Miners prepare to ditch the jeeps and dig in for 'Step-tember'

Employees of Priority Construction at Tara Mines are taking part in a fundraising challenge for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.

‘Steptember Challenge’ is a way of boosting staff morale and doing it for a good cause. We even have staff family members wanting to get involved,” said a spokesperson.

“We are also trying to turn the negativity around Covid-19 into a positive health benefit. Instead of travelling together in jeeps around site, we are encouraging the guys to walk around site, getting their steps up, having a positive health benefit and facilitating social distancing.”

As well as the site at Tara Mines, the companies employees in Dublin, Longford, Kilkenny, and Dungarvan will also be taking part.

Most people walk between 3,000 to 5,000 steps a day and the company is challenging employees to make up the extra steps so that they reach the goal of 10,000 steps per day, which is the recommended number of steps by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for health benefits.

Each employee is asked to donate €20 to a ‘Just Giving’ page and download the free Activity Tracker Pedometer app to their phone.

For the month of September each employee records their daily steps and informs their site supervisor.

Participants are advised to park further away in the carpark, walk during break times and after work, walk and talk to colleagues instead of phoning them or emailing. When at home watching TV they are urged to get up and move go for a brisk 10-15min walk.

Donations can be made here