Groups receive GM Walking and Wheeling Fund investment ahead of winter 2025/26

By GM Moving | 01 December 2025 | TAGS: GM Walking and Wheeling Fund

Nineteen grassroots organisations have received a huge boost in their efforts to support more people to walk and wheel through the winter thanks to the GM Walking and Wheeling Fund.

The fund, supported by GM Integrated Care Partnership and distributed by GM Moving, Salford CVS and 10GM, has invested £85,000 into groups spanning all ten GM boroughs.

As in previous funding rounds, support has been targeted towards the groups least likely to be active, providing opportunities for the visually impaired community, women and girls, older adults, and ethnically diverse communities.

This year, in response to feedback from previously funded groups, the size of the medium grants has risen to £7,000 and the project delivery period increased from four to six months.

The 12 medium grants (up to £7,000) will help the likes of Bury Society for Blind and Partially Sighted People to support people newly diagnosed with sight loss to increase their confidence in walking outside.

Bury-based Speakeasy will use its investment to codesign and develop resources on accessible walking routes in all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs for people following a stroke.

Inspire Support Sports Empower (ISSE) plans to launch a walking group in Oldham for Bangladeshi men who are inactive due to the nature of their work.

Rochdale AFC Community Trust will use the investment to create walking groups for children and adults with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions, and for adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Meanwhile, seven organisations will receive small grants (up to £2,000) with Whalley Range Women’s Walking Group bringing together local women experiencing multiple forms of disadvantage to get active together over the winter.

Migrant Haven will be offering walking groups in Bolton, Salford, and Trafford for sanctuary seekers and Alameen for Humanitarian Support will create a culturally sensitive walking offer for Muslim men and women.

In Tameside, Cedar Park and Hurst Community Group plan to bring the community of St Michael’s ward together through a walking and wheeling peer support group.

GM Moving’s Community Walking Lead, Carole Pollard, said: 

"I’m very interested to see the positive impact the changes we’ve made to this year’s fund will have for organisations and participants which are a direct result of the feedback from groups.

"We’re delighted to work with so many amazing small charities and organisations to create the conditions for more people in Greater Manchester to be a little bit more active.

"Getting outside during winter can feel hard, but those who are least active have the most to gain by moving a little more, so it’s vital we support those who know local need inside out.

"Walking provides lots of amazing physical and mental health benefits, so we have to design places and spaces where walking and wheeling is accessible to everyone.

"The joy of group activity and social interactions from moving more are all the more important in winter, and I can’t wait to support these groups to do some fantastic work.”