Over 200 Active Workplaces

Over 200 Workplaces in the Manawatu, Horowhenua and Tararua regions have taken up Sport Manawatu’s challenge of getting active over Push Play month.

The challenge is to be the ‘most active workplace’ in the region by recording the amount of physical activity (in minutes) each business team completes weekly.

Sport Manawatu event organiser, Kathy McMillian, says the response to the workplace challenge has been huge, “last year we had around 80 teams registered so to have over 200 teams is fantastic.”

Leading the charge from local businesses is Palmerston North City Council who entered a whopping nineteen teams.

“Council actively supports Sport Manawatu and likes to ‘walk the talk’ promoting health and wellbeing within the organisation. We are a very energetic bunch here at Council, and with nineteen Council teams entered this year Push Play is definitely the buzz word of the moment. Employees see the Push Play challenge not only as a way to help them get fit and in shape for summer but also an opportunity for a bit of friendly team rivalry,” says Rachel Carter, Human Resource Advisor at Palmerston North City Council.

NZ Transport Agency is not far behind with ten teams entered and Horizons Regional Council, Tararua District Council, Horowhenua District Council, Manawatu District Council and the Inland Revenue Department all have entered teams.

A number of secondary schools have also entered the challenge, Awatapu with an impressive five teams and Hato Paora, Feilding High School and Longburn Adventist College all have teams participating.

As part of push play month businesses will also have the opportunity to participate in additional events such as an Action Indoor Sports night, a night walk in conjunction with the Manawatu Striders and many others.

For more information on what’s on during Push Play month, as well as weekly results showing how the businesses are measuring up visit www.sportmanawatu.org.nz.