Charity & social: Step up to get fit and help end homelessness

The industry’s first step challenge is now live, raising money for LandAid. Promoting well-being in the workplace, it is designed to appeal to everyone, whatever their fitness level, and offers the opportunity to get one over on your peers. Across the UK and throughout the whole of October, the property industry will be competing to see who will take the most steps, while raising money to end youth homelessness. Mark Glatman, chief executive of sponsor Abstract Securities, said: “Steptober is a great way for you to do your bit to end youth homelessness in the UK. Teams taking part will be able to get competitive by taking other teams on in challenges – the loser of which will have to pay a wager to LandAid. You can devise your own challenge from one day to a month. Every penny you raise will provide homes for young people. “EG will be publicising these challenges, so get creative and get competitive. It doesn’t need to be within your teams – as a CEO you could challenge another CEO. But whatever you do, get those steps in.” Hear more from Mark Glatman on how to challenge your peers: It’s a challenge that can be taken beyond the property industry. Glatman is challenging Abstract’s lawyers, Pinsent Masons. “Challenge your colleagues outside property: solicitors, accountants, bankers, contractors, et al. Anyone can enter their home team,” he said. “Walk, run, jog or dance – it’s up to you, as long as you Step Up for LandAid this October.” EG editor Damian Wild said: “Fighting youth homelessness and promoting well-being should be two massive incentives for the industry to embrace this first Steptober event. “And the ability to challenge peers, competitors, clients and partners should be a big motivator too. It’s an opportunity to settle scores, demonstrate who is at the top of their game and win bragging rights. The challenges will be written up in EG. The more money that’s raised, the bigger the coverage.” CMS, Touchstone, PwC, Abstract Securities, SEGRO, Soho Estates, Grainger, Paragon Building Consultancy, Frogmore, Malcolm Hollis, Coyote Software, CBRE and Newington Communications have signed up. Make sure you do too. Register by 21 September at www.landaid.org/events/steptober How the challenge works ■ Teams of four people sign up and compete to see which team can take the most steps in the month of October. ■ The challenge will run for the whole month of October, culminating on this years’ LandAid Day on 1 November. ■ The challenge will be run through an online platform called Himotiv. The platform will sync with your tracking app and host a leader-board displaying teams’ step counts. ■ Each team member will track their own steps using their choice of step-counting device, eg smartphone or Fitbit.  Many apps including Fitbit, Strava and others will sync with the challenge platform. ■ Each week, EG will publish a leader board to encourage a healthy bit of competition across the property sector and promote additional fundraising through challenges between individuals. The prizes Prizes up for grabs for Steptober to be awarded on LandAid Day, at a venue to be confirmed, include: ■ Highest team/company fundraiser, sponsored by IPSX ■ Location outside London with the highest step count, sponsored by Gerald Eve ■ Individual with the highest step count ■ Team/company with the highest step count ■ Wooden spoon for the lowest step count  Pic credit:WestEnd61/REX/Shutterstock