MPs office staff are fit for purpose

A Welshpool charity has received a significant boost after Montgomeryshire MP Steve Witherden's office claimed victory in this year's prestigious 'Fit for Office' challenge.

Staff from Mr Witherden's team outperformed 49 other Parliamentary offices to take the top spot in the month-long fitness initiative hosted by ukactive in partnership with Myzone during March.

In a display of commitment to the challenge, staff member Bobby Crosby, from Welshpool, cycled 323 miles from Southend-on-Sea to Aberystwyth, raising £1,555 for Ponthafren, a mental health charity operating across Newtown and Welshpool areas.

Mr Crosby's effort earned him the inaugural 'Spirit of Myzone Award' in recognition of his dedication throughout the challenge.

The 'Fit for Office' competition, now in its third year in the UK, saw record participation with 207 entrants from across Parliament. The initiative has also been held in the United States and Australia.

Participants used Myzone's wearable technology to track their physical activity.

Steve Witherden MP said: "I am incredibly proud that my office has grabbed the gold in this year's Fit for Office challenge. I am a qualified coach in two different sports and worked in fitness suites in Denbighshire and Ceredigion many moons ago and know how important it is for your physical and mental health to stay active."

He added: "The other week I had to stand up and down so repeatedly to speak during Science, Innovation and Technology Questions that my quadriceps are now almost as big as those of my staff member Bobby, who cycled the width of England and Wales – including across our Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr constituency – in his quest for pole position."

The challenge comes at a critical time when the Government is addressing declining physical and mental health across the population. Workplace sickness currently costs the economy £138 billion annually, while poor mental health among employees costs businesses £51 billion each year.

Ponthafren, which will benefit from Mr Crosby's fundraising efforts, has been providing vital mental health support services to the Newtown community and surrounding areas for many years. The charity offers counselling, wellbeing activities, and support groups from its centre in the heart of Newtown, making it a cornerstone of mental health provision in the region.

The physical activity sector, which organisations like Ponthafren complement through their wellbeing programmes, generates more than £10.5 billion in savings every year by reducing cases of disease and relieving demands on health and social care services.