Press Releases

On the first day of SPARC's (Sport & Recreation New Zealand) Push Play Nation – a month dedicated to getting Kiwis up and active - the Garden City is showing off its competitive spirit, ahead of Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.

Two weeks ago SPARC issued a challenge to mayors to get their regions moving in a bid to find New Zealand's most active region. Kiwis can register on-line at www.sparc.org.nz or call 0800 ACTIVE (228 483).

Over the month, SPARC is closely monitoring which regions have the highest numbers of residents signing up to Push Play Nation - and where the couch potatoes are hiding.

And at the start of the race, Christchurch is winning the race with 979 of its residents joined up and ready to go.

But hot on its heels is Auckland with 826 enrolments. Next in line is Wellington with 554 enrolments, Manukau with 437 and Dunedin with 349.

SPARC's Manager, Push Play, Deb Hurdle congratulated Christchurch for its early dedication to the Push Play message.

"Push Play is all about having fun and starting on a life-long change. Good on you Christchurch for getting so involved."

SPARC will be providing a weekly update on how each region is taking up the challenge to be active - up until SPARC's sixth annual Push Play Day on November 3rd.

Push Play Nation is part of SPARC's long-term Push Play campaign to get New Zealanders up and active. Last year, SPARC launched the successful Activator wheel - an activity tool designed for people who wanted to get active, but didn't know where to start.

SPARC's last national survey (2001-2002) showed 32% (or 233,000) young people and 32% (or 878,000) adults were insufficiently active to gain health benefits at that time, completing either no physical activity at all a week or less than 2.5 hours.

For more information, please contact:

Bronwyn Polson
Marketing and Communications Advisor
SPARC ihi Aotearoa
Tel: 04 496 3977
E-mail: bronwyn.polson@sparc.org.nz

Updated | 01 Aug 2007.

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