We’re all about a good walk in and around Manchester, being surrounded by such beautiful countryside. Therefore, GM Ringway is pretty exciting for us in the region as it comprises an entire ring around the county, hitting many of the beauty spots. Now, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity has teamed up with the GM Ringway to organise the city region’s biggest ever sponsored walk.
The event, ‘Circle Home‘, will include a weekend of walking to raise much-needed funds to help support people experiencing homelessness in Greater Manchester.
The Circle Home weekend of sponsored walks will take place from Friday 8 – Monday 11 September, where individuals and groups are invited to take part by signing up to do a sponsored walk along one or more of the 20 stages of GM Ringway and pledge a minimum of £1 per mile.
Designed around existing footpaths, parks and open-access land, the GM Ringway is green in every way, as it’s designed to be accessed by public transport. The route, which explores all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester, is 186 miles (300km) long and takes in a wide variety of landscapes as well as heritage attractions such as stately homes, museums and ancient monuments. What’s more there are plenty of pubs, cafes and restaurants along the route.
SEE ALSO: Salford Red Devils Team Up With Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity To Tackle Homelessness In Region
Across the weekend, the GM Ringway team will offer a series of five Circle Home guided sponsored walks suitable for all ages and fitness levels, providing a fantastic opportunity for friends, families and colleagues to come together in support of this important cause, while enjoying the nature and heritage on their doorstep. While free to reserve a spot, participants will be expected to fundraise for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity.
Pick your GM Ringway sponsored walk route from the following:
- Launch walk (September 8)
- Strines to Marple (September 9)
- Accessible Walk – Salford Quays (September 9)
- Wigan to Leigh (September 10)
- Accessible Walk – Greenfield and Uppermill (September 10)
In addition, individuals and groups will also be able to raise funds by walking the trail independently using the free-of-charge Go Jauntly walking and wellbeing app.
Andrew Read, GM Ringway’s Project Lead, said: “Together, GM Ringway and the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity look forward to fostering a sense of community spirit and addressing homelessness head-on through the Circle Home fundraising event. By taking part, the people of Greater Manchester can make a lasting impact and create positive change for those most in need.
“Homelessness is an issue that affects our community deeply, and by encouraging local people to lace up their walking boots and sign up for a sponsored walk, we hope to play our part in ending homelessness in our region. Every step counts.”
A list of each of the 20 stages, alongside shorter and more inclusive step-free walks, can be found on the GM Ringway website. Each stage starts and finishes at a public transport stop – in most cases a train station or tram stop – and so it’s easy to tackle two or three over the weekend.
With every mile covered, the pounds raised will help change lives. Would-be walkers can find out more, sign up and start fundraising here.