enjoys seeing their progress and knowing that they are doing something which is good for their health.

“It is also stimulating a lot of conversations and fun between different teams and departments within the trust.

“We are all having a really good time taking part.”

James’ marathon effort on August 12 will be supported by Corby’s Lodge Park Sports Centre who have loaned him a exercise bike to use for the challenge.

The GCC computer system enables each employee to keep a running total of how many steps they have taken, the amount of distance they have covered and the amount of calories they have burned while doing it.

It also allows the hospital to do similar calculations for its teams.

This is the second year the trust has taken part in the GCC challenge.

Last year saw the hospital achieving the third most active NHS Trust in the UK.

In that year the hospital’s teams walked a total of 295 million steps - equivalent to each of our employees walking half the length of Britain - in 100 days.