Team members at a residential home that cares for children with complex needs and disabilities are celebrating winning a national stepathon competition.
The team at Bedford’s Orchard House took part in the four-week national challenge, which pitted 16 care home teams from across the UK against each other. Staff logged their daily steps, with the top walkers taking home a prize.
The eight members of the Orchard House team, Finding Our Feet, managed to hike 3,572,875 steps, which is approximately 1,543.6 miles, each person putting in an average of 14,406 steps per day.
Overall, the competing teams combined walked 38,897,049 steps during the event, which is approximately 16,800 miles.
Orchard House, which is part of Salutem Care and Education, also recently celebrated retaining a ‘good’ report from OFSTED and the team was particularly proud to have supported a young person with severe agoraphobia to feel confident leaving the home after lockdown.
Michelle Henson, registered manager at Orchard House, said: “We have a fantastic team at Orchard House and a real family spirit.
“It’s a great place to work because everyone cares for and supports each other, and we have such a rewarding job helping young people.
“I’m delighted that we won the steps challenge, because we showed that we don’t just go the extra mile for the people we support, we do it on our feet too.
“Exercise is incredibly important for both physical and mental wellbeing, and we want to set a good example to the young people we care for so that they can achieve realistic goals.
“Congratulations to the Finding Our Feet team. We’re all winners.”
