Can you 'Beat the Street' in Burnley?

Beat the Street is designed to get communities moving by helping people to make small changes, such as walking or cycling to school every day, to improve health and help embed physical activity into everyday life.

The game takes place from September 15th to October 27th and is open to anyone of any age who would like to take part. Children use a fob which will be provided by participating primary schools, and adults can pick up a free card from one of the distribution points listed on the Beat the Street Burnley website.

Players then find their nearest “Beat Box” which will appear on lampposts around the town. More than 100 of these special sensors will be put in place for the game and they have been adapted to make them more sensitive so that you don’t need to touch them – simply hover your card or fob over the Beat Box and it will beep and flash to record your points.

Your first visit to a Beat Box registers the journey; then walk, cycle or roll to the next Beat Box within an hour to score 10 points.

Beat the Street Burnley is brought to you by Burnley Together with the Canal and River Trust. It is delivered by Intelligent Health.

Burnley Together works in partnership with Burnley Council, Calico Homes, Lancashire County Council, Burnley Leisure, Burnley FC in the Community, BPRCVS and other partners across the public, private, and voluntary sectors to create a central community hub.

Initially established to help and support residents across the borough during the coronavirus outbreak with everyday needs, Burnley Together has become a pivotal point of contact for support enquiries across a wide range of issues.

Paul Foster, deputy chief executive at Burnley Leisure and Culture said: “It’s free to take part in Beat the Street. It's quick and easy to sign up, and it’s open to everyone regardless of age, ability or background. It’s so important to encourage people to get active, and what better way than to explore the town with your family, friends or work colleagues?”

Mark Beach, managing director of Calico Homes, said: "We are incredibly excited to be bringing Beat the Street to Burnley, working alongside our Burnley Together partners to jointly fund the project.

“We know that one of the best things people can do right now for their physical and mental health is to move more and go outdoors, and Beat the Street really helps people do just that in a safe way. This project will also provide us with a fabulous opportunity to engage with our customers in the community and bring people back together."

More information including information on where to collect a free card and map will be available at www.beatthestreet.me/burnley and on social media at @BTSBurnley

Since it was created by GP Dr William Bird, the game has been played by more than 1.4m people in more than 120 locations in the UK and beyond.