Swindon people invited to take part in Diabetes UK fundraiser

People in Swindon and across Wiltshire are invited to step it up this summer for Diabetes UK. 

The One Million Step Challenge is described by the charity as ideal for anyone who rediscovered their love of walking in the great outdoors during the pandemic, and anyone looking for a way to get more active as lockdown restrictions are eased. 

The challenge is simple – take one million steps over the course of three months and obtain sponsorship for every stride.

 

 

 

Phaedra Perry, regional head of Diabetes UK South West, said: “Walking is a fantastic way to help you get fit and to reduce stress, so the One Million Step Challenge is perfect if you want to take steps towards a healthier you. 

"You can take on the challenge alone, or better still, get your family, friends and colleagues involved. How you complete your steps is up to you. The money you raise while you do it will fund our fight for a world where diabetes can do no harm.”

People do not have to limit themselves to walking to complete the challenge. They can choose to jog or even dance the steps away - but whatever they choose, they will need to take around 10,000 steps a day from 1 July to reach the million-step goal. 

This year’s challenge features two other options - a half-million step challenge and a 1.7m step challenge. 

According to the charity, there are an estimated 4.9m people living in the UK with diabetes − a condition in which there is too much glucose in the blood because the body cannot use it properly. 

If not managed carefully, both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can lead to devastating complications, including sight loss, amputation, kidney failure and stroke. There is currently no known cure for any type of diabetes, while an estimated 13.6m people in the UK are at risk of type 2 diabetes.

Registration for the One Million Step Challenge is free and participants can take on their steps wherever they wish, from their local park to their living room. Anyone who signs up will get a Million Steps profile page where they can log their steps and track their fundraising. 

People can use a fitness tracker, such as a Fitbit device, to track their steps, which will be automatically added to their profile page. 

Alternatively, they can use their phone or pedometer to track and upload steps manually.

The challenge runs for 92 days, ending on 30 September, and further information can be found at step.diabetes.org.uk