Inverclyde Globetrotters
The Inverclyde Globetrotters are a gym-based exercise group who help participants tackle long virtual walks in a fun environment to help them stay healthy. The main inspirtion of the group is to help participants meet the challenge of walking 1.1 billion steps, the equivalent to the moon and back.
How It Started
The Inverclyde Globetrotters were formed in early 2008 out of a weekly gym based Phase IV cardiac rehabilitation class. In February 2008 the members of the class, who are, on average, 69 years young, were surprised to be asked if they fancied walking round the world.It was hoped that taking on a challenge like this would encourage them to:
- Keep coming to the class;
- Stay active between classes and not think of exercise as something they did for an hour each week at the gym.
It was also hoped that setting such a challenging, long term goal, which none of the members could accomplish individually, would offer a real sense of achievement.
Luckily, once they had stopped laughing at the very idea of it they decided to have a go and the Inverclyde Globetrotters were born.
Partners Involved
The Inverclyde Globetrotters have greatly appreciated the support, advice, encouragement and inspiration they have received along the way from:- The British Association for Cardiac Prevention & Rehabilitation;
- The British Heart Foundation;
- Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland ;
- CVS Inverclyde;
- Glasgow Caledonian University’s School of Health;
- Paths for All;
- Sus It Out Plus (Future Balance)
Process
The Inverclyde Globetrotters formed what was a weekly Phase IV cardiac rehabilitation class at Inverclyde Leisure’s Waterfront Complex in Greenock into a not for profit organisation. The class is now part of the Live Active Exercise Referral Scheme and caters for a wider variety of conditions.So what’s their approach? It’s very simple. It’s not new. All you need are pedometers, a map, imagination and a sense of fun.
The Inverclyde Globetrotters timed the start their epic Round the World journey to mark the launch of the 2008 Scottish campaign to promote cardiac rehabilitation. It was their way of saying thanks. Each week, the steps from the pedometers were recorded along with the distances walked, cycled and rowed during the class and each week’s progress plotted on the map.
In May 2010, after 117 weeks on the road, having made to Beijing in time for the 2008 Olympics, the Inverclyde Globetrotters arrived back in Greenock having clocked up 30,688 miles. They decided to keep going and have now covered over 60,000 miles:
- Along America’s Route 66;
- Round Italy;
- To all the capital cities in Europe;
- To the 4 Parliaments and Assemblies in the UK;
- Across Canada.
Regular newsletters are issued to keep everyone up to date with what’s going on and certificates are awarded when a walk is completed.
The Inverclyde Globetrotters are affiliated to Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS) and, inspired by their story, CHSS organised a Lunar Trek and invited all of their affiliated community groups to help the Inverclyde Globetrotters walk 238,857 miles to the Moon.
The CHSS Lunar Trek was launched on 1st September 2011 and thanks to CHSS affiliated groups from Orkney to Dumfries, local groups from Inverclyde, staff from Glasgow Caledonian University and a few cardiac rehabilitation Phase III classes in and around Glasgow the mission was successfully completed on 12th January 2012 after only 17 weeks. The Inverclyde Globetrotter’s immediately blasted off again on the long haul back to Earth and sunny Greenock. At least it’s all downhill!
Results and Impact
The Inverclyde Globetrotters have:- Created a simple approach using pedometers to tackle long virtual walks which is enjoyable, promotes team spirit and provides peer support;
- Accomplished challenges as a team which would have been impossible for them to achieve on their own;
- Clocked up over 62,000 miles and 147million steps, averaging around 440 miles each week;
- Doubled their class attendances to an average of 23 per week;
- Been encouraged by messages of support from Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent, the Prime Minister, First Minister, the High Commissioner of Canada and others;
- Supported a number of Inverclyde businesses and community groups to take on virtual walking challenges.
- Inspired Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland to launch their Lunar Trek which attracted the support of 46 affiliated groups from all over Scotland;
- Brought young people and older people together through a primary schools competition to design a new logo and successful collaboration with Inverclyde Council to involve primary schools in the CHSS Lunar Trek through their Walk to School Week;
- Been helped and encouraged by so many people and organisations;
- Made many friends;
- Reached the Moon.
Lessons Learned
All you need is imagination, someone to walk with you and a reliable pedometerWhat's next for the project?
- To find more friends willing to help us walk back to Inverclyde from the moon;- To create a website which will make it easy for others to undertake our fun virtual walking challenges or devise one of their own.
And after the return trip to the Moon? Well, there’s always Mars. No – don’t laugh. It’s only 48.7 million miles and there are 5.2 million people in Scotland. So if everyone walks only 10 miles we’ll make it to the Red Planet. What do you say?
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When was this published?
02/03/2012Lead Contact Name
Duncan GalbraithDesignation
Exercise Instructor & VolunteerOrganisation
Inverclyde GlobetrottersAddress
Flat 1/1, 77A Octavia Terrace, Greenock, PA16 7PXPhone Number
01475 633701Email Address
ig1@talktalk.netAddress
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