Katy Daley-Mclean, Team GB Olympian, who captained the England team to win the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2014, has completed the Million Step Challenge for Cumbrian based charity Team Evie, for which she is a patron.
The challenge, which Team Evie run with award winning start-up company ‘One Million Steps’, is to walk 10,000 steps every day for 100 days – totalling 1,000,000 steps in total, equivalent to 500 miles!
Team Evie is a charity based in Cumbria that helps sick children and their families. Set up in memory of their daughter Evie, the charity was created by Greg and Jill Johnston, with the aim of helping children and families like them and Evie. Thanks to the generosity of locals, the charity founded in 2015 now supports 20 medical teams and hospitals across the region.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic Team Evie has faced months without being able to organise and run their usual events and fundraisers, however, the Million Step Challenge has enabled people to fundraise throughout lockdown as they participate individually, or with those in their household.
“I think that the work Team Evie do to support families at a time they are at their most vulnerable is extremely important. If I can help in any small way, it’s a great thing to be able to do.” Katy, who has over 100 caps for England and has scored over 500 points in her career, said.
Participants get sponsored to complete the steps for charity, but the challenge is also designed to help people make a positive difference in their lives, as walking every day promotes wellbeing and benefits both good physical and mental health.
Katy completed the million steps in 80 days, nearly 3 weeks ahead of schedule, and said that she really enjoyed it, “I think it’s a great way to stay active, move at your own pace while raising money for charity, especially during the current climate. For me it gave me a much greater awareness of my day to day level of activity.” Katy said.
“The challenge has been amazing for us during this tough time. It has been brilliant to have our patron Katy take on the challenge to help us raise funds during this incredibly financially difficult year but also awareness of what we do – hopefully she can help inspire many more to get involved and take part” said Greg Johnston, Team Evie CEO.
The Million Step Challenge for Team Evie has been held twice now, and feedback from those who have taken part has been incredible with many reporting the positive difference its made to their lives with improved diet, sleep, fitness and weight loss.
Local participant of the January challenge, Liz Condron said, “It was just what I needed to push me back to fitness after an operation yet also give me an opportunity to repay the kindness and support Team Evie showed my daughter and her partner after their son was born. I got fitter, walking helped my well-being and I got to raise money for a great charity too. It’s a win-win!”.
The challenge is starting again on the 1st October, this time as a 90-day challenge, and Team Evie are keen for as many people as possible to sign up in order to help them continue to make a difference to children and families.
For more information on the challenge and how to sign up head to www.teamevie.org