Planet Earth Games goes live

With travel restrictions, social distancing and leisure opportunities severely limited due to the pandemic, families will be forgiven for wondering how to fill their summer this year.

The Planet Earth Games offers a unique opportunity throughout August for everyone to get active, learn more about environmental sustainability, help the planet and win prizes. And it’s all virtual and free to enter!

The event is an evolution of the South West Youth Games and was born out of a desire to address the climate crisis. Last year’s launch event took place in Exeter, billed as the world’s first environmental themed multi-sport event including plogging (picking up litter and jogging), paddle boarding, cycling, walking and kayaking.

The event had no single use plastic, employed a “leave no trace” approach and recycled medals and organisers were planning for the return of the event in 2020. With the arrival of the pandemic, organisers were forced to go back to the drawing board and instead have come up with a virtual event throughout August that retained their guiding principles of “Healthy Planet…Healthy People”.

Having teamed up with over 40 business and ambassadors – including Olympic gold medallists Hannah Mills and Etienne Stott - organisers have pulled together a month-long programme of events that features challenges as diverse as running in the natural environment to making coloured hummus to building boats out of recycled materials.

Daily prizes include a fitbit, wireless earphones, shopping vouchers, food hampers, year long magazine subscriptions and much more. Anyone who completes 10 challenges throughout August will also be eligible for a unique Planet Earth Games recycled medal.

Chris Broadbent, Chief Executive of Planet Earth Games said: “It has been a strange year for everyone, but we have an incredible event to help bring some real enjoyment to this summer.

“The Planet Earth Games is fun, inclusive and accessible to everyone. Whilst the pandemic has caused a lot of us to rethink our priorities, the ambitions to create a healthier, happier and more sustainable society have only strengthened. Planet Earth Games is set to help everyone play their part in nurturing a better environment for the future.”

The Planet Earth Games takes place every day from 1-31 August and entries are open now at www.planetearthgames.org