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MNers needed to take part in the PruHealth Vitality Experience

164 replies

AnnMumsnet · 08/01/2014 13:36

We've been asked by PruHealth to find 10 Mumsnetters to take part in their Vitality Experience designed to introduce the full range of discounts, benefits and rewards available by being a PruHealth with Vitality member.

This 2-month long challenge is aimed especially towards Mumsnetters looking to make healthier lifestyle choices for themselves as well as their families. You don?t need to be an existing PruHealth member to take part, just be in the market for easier ways to make healthy choices for you and your family.

Here's what PruHealth have to say:

"We believe the more you look after yourself, the healthier you feel. That's why we offer our customers Vitality when they buy our health insurance. Vitality is the world's largest incentive-based wellness programme and can make getting and staying healthy both easier and cheaper, but also reward you for all of your hard work!"

The Vitality Experience will kick off at PruHealth HQ in central London on Friday 17th January. Where you'll be provided with everything you'll need, including a Vitality Healthcheck to better understand your health, advice on healthy eating from a qualified nutritionist and an exercise plan designed by a Virgin Active personal trainer to get you on your way.

Each week participants will be presented with a new Vitality benefit - from earning additional Nectar points when you buy healthy foods at Sainsbury's, taking advantage of discounts at Virgin Active or treating the family to a trip to the cinema! Vitality aims to make healthy living fun, easy and rewarding.

Below you'll find a full schedule of the Vitality Experience:

Week 1 - Get Gyming - Kick start your January resolutions with a free 2-month pass to a Virgin Active gym and £50 to spend on new gym gear at Sweatshop.
Week 2 - 5-a-Day - Get £50 worth of Nectar points to spend on healthy food choices at Sainsbury's.
Week 3 - Step It Up - Get motivated to increase your daily step count with your new FitBug pedometer.
Week 4 - Family Treat - Take the family out on a trip to the cinema with £40 worth of vouchers to either Cineworld or Vue cinemas.
Week 5 - Half-Term & Half-Time - Check in with your Virgin Active personal trainer for a free 1hr session to boost your gym routine.
Week 6 - Discounts Dispensed - Get £25 worth of vouchers to test drive our up to 50% cashback at Lloyds Pharmacy benefit.
Week 7 - Choose Your Reward - Take your pick between discounts to Merlin attractions, National Trust parks or travel with Eurostar, Mark Warner or Mr & Mrs Smith getaways.
Week 8 - Wrap Up - Finish the Vitality Experience with a day of pampering at Champney's spa.

Participants selected will be required to give regular feedback (at least once a week) on the MN thread to report back on how they're finding each of the benefits as well as to give support to the other MNers participating in the Vitality Experience.

To take part we're looking for MNers who:

~ Are able to attend the launch day in central London, kicking off at 10am on Friday 17th January (transport costs will be covered).
~ Can commit to taking part in each of the weekly experiences above between the 17th January and 14th March.
~ Are able to do their food shopping at a Sainsbury's store, access a Virgin Active gym and have either a Cineworld or Vue cinema nearby (NB: this excludes Virgin Active gyms at Clements Hall, Rayleigh or Chiswick Riverside).
~ Are able to document their experience on a weekly basis via the Mumsnet thread as well as by video blog on the handheld flipcam provided (which you can keep as an additional thank you!).
~ Are able to attend the wrap up day at Champney's Spa in Tring on Friday 14th March (transport costs will be covered).
~ Are happy for PruHealth to use your feedback on the experience across their future marketing materials and/or website - inclusive of photography, video or print where relevant.

If you'd like to be considered please add your details here and we'll be in touch with selected MNers asap.

Any questions please post below.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

OP posts:
smallinthesmoke · 18/01/2014 22:19

Hello, tis orange cardigan lady here (great list Gwenstacy, v helpful). It was lovely to meet you all. Cointreau I do hope you are feeling better.
For Sweatshop Audrey, did you find the gift voucher in your pack? I keep worrying I am losing important things as we got given so many bits and bobs and instructions!
I went to my local Virgin gym today. They were lovely but it was clearly quite an unusual thing for them to process. They asked me to sign a long contract which I wasn't sure about, and told me how much I would need to pay once my free period ended (£38 a month Confused) so I made an appointment to go back tomorrow when the right person will be in and should know how to process me. Happily they did let me pop for a swim / sauna which was lush. I was the only person in the pool. I feel so lucky to be part of this.
Top tip- if all Virgin gyms are the same, you need to take your own padlock or buy one (£5!). Also I took my own towel. Have a feeling they charge extra for them.

