Beat The Street - Harwich & Dovercourt (LDP)
Building community connections through outdoor games
Beat the Street is a free, fun initiative that transforms towns into giant games, encouraging residents to walk, cycle, run, scoot, and wheel to earn points and win prizes. Harwich and Dovercourt participated in the six-week challenge, engaging thousands of residents and promoting physical activity and community engagement.
The initiative set out to connect residents with their local voluntary sector services and events, as well as aimed to increase levels of physical activity across the population and help address health inequalities.
Partners who supported the initiative included Active Essex, Tendring District Council, Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST) and Intelligent Health. The local engagement role was led by CVS Tendring (CVST), who collaborated with schools, community groups, and local stakeholders to build connections across Harwich and Dovercourt.
All seven primary schools in the area were invited to participate, and the assembly’s given boosted enthusiasm and participation. CVST also recruited community and workplace teams to reach and engage residents.
Over the six-week duration, more than 40 events were delivered and promoted, including led bike rides, mindfulness sessions, Tai Chi, family fun days, and ParkPlay intergenerational family sessions. These activities showcased the rich offerings of Harwich and Dovercourt, such as museums and historical sites, enhancing community engagement and raising awareness of local services.
Beat the Street helped increase physical activity levels, improve life satisfaction for adults, and cultivate a sense of community belonging. The initiative also saw an increase in adults walking for short trips and participating in local events and activities.
The Beat the Street initiative in Harwich and Dovercourt was a resounding success, engaging thousands of residents and promoting healthier lifestyles. The project's impact on physical activity levels and community engagement underscores the potential of similar initiatives to improve public health and wellbeing in other communities. Moving forward, continued collaboration with schools, groups, and individuals will help maintain the positive outcomes achieved during the game.
