Practising what we preach: Team YSF completes the 20 in 20 challenge

After 20 days of movement, motivation and friendly competition, colleagues from across Yorkshire Sport Foundation (YSF) have successfully completed the National Fitness Day 20 in 20 Challenge.

Launched on National Fitness Day on 16 September, the challenge encouraged staff to complete at least 20 minutes of physical activity for 20 consecutive days. The aim was simple: help colleagues build healthier habits, support one another, and put the power of movement into practice.

Over the three-week challenge, Team YSF logged hundreds of activities, including walking, running, cycling, weight training, fitness classes, stretching sessions and outdoor adventures. More importantly, it brought colleagues together, creating a positive and supportive environment where every effort counted.

YSF Senior Sport Welfare Officer Nicola Holmes highlighted how the challenge's inclusive format helped make physical activity accessible to everyone:

"I've loved taking part in the 20/20 Challenge. Working alongside some incredibly fit and sporty colleagues, I wouldn't normally stand much chance in traditional activity challenges. What makes the 20/20 Challenge different is that it's a level playing field. You don't have to be the fastest or strongest, just commit to 20 minutes each day.

"It’s also made me realise I’m more active than I thought. Most of what I logged was daily walks, but on busy days the challenge gave me the motivation to make time for them and prioritise my wellbeing.”

YSF Sport Welfare Officer Measha Harris said:

"I lost 5kg by doing this challenge and it also massively improved my mental wellbeing!"

YSF Development Manager for People and Skills Katy Fillingham added:

"It was exactly the shake-up I needed. I thoroughly enjoyed it and know that organising and coordinating something like this isn't easy, so a huge thank you to everyone involved. It even got me back into running!"

Friendly competition fuels motivation

To add an extra element of fun, colleagues were split into teams and challenged to climb the leaderboard throughout the 20 days. Teams embraced the spirit of the challenge with creative names including The Pace Invaders, The Last Leg, We Are the One and Only!, The Quad Squad, Move It Crew, Legs Miserables, Remember, There Is No 'I' in Team... But There Are Two in Martini So Everyone Back to My Place? and The Diamond Dougs. 

As photos and activity updates flooded in, team positions shifted daily, keeping the competition alive right up until the final day.

Congratulations to our winners

After an impressive collective effort, congratulations go to the joint winners, The Last Leg and The Quad Squad, who finished at the top of the leaderboard and were crowned this year's 20 in 20 Challenge champions, completing the full 20 mins of activity over 20 days and gaining the full 80 points.

More than a competition

While there may have been winning teams, the real success of the challenge was the collective commitment shown by colleagues across the organisation.

From early morning walks and lunchtime runs to evening gym sessions and family bike rides, staff found ways to build movement into their daily routines and experience the physical and mental wellbeing benefits that come with being active.

YSF Bradford Development Manager Tahir Akram said:

"For someone who is fairly active but not every day, this challenge really helped me move on the days when I didn't have any sport planned. Simple things like parking further away or walking to the co-op instead of driving helped me get my 20 minutes in. And, importantly, I'm super competitive and would have hated being the one who let the team down!"

The challenge reinforced the important role that regular activity can play in boosting energy levels, supporting mental wellbeing, reducing stress and building healthier habits for the long term.

Practising what we preach

At Yorkshire Sport Foundation, we work every day to help people across Yorkshire become more active. The 20 in 20 Challenge allowed colleagues to embrace that mission themselves while supporting one another along the way.

Looking ahead

Although the challenge has now come to an end, the hope is that the positive habits built over the last 20 days will continue long beyond National Fitness Day.

Whether it was discovering a new activity, spending more time outdoors or simply finding 20 minutes each day to move more, the challenge demonstrated that small changes can make a big difference.

A huge thank you goes to Charlotte Faint, YSF Communities Manager, for organising the challenge, and to everyone who took part and helped make the National Fitness Day 20 in 20 Challenge such a success.

Together, Team YSF has shown that when we support each other to move more, everybody wins. 🏆💙