A new video tells the story of how Beat the Street helped one retired resident in Hounslow get active and reconnect with his local community.
Terry Noad is a former athletics coach living in Hounslow. In 2016, Terry was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and was left socially isolated after losing his wife to leukaemia.
However, Terry was introduced to Beat the Street by his daughter and found the game helped him get outdoors, meet new people and manage his condition.
Speaking about Beat the Street, Terry Noad said: “It made me want to live again… It is something that all the London boroughs should be doing as it can only you do good: it doesn’t cost you a penny, it just gets you fit.
Beat the Street transformed the entirety of Hounslow into a giant walking and cycling game last Autumn. More than 28,000 people raced around their borough to earn points, win prizes and get active in the process.
The video and initiative was funded by the London Borough of Hounslow. Chris Norfield — Public Health Strategist at the London Borough of Hounslow — said: “It is fantastic to hear about Terry’s experience playing Beat the Street and the benefits that walking more has had on his health and happiness.
“We know that this is just one of thousands of stories from across Hounslow of people who were motivated by Beat the Street make changes that benefited their health.”
Dr Imran Choudhury, Director of Public Health for the London Borough of Hounslow, added: “Intelligent Health’s Beat the Street initiative has been integral to helping us achieve our Public Health goals in the London Borough of Hounslow. The initiative is not only able to inspire huge numbers of people but also reach the most inactive and hard-to-reach members of the community. I am confident in saying that Beat the Street will become a mainstream public health programme in the future.”
