New walking opportunities in some of Greater Manchester’s most deprived neighbourhoods
05/11/2026
Hundreds of new walking opportunities are coming to some of Greater Manchester’s most deprived neighbourhoods