Chorlton schoolchildren got into the Olympic spirit early in advance of this summer’s Rio Games when they were joined by two former Olympians for a Greater Manchester Walking festival event.
Pupils from Oswald Road Primary School were joined by Courtney Fry, a boxer at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, and Diane Hennessey (formerly Ashton), who swam for Great Britain in the 1972 Munich Olympics.
The walk, led by walking group ‘For the love of Chorlton’ and supported by Manchester City Council, was part of the World Fit Campaign 2016, which aims to encourage schoolchildren to walk or run part of the distance from Manchester to Rio (5,813 miles) ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Courtney Fry said after the walk: “It was an amazing turnout and excellent to see everyone involved, with smiles and laughter everywhere. It was so refreshing to see the young people get active. It was a tremendous event!”
The Olympian walk was one of more than 200 ‘led walks’ that took place during May’s Greater Manchester Walking Festival, coordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and supported by around 30 walking groups and charities across the region.
The festival – now in its second year and returning for a third in 2017 – saw thousands of people taking part and putting their best foot forward.
Helen Ramsden, Head of Travel Choices and Active Travel at TfGM, said: “It’s been great to see so many people taking part in the festival and out walking, both young and old. Walking is an easy way to get healthy, and can easily be fitted into people’s everyday lives.
“The response has been excellent and the festival has been made possible by all the volunteers and groups that have helped out. We look forward to the festival being even bigger and better than next year.”
For those who didn’t manage to get involved in the festival, there’s still time to get out and about with free TfGM ‘Walking Weekends’ starting later this summer. Walking Weekends will offer something for every age, interest and ability, and will provide walks across Greater Manchester.
