The It’s Great Out There Coalition has launched a major initiative across Europe to boost the profile of the #itsgreatoutthere campaign and inspire the public to introduce family, friends and colleagues to outdoor activities. For a month from Friday 23 September, the #takesomeoneoutdoors competition will run on Instagram and is offering thousands of euros worth of kit, in prizes donated by coalition members and other supporters. The first week of the competition coincides with the 2022 European Week of Sport and will help raise the profile of the outdoor sector as part of the European Commission’s #beactive project to combat inactivity and fight obesity.

Running from 23 September to 23 October, the #takesomeoneoutdoors competition is open to anyone in Europe. The simple mechanic involves individuals taking another person (or people) outdoors to participate in physical activity in nature. They need to take a photograph of whoever is outside together and post it on Instagram with the hashtags #takesomeoneoutdoors, #beactive and #itsgreatoutthere.

There are 15 prize packages of outdoor kit, worth a total of over €7,500. The prizes have been donated by It’s Great Out There Coalition members and other outdoor companies, including; Garmont, Ternua, Regatta, Cotswold Outdoor, Black Yak, Snow + Rock, The North Face, KEEN, Vango, Dryrobe, Runners Need, and AKU. After the competition closes, the coalition team will review all of the entries and choose winners.

It's Great Out There Coalition secretary general Margo de Lange comments: “We’re excited about the potential of the #takesomeoneoutdoors competition. It’s such a straightforward concept that’s easy for people everywhere to get involved in. Whether you want to share a sunrise hike up your favourite mountain, stroll along a beach for a chat, or simply go for a lunch-time walk in a local park with a colleague, we want to know about it and see your photo. And thanks to many coalition members and other outdoor brands, we’ve got some brilliant prize packages on offer that can help people enjoy even more outdoor experiences.

“This initiative is a simple and effective way to help spread the message about getting active in nature and is ideal for supporting the European Week of Sport and #beactive. It’s a fun approach to a serious problem. We know that 46% of all Europeans never exercise or play sport, and that has very detrimental effects on their health. Most people get involved in some type of physical activity through family members, friends or colleagues and #takesomeoneoutdoors is designed to encourage more of that.”

For more information about the #takesomeoneoutdoors competition and the prize packages, visit https://itsgreatoutthere.com/news-stories/takesomeoneoutdoors.

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