Austin Health Cycle Challenge 2008

Austin Health organised a month long workplace cycle challenge recently to encourage staff health and fitness and the uptake of active transport to work. The organisation realizes the value of promoting staff health and wellbeing in order to support staff retention, recruitment and attendance, and subsequently improve delivery of Austin Health's core business- the provision of health services to the public. This challenge followed on from the success of a Walking Challenge last year.

(Pictured are Alison Smith, John Merory and CEO Dr. Brendan Murphy).

With support from the Department of Transport's TravelSmart program and Kinect Australia, the challenge was launched on National Ride to Work Day. Participating staff were offered a workplace breakfast, and every challenge registrant was offered a free cycle computer and local bike path maps. A workplace specific WalkSmart website was arranged to communicate with registrants and enable logging of kilometres cycled. The website also included resources such as health and safety tips. Free cycle maintenance workshops were also offered during the challenge to support new riders and a Travelsmart survey was conducted to focus attention on active transport to work. To encourage participation from both experienced and casual cyclists, prizes were awarded to winners in a variety of categories including male and female regular cyclists, and male and female casual cyclists.

Challenge Outcomes over the month included:

o 287 registrants to the cycle challenge

o 35,800 km cycled

o approx $9000 saving in petrol

o approx 14,000kg of carbon dioxide saved

o 70 registrants to the cycle maintenance workshops

o 876 participants in the active transport survey