Amy Stubbs – Wednesday 4th June 2025 – 9am
Staff from West Midlands Ambulance Service have, quite literally, gone the extra mile as part of a unique challenge to raise awareness around health and wellbeing in the workplace.
More than 50 members of staff took part in the 24 Hours of Tollgate Challenge last month which was a continuous activity event designed to promote physical health and encourage people to look after their wellbeing. The challenge saw staff keeping active from 12:00pm one day to 12:00pm the next, finishing in style during the Health and Wellbeing Roadshow event at the Hub.
Participants could walk, run, cycle, skate, or push – anything that got them moving – and recorded their activity using the dedicated WMAS Tollgate Strava group.
Acting Operations Manager, Duncan Morrison, said: “A huge thank you to everyone who got involved in this incredible challenge. In total, we covered a staggering 562.2 kilometres – that’s the equivalent of running a half marathon every single hour for 24 hours! It’s a massive improvement on our previous distance set back in October and shows just how committed our staff are to supporting their own and each other’s wellbeing.”
The breakdown of the final distances was as inspiring as it was diverse:
- Runners led the pack with 240km, including 3 half marathons, 11 10ks, and a range of shorter runs.
- Cyclists contributed 170km.
- Walkers clocked up 135km, including 55km during a dedicated dog walk.
- Even less conventional methods of movement were celebrated, with 10km completed on roller skates and 5km by a wheelchair pusher.
This challenge was just one of the many initiatives taking place as part of the Health and Wellbeing Roadshows over the summer, which continue to encourage staff to prioritise their physical and mental health, both on and off duty.
ENDS