Explore Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers with new interactive game

Beat the Street is coming to Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers! This fun interactive game for all ages encourages you to get outside, explore your local area, and get active.

From 28 February until 10 April, play in teams to collect points and win prizes!

How it works

Players collect points by finding Beat Boxes and either tapping a Beat the Street card or (for players ages 13 and over) using the Beat the Street app. You can collect cards from a number of distribution points, including Riverside Leisure Centre and South Woodham Ferrers Leisure Centre. All distribution points and Beat Box locations can be found on the Beat the Street Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers map.

While tracking down Beat Boxes, players should keep a look out for Gems they pass along the way! Gems can be found, using the app, in the vicinity of each Beat Box. Finding them will earn you extra points to help your team climb up the leaderboard – and towards more prizes!

There are extra challenges and special events throughout the game’s run, too. One event, ‘Mystery Beat Box Weekend’, will see selected Beat Boxes awarding triple points. There’s also a ‘Commute Bonus’ week and double points during ‘Go Celebrate’ week.

There are over 100 Beat Boxes to find, plus ‘touring’ Beat Boxes that will pop-up at different events, such as Hylands House Open Estate Day in March.

You can sign up to Beat the Street right now via their website. Link your account to friends, family members, or co-workers to work as a team to collect points and be in with a chance of winning lots of great prizes.

Who is the game for?

Short answer: Everyone!

Beat the Street was designed by GP Dr. William Bird MBE to encourage players to live more active lifestyles. Whether you’re searching for Beat Boxes on the way to school, on your way home from work, or while heading to meet friends, absolutely everyone is welcome to join.

It’s accessible to all and completely FREE to play. You can sign up any time until 2 April, so if you want to wait to see what all the fuss is about first, that’s no problem! The only downside to that is, you could miss out on prizes…

What’s in it for me?

There are fantastic prizes to be won, by individuals and by teams. School teams can win hundreds of pounds of sports or book vouchers, while community and workplace teams will be vying for sports and fitness vouchers.

Beat the Street also gives you the perfect excuse to get outside as Spring arrives and keep up with your new year’s resolution to get your steps in.

Over 1.8 million people in the UK have taken part in Beat the Street since it launched, walking 15 million miles. Councillor Natacha Dudley, Cabinet Member for an Active Chelmsford, is looking forward to seeing how many miles the district can add to that total:

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“We’re lucky to have some beautiful scenery in Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers and Beat the Street is a great way to help us all discover places we haven’t been to yet, or to reconnect with old favourites. Working as a team can be a great motivator in getting active and I can’t wait to see players tapping in to Beat Boxes throughout the district!

“We all know that being active does us good, but it’s important to do it in a way that brings us joy. However you choose to reach your next Beat Box – walking, cycling, or scooting – it’s all a fantastic alternative to driving. You’ll be doing good for yourself, the environment, and hopefully forming new habits for the future at the same time!”

Councillor Natacha Dudley, Cabinet Member for an Active Chelmsford

Funding from the National Lottery via Sport England

Creators of Beat the Street, Intelligent Health, say the game helps promote better mental health, reduces congestion and pollution, and helps people to connect with their local community:

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“Being active is good for our mental and physical health and every step counts. Walking boosts mood, health and immunity.

“In 2022 and 2023, Beat the Street players travelled approximately 2.7 million miles – that's 5.6 times to the moon and back! That’s a carbon saving of 712.20 tonnes of CO2 if those journeys had been taken by car.

“Being part of a community improves our wellbeing, increases feelings of safety and reduces isolation. People who play Beat the Street say it helps them learn more about where they live and connect with other residents.”

Intelligent Health, creators of Beat the Street

Thanks to Sport England funding, Beat the Street has already been played in 168 areas across the country! In Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers, the game is being delivered by Intelligent Health in partnership with Writtle University College and Anglia Ruskin University, with support from Active Chelmsford, Chelmsford City Council and Essex County Council.

Sign up now and start your team!

Beat the Street’s map and app make finding Beat Boxes easy, while the added fun of uncovering Gems nearby helps you explore the areas you visit. So, sign up today and get ready to get active, win prizes, and discover your new favourite places!

You can sign up now over on Beat the Street’s website. Intelligent Health have been visiting local schools, so you may already have a card to play with! If not, you can collect one from a distribution point (find one near you on this map), or download the Beat the Street app.

The game begins on Wednesday 28 February!