GYM goers in Wigan are donning their cardio gear and donating moves as part of a global fitness campaign which will help earn sports equipment for local schools.

Users at Howe Bridge Leisure Centre and Leigh Leisure Centre must accumulate three million moves by using various cardio equipment and recording their progress via a key fob or phone app.

The ‘3 million moves’ challenge, which launched on Monday, is part of a wider global fitness campaign -#LetsMoveForABetterWorld – run by global fitness giant Technogym.

The global campaign aims to curb the spread of obesity and sedentariness worldwide and has been gathering pace year on year with over 120,000 participants recorded in 2016 and an increasing number of countries taking part.

VIDEO CREDIT: #LetsMoveForABetterWorld campaign video

Personal trainer Andrea Lister at Howe Bridge Leisure Centre said: “I think at first some people were a bit apprehensive about it because we did a challenge about three or four months ago that was similar but it was an individual challenge, whereas now, because we are donating to local schools people are a lot more interested.”

She added: “We have balloons up around the gym so it looks like there is a bit of a party is going on.”

Howe Bridge Leisure Centre is supporting its 305 participants in the challenge, who since its launch have collectively raised one million moves.

PHOTO CREDIT: Howe Bridge Leisure Centre
PHOTO CREDIT: Howe Bridge Leisure Centre

Wigan Olympian Jenny Meadows (pictured) showed her support for the campaign when she took to the treadmill on Monday, she said:  “I am really excited to be involved in the ‘Let’s Move’ challenge as it’s a great opportunity to make all the hard work and effort we do in the gym count towards something rewarding to others as well as ourselves.

“I definitely will not be missing a workout over the next few weeks!”

Wigan Council’s Cabinet member for communities, Councillor Chris Ready commented on the support towards local schools: “This is an excellent opportunity for leisure centre users at both sites to help their communities by taking part in this exciting challenge.”

Live rankings of gyms participating in the UK and abroad will be displayed on Technogym’s website until the end of the campaign on 31 March.

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