Kewcumber · 18/01/2014 22:23

would it be very wrong of me to buy these www.sweatshop.co.uk/shoes/cushioned/brooks-green-silence-men-s-running-shoes-aw12.html just because I like the look of them Blush

WalkingThePlank · 18/01/2014 23:34

Yes, the voucher was in our pack. I think it was a gift card type thing - dark blue packaging with white and lime green writing. I think it is a £50 gift card as opposed to 50% that usual Vitality members would get.

Audreyblue · 19/01/2014 08:32

Kew - I was sitting on your right!

Ok found the sweatshop voucher. So you put all the stuff in your shopping basket then click the button for Pruvitality? Is this right? Then the £50 comes off? Will try this later. Hope it works.

Bagtrainlady · 19/01/2014 10:07

Right I have attempted to namechange -hopefully my descriptive new title will explain who I was if the change is successful

I have registered and linked the nectar card, my fitbug, done the health check which has given me a vitality age of 43 Sad, later I am going to collect my gym card (can't actually go as my dm is visiting and I have a birthday party to go to) but I will be attempting the work-out the trainer set us. Even though my quads burn like blazes from the demo she gave us Unfit! I am also going to check out the Sweatshop at my local Virgin gym before I buy online though I did see some of those sports bras mentioned in their sale in my size!

Good luck fellow Vitality-isers, I'm looking forward to hearing about everyone's exploits! (And hope you are feeling better Cointreau)

Kewcumber · 19/01/2014 10:12

glad I'm not the only one wincing from about 30 seconds of those exercises... unlike you I wasn;t going to admit it.

Kewcumber · 19/01/2014 23:07

I don't think you can use the gift card online which is a bit odd - I'm pretty sure we were told that we could use it online or instore. Getting to a shop is going to be a bit of a chore and a bit difficult this week.

NewMeByEaster · 20/01/2014 10:38

Hi Ladies, I have missed out on this whole conversation as I spent the weekend recovering from my 5am start on Friday. Thanks Gwen I know who everyone is now I think. I am lady in stripy jumper. Have name changed for this. Was thinking it was quite a motivational name, but now feeling it might be something of an impossible task!

Anyway, have done 3747 steps so far this morning, and am off join the gym. Thanks for tips about towels and padlocks small.

WalkingThePlank · 20/01/2014 10:58

Hmm, I can't use the Sweatshop voucher online either. I don't have the spare time to spend half a day travelling to and from the nearest store on the off-chance they have my size - my experience is that sports-stores don't like to stock clothing for women bigger than a size 10 or taller than about 5'5" and so find online better. (Reading that back, perhaps sports-shops don't stock women's clothing at all, it's really aimed at teenage girls).

Alas, the voucher won't work which is a shame. I was going to buy some running bras but since I have a woman's chest (rather than a teenager's) I don't expect them to be in-store.

Audreyblue · 20/01/2014 11:06

Walkingtheplank - I also cannot use the sweatshop voucher online and my nearest store is quite a trek away. Still waiting for confirmation of my gym membership. Would have loved to have gone yesterday and today. Have been walking a lot with my Fitbug. It's great! Running up and down the stairs like a mad woman too!

AnnMumsnet · 20/01/2014 11:22

Feedback thread now live - with a prize each week for non participants.

OP posts:
GwenStacy · 20/01/2014 12:29

I've just had an email saying it can only be used instore…

Audreyblue · 20/01/2014 14:25

Willemdefoeismine - how did you manage to order from Sweatshop online?

loopsngeorge · 20/01/2014 14:28

I'm several steps behind the rest of you!! No fitbug on, no sweatshop stuff but I am lunging and planking at every opportunity!
Thanks for the info about the voucher - gives me an excuse to pay Westfield a visit. Going to try the gym out tomorrow and see what classes they've got and redo my vitality age in the hope it's gone down.

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