Beat the Street, an innovative physical activity game that has engaged more than a million people, is coming to South Cambridgeshire.
The Beat the Street game will take place in Cambourne from 24 September 2025 to 22 October 2025, thanks to funding from Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (GCSP), the local planning authority for South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City. The game will be run by its multi-award-winning Youth Engagement Service (YES), with support from the National Lottery via Sport England, and is managed by Intelligent Health.
Beat the Street is a fun, free, and interactive game that encourages people of all ages to get active and explore their local area, transforming Cambourne into a real-life game board. As Cambourne approaches its 25th birthday, GCSP is keen to understand what local residents, workers and visitors think of this new town from a town planning perspective to inform future developments in the district. Participants earn points by visiting various Beat Boxes by walking or cycling. These Beat Boxes will be installed throughout the streets of Cambourne.
The game runs for 4 weeks and is split into the themes “Go Play”, “Go Wild”, “Go Travel” and “Go Active”, each designed to inspire new ways of moving and discovering local green spaces, leisure facilities, and travel routes. Participants can join as individuals or teams, with schools, workplaces, and community groups encouraged to get involved. RFID cards and fobs will be distributed via schools and community hubs, and players aged 13+ can also use the Beat the Street app which can be downloaded onto mobile devices to collect points and track progress. Schools and individual players who have achieved high scores in the leaderboard will win prizes, including shopping vouchers.
Cllr Dr. Tumi Hawkins, Lead Cabinet Member for Planning at South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “We are incredibly excited to be bringing Beat the Street to Cambourne. We know that one of the best things people can do for their physical and mental health is to move more and to get out into green space where possible, and Beat the Street really helps people do just that in a fun and engaging way. Whether you're walking to school, exploring a park, or commuting on foot or by cycling, every journey counts, and can help your team climb the leaderboard!”
Beat the Street was created by GP Dr William Bird MBE, an expert in physical activity and the founder of Intelligent Health. The game has not only had a significant impact on increasing levels of physical activity amongst adults and children, but also helps reduce congestion, improve air quality, and helps families spend time in green spaces together.
Cllr Stephen Drew, a District Councillor for the Cambourne ward, commented: “It is great to see the Beat the Street initiative come to Cambourne. With so many interesting places across the town for people to visit this will be an exciting opportunity for anyone who takes part and explores Cambourne.”
Cllr Dr. Shrobona Bhattacharya, also District Councillor for the Cambourne ward, said: "Beat the Street is a brilliant example of how partners can work together to support community wellbeing in Cambourne. It’s great to see residents getting active and engaged through fun, inclusive initiatives like this. Elsewhere locally, the progress towards a High Street for Cambourne is encouraging, and I warmly welcome any new amenities that will benefit our residents. I remain committed to ensuring the High Street truly reflects the needs and aspirations of our community."
The initiative has already reached over 1.8 million participants across the UK, with research showing sustained increases in physical activity up to 12 months after the game. According to research, one in four people in England does less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week, which classes them as inactive. Four out of five primary school children do not get the recommended amount of daily exercise of 60 minutes a day.
The initiative has already reached over 1.8 million participants across the UK, with research showing sustained increases in physical activity up to 12 months after the game. According to research, one in four people in England does less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week, which classes them as inactive. Four out of five primary school children do not get the recommended amount of daily exercise of 60 minutes a day.
The Beat the Street game will not only help people in Cambourne to get active, but also to leave a positive legacy to improve the community’s health and wellbeing.
To get started, visit www.beatthestreet.me, register your card or app, and start collecting points. Prizes will be awarded to top teams and lucky individual players throughout the game.
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