Valuable new insight created by the Essex Centre for Data Analytics (ecda) has informed the launch of Basildon Street Tag, a new incentivised exercise app bringing communities together with outdoor or indoor exercise, by turning streets into a giant virtual playground.

ecda brought together a mass of available data on health behaviours and matched it with data on things like available green spaces and crime rates to discover which neighbourhoods in Essex participated in less than 30 minutes of physical activity and why, to support the Essex Local Delivery Pilot team (LDP) in its journey to build healthier, more active communities across Essex

An online dashboard was created by ecda enabling colleagues in the LDP to identify the areas most in need, and determine whether free bikes or bongos will have more success initiating activity and kickstarting new community groups. The tool is available here via the Open Data website.

The online tool highlighted seven areas in Basildon where activity is lowest and where the most gains could be made through offering free activities. The insight provided by ecda helped the LDP to understand that people fear using local parks and open spaces because they perceive crime to be high and the amount of free facilities to be low. As a consequence the LDP wanted to deliver a service that would entice greater numbers of people to use free community assets such as parks, address and reduce their fears of exercising in isolation, and create a greater sense of ownership of their community spaces.

The Basildon Street Tag app was launched in the seven most inactive communities identified by the ecda insight and rewards schools, friends, families and individuals for being active by giving points every time they go for a walk, run or bike ride and as a result they move up their local leader board to win prizes such as amazon vouchers, gift cards and sports equipment.

Find out more about the ecda Let's Get Physical project here.