Beat the Street Merton has launched

Beat the Street Merton, an interactive game that encourages physical activity, has been launched in the London borough of Merton. The game, created by GP Dr William Bird, aims to promote exercise in a fun and competitive way. It rewards teams with points and prizes as they travel on foot, by bike or by scooter, with prizes including vouchers for books and sports equipment. Beeping and flashing sensors called Beat Boxes will be placed on lampposts around the borough for the duration of the six-week game, which runs from 15 March to 26 April. Primary school pupils will be provided with a player pack containing a map and a card for the child and an adult. Everyone else can pick up a contactless card from distribution points including libraries and leisure centres across Merton or download the free Beat the Street app to play the game. Players then travel between the contactless Beat Boxes scoring points with their cards as they go. The further players travel, the more points they score

The game has been commissioned by Merton Council and NHS South West London, with support from the National Lottery via Sport England.