Get Together, Get Active

GET TOGETHER, GET ACTIVE WEEK

11-15 july

Pelican Tour

One of the main aims of the week was to encourage people to get out into the fresh air and meet colleagues from across the department. Tuesday’s group nature walk around St James’ Park was a great way to do this, with expert wildlife commentary from Drew Love-Jones, Senior Wildlife Officer at the Royal Parks.

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Government Art Collection

Despite being administered by DCMS, very few of us have actually seen the astonishing Government Art Collection. During two small group tours, the hugely knowledgeable GAC curators showed off some of their favourite pieces. These included a well-known portrait of Charles II, which confronts issues of race and representation in art, and Sonia Boyce’s fascinating piece ‘The Audition in Colour’.

Manchester Football Museum

A guided tour of the National Football Museum in Manchester revealed the oldest surviving FA Cup medal from 1872, and explained more about Blackpool's cup hero Sir Stanly Matthews, and the case of the stolen World Cup from 1966. Fantastic displays covered important figures in football including women’s footballing pioneer Lily Parr and the first black footballer, Arthur Wharton.

Manchester Football

What started as a one-off kickabout in Manchester has become a regular event. If you would like to be involved please get in touch with David Tickle.

Step Challenge Results

Running over 9 days, over 150 colleagues took part in the Get Together, Get Active Step Challenge. Covering a distance just shy of 16 million steps (or 7,900 miles). Congratulations to team Perry’s Heroes from the Commonwealth Games Delivery Unit (CGDU) who topped the table with a total of 1,036,991 steps. Second, with 937,688 steps were Step Club 7 of Cyber Security and Digital Identity, beating Shanks’s Pony (also of CGDU) into 3rd. Final results table. Each member of the winning team will receive a £10 high street voucher courtesy of the SSN and Civil Service Sports and Social Club (CSSC). The event raised over £190 (before Gift Aid) for DCMS’s two great charitable causes New Horizon in London or GMYN in Manchester. You can still support your colleagues who took part!.

2 new sport launches!

New DCMS Running Community - Join here!Get Together, Get Active week saw the launch of a brand new DCMS Running Community. Members of the new group ventured out for a social 10km run on Wednesday after work around St James’, Green and Hyde Parks. The only rule being, “If you can’t chat, you’re going too fast”. Everyone of all abilities is welcome!

New Active Travel (Run, Walk, Cycle) Community If you're interested, please get in touch with Thomas.Paish@dcms.gov.uk.