Upbeat Drinks join forces to put muscle health on national agenda with #657challenge
Posted on January 16th, 2017
Family charity the Muscle Help Foundation (MHF) and family-owned protein drinks brand Upbeat are delighted to announce a new 3-year partnership to increase the awareness of muscle health. In coming together, they aim to promote the importance of looking after all 657 muscles and to deliver transformational experiences to those whose muscles are broken through muscular dystrophy. Because every muscle matters.
MHF delivers life-changing, personalised experiences, known as ‘Muscle Dreams’, to children and young people (aged 8 to 28) with muscular dystrophy (MD) and allied neuromuscular conditions. CEO, founder and inspirational speaker, Michael McGrath, who was diagnosed with MD at the age of 18, is the first disabled person to have reached both the North and South Poles.
To mark the partnership, Upbeat is launching the #657challenge to encourage the nation to look after each and every one of their 657 muscles and in so doing, raise money for the charity. The two brands are hoping the challenge will go viral, in the same way as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge did in the summer of 2015!
HOW TO TAKE THE #657challenge
And support those with Muscular Dystrophy
√ Get all your muscles moving
√ Help generate awareness of muscle health
√ Raise money for our charity
The challenge itself is quick and easy; it can be done anywhere, anytime. Simply drop from a standing position into a sitting position and back up again, all the time balancing a full cup of water on your head – the less water you spill, the more impressive! It’s a full-body test of mobility, strength, balance and co-ordination and is designed to get all your muscles moving and hopefully provide a few laughs at the same time!
STEP 1Fill a plastic cup with water and place on your head with both hands STEP 2From standing, hold the cup in place on your head with both hands STEP 3Bend your legs to lower yourself to the ground until you’re sitting fully cross-legged on the floor – bottom must be in contact with the ground! STEP 4From sitting, lift yourself back up from the floor, without removing the cup from your head – this is where there could be some water spillage! |
If you haven’t lost a drop, that means you have excellent mobility and muscle strength. If you now have a wet head, don’t worry, practice makes perfect and it’s a good daily drill to keep all your muscles moving!
HOW TO CHALLENGE YOUR FRIENDS
Now you know how to do it, here’s how to challenge your friends and raise awareness for our cause.
STEP 1
Take the #657challenge and make sure someone is filming you
STEP 2
Upload the clip to your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page – or all three!
STEP 3
In your accompanying text, tag three of your friends and include the hashtag #657challenge
NOW NOMINATE & DONATE
For example:
I nominate XXX, XXX and XXX to take the #657challenge in support of the Muscle Help Foundation. To donate, text MUSC13 with the amount of £5 to 70070.
Both brands will be approaching as many of their celebrity contacts, patrons, ambassadors and friends to take part in the #657challenge. Guaranteed to be lots of fun, it’s also hoped that more awareness will be raised about the important work and impact of the charity.
| Michael McGrath, MHF’s CEO said: “Over the past few months, we have had a chance to get to know Mark and the team at Upbeat. There’s a clear alignment of values and we’re very excited about this new collaboration. The charity’s focus is on providing life-changing experiences for those whose muscles are broken and don’t work and for whom doing the #657challenge would be nigh on impossible, whilst Upbeat wants to encourage the nation to keep their muscles healthy, so there’s a natural synergy between our two organisations. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Upbeat over the next 3 years and we love the idea of the #657challenge. We’re hopeful that the fundraising mechanism will help the charity move closer to its goal of delivering 657 ‘Muscle Dreams’, that’s one for every muscle in the human body. In the same way that the Ice Bucket Challenge brought worldwide awareness of ALS, we want the #657challenge to bring attention to Muscular Dystrophy and by default, our cause. Bring on the next 3 years!” |
| Mark Neville, Managing Director of Upbeat said: “Meeting Michael and experiencing first-hand the direct impact that he and The Muscle Help Foundation make on the lives of others is truly inspirational. To have found a charity local to Upbeat in Hertfordshire with a similar mission (the importance of muscle), but from two different worlds has been a serendipitous journey. Using the MHF’s #powerof657 campaign message, we can help spread awareness of the importance of muscle health, and how many of us take it for granted, then we can finally get the British public talking about this crucial health indicator. We cannot wait for the #657challenge to become a success and for the nation to not only realise just how much every muscle matters but also help this small charity change more lives.” |
For a comment from Michael McGrath:
Please contact Lydia Drukarz at Wavelength PR on:
M: 07977 454180
E: lydia@wavelengthpr.com
For a comment from Mark Neville:
Please contact Alex Moss at Dirt and Glory Media on:
M: 07977 133705
E: alex.moss@dirtandglorymedia.com
ABOUT UPBEAT
At Upbeat, we want to inspire everyone to make positive changes in their lives and the lives of others, powered by great nutrition and a fun-filled active lifestyle. We believe that starts with healthy muscles. It was our grandfather Dick that started our journey with his determination to extract every bit of goodness from British milk. As a family, we carry on his legacy of putting the natural, great tasting, muscle-feeding goodness of whey within anyone’s reach. Upbeat is a smooth blend of whey and fruit, made with just the right amount of whey protein from British milk. Upbeat is all-day body fuel, giving active bodies the high-quality protein they need at any time of day, fuelling healthy muscles and helping to maintain energy levels. Treated well, our muscles keep us lean, strong and life ready.
Website: feelingupbeat.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/feelingupbeat
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/feelingupbeat
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feelingupbeat/
