Be ‘pawsitive’ and chase the Active April challenge

Victorians are once again being urged to sign up and get active through the Premier’s Active April challenge, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year.

To demonstrate the “pawsitive” benefits of getting active with pets, Minister for Sport John Eren joined AFL Women’s Melbourne Demons captain Daisy Pearce, Western Bulldogs captain Katie Brennan and Nine News personality Peter Hitchener at Gosch’s Paddock earlier this month to run some four-legged friends through their paces on the Active April “Dogstacle” course.

“Active April is the perfect opportunity to get moving and get healthy,” Mr Eren said.

“We all love our pets, and one of the best ways to keep them happy is to spend time with them getting active in the great outdoors.”

Everyone should enjoy the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle, but research shows it’s not the case.

More than 50 per cent of Victorian adults fail to meet the recommended levels of physical activity, while 80 per cent of children don’t exercise enough.

Premier’s Active April is a great place to start – and getting involved is free and simple.

This year’s campaign is encouraging Victorians of all ages and abilities to register and call on their pets as a fun and easy way to increase levels of physical activity.

During Active April Ambassador Daisy Pearce’s downtime, her favourite way to increase her physical activity is by walking her dog.

“When I’m not training, my favourite way to get active is to take our staffy Django for a run or walk,” she said.

“Pets are more than loyal companions – like me, they’re also advocates for a healthy lifestyle.”

A new personalised “My Local” feature on the website will be introduced to help people find local activities, events and offers within their local community.

Active April is also a great way for workplaces to boost morale around the office, and workplace teams are encouraged to apply.

It’s as easy as taking the stairs, walking the kids to school or getting out in the garden. Just by registering, all participants receive prizes including:

• 10 free passes to participating YMCA centres and other local facilities
• Discounts at Sportsmart to help with the cost of getting the right equipment
• One-hour free tennis court hire at Melbourne Park or Albert Reserve
• Two-for-one tickets to the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium
• A chance to win more great prizes like tickets to the 2019 Australian Open Tennis Finals.

Sign up today at activeapril.vic.gov.au or follow the campaign on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Registrations are open until April 30.