Big Steps Challenge

Big Team Step Challenge

The final results are shown below in no particular order other than the date that they were submitted. The winning two teams are highlighted.

Congratulations to team Steps of Intelligence from Netley HQ, who entered the office-based category and racked up a huge team member daily steps average of 21,926! That is a fabulous result. That is the equivalent of walking from Southampton to Glasgow over the challenge period, a total distance of 10 miles a day and just under 500 miles for every team member during the 7-week period. As a collective total of 6 walkers they would have travelled as far as New York if walking on water was possible!

Congratulations also to team Gosport Walkers who entered the operational category and achieved a team member daily average steps tally of just over 13,000! That is the equivalent of walking from Southampton to Newcastle over the challenge period, a total average distance of 6 miles a day and just under 300 miles for every team member during the 7-week period.

43 teams registered for this challenge and 37 submitted final results. There were 4 categories originally and the majority of entries were office-based and second operational-based, which was to be expected, however we only had one enter the Elite category and so they were included in the Operational category. We had no takers from the retired community sadly.

The winning deciding metric is the average team member daily step average over the specified period. Total team steps as a comparison are largely irrelevant as all teams had different numbers. This was about teamwork.

We asked Karen Downland, the team captain of Steps of Intelligence how they achieved such an impressive result for their team and she explained:

Our team’s result in the Global Step Challenge was achieved through genuine hard work, commitment, and a lot of determination, often in less-than-ideal weather conditions! The team regularly walked in heavy rain, strong winds, and at all hours of the day to keep their step counts up.

Everyone kept each other motivated throughout the challenge, mostly through friendly competition and a collective drive to place first in the UK. Several team members even exceeded 100,000 steps in a single day, which involved getting up early and walking almost continuously to meet their goals.

While it's always nice to win, this was more about having some fun and engage in an activity that might encourage more exercise and activity and consequently support our health and wellbeing. In that respect we feel that this was a success, and we hope that everyone that took part, enjoyed it.

We didn't know what level of interest there would be and as such we opted for a simple free app solution to test this with, however we will look at other purpose built platforms for future initiatives that can offer more functionality.

Each member of the two winning teams will receive an Amazon voucher for £20 as a small reward for their efforts.

Well done to all our teams that took part in this challenge.

MASH MARCHERS

Fareham Parkway

Office Based

9,310

Walkie Talkie

Netley

Office Based

7,699

Team Community Engagement

Netley

Office Based

7,206

Fashionably late to the party

Southampton

Operational

9,680

Lost In Pace

Waterlooville

Operational

9,521

Will Run For Snacks

Basingstoke PIC

Office Based

8,939

One Running

Basingstoke

Operational

9,202

Submissions Massive

SC - Floor 3

Office Based

6,324

The Cellmates

Portsmouth EPIC

Office Based

9,990

Get A-Shift on

Vickery building Netley

Office Based

5,919

Healthdb.sqlite

Hampshire Terrace - Portsmouth

Office Based

7,454

The Initial Training Squad

L&PD Netley

Office Based

10,737

Tango Alpha Trotters

Andover

Operational

10,890

More Steps Please

Southampton Central Floor 4

Office Based

9,005

Utter Walk Nonsense

Northern Area

Operational

7,601

Cash Me If You Can

Economic Crime Unit, Netley CS

Office Based

7,081

The Walking Dead

FIB - Tannery

Office Based

8,270

Team COGgle

Strategic Head Quarters

Office Based

6,484

Ops Steppers

Netley

Office Based

10,939

Amberstone Acheybones

Basingstoke PIC

Office Based

7,383

OLPIT

Mottisfont / SHQ

Office Based

8,797

The Strolling Stones

Winchester

Office Based

10,298

Preserving the PACE

Forcewide

Office Based

7,124

Mission Slimpossible

Netley

Office Based

9,003

Wight Walkers

Isle of Wight - Area Crime Team

Operational

8,722

Steppy Mc Stepface

EPIC CID

Office Based

6,498

OIT: Overachievers In Trainers

Mottisfont Court

Elite

9,707

MOSOVO Massive

Havant

Office Based

8,115

Gosport Walkers

Gosport Neighbourhood office

Operational

13,095 🏆Winners!!

Miles and Smiles

Netley

Office Based

5,903

Keep up the PACE

Fareham Police station

Office Based

9,743

The Fun Police

Licensing

Office Based

4,803

Serious Organised Steps

Portsmouth

Office Based

8,332

Sole Survivors

Portsmouth CID

Office Based

6,624

Steps of Intelligence

Netley

Office Based

21,926 🏆Winners!!

In Tel We Trust

Eastern PIC

Office Based

7,474

Scope Creep Striders

Mottisfont Court

Office Based

8,208

Teams from across Hampshire are invited to register for our new 7-week challenge for 2026 starting on January 10th. It's very simple, we want our teams to clock up as many steps as they can during this period and start off the new year with a bang, and hopefully keep up a new enhanced level of activity going afterwards as well. In the spirit of fun, teams can compete against other teams and at the end we will announce the champion steppers and they might even receive a prize!

Who can enter?

Any teams from serving or retired Hantspol staff, consisting of 3 or more individuals. No upper limit.

We know that teams will work differently and this may impact on how active they are, therefore in the interest of creating a more level playing field, there is a choice of 4 different categories for teams to enter into:

Office based teams - Members typically based in one office or building and tend to remain there for their working day.

Operational based teams - Members based mainly outside of offices and spend their working day in a more mobile and active environment.

Retired Staff Teams - Members who are living the dream, but hopefully still active out and about and able to clock up some miles.

Elite Activity Teams - Team members may be of any of the above, however most or all of this team are very active generally or in sport, running or long distance walking.

These categories are not restrictive in any way and it may be the case that some team members may fall into another category, however this is just is to try to group different types of teams against similar teams as best as possible.

How It Works

Teams can register from the link below and list the members of the team
Each team will need a coordinator to register and organise (It doesn't involve a great deal)
All team members will need to download the free StepUp app on their mobile device
The team organiser will create a new group in the app and invite team members as friends
On or after the start date of January 10th all team members daily steps will record onto the groups scorecard
Steps will record direct to members phone or via a wearable fitness watch to the app
Regular updates along the way as to how far our teams have got
At the conclusion on or after Feb 28th, the organiser will download a report from the app and send this to HPLS for recording
The winning team from each category will be announced

To use a wearable tracker, they must be able to connect to either Android Health Connect or Apple Health apps. Compatible devices include Fitbit, Garmin, Amazfit, Whoop, Withings and Huawei. Without a wearable tracker or watch, steps are registered on the members phone if they keep it with them.

Members of HPLS who are a part of this challenge and do not have a wearable tracker and wish to buy one, can apply for a subsidy at 50% up to max £25.. Apply via activity support grant www.hpls.org

More detailed guidance will be issued after registration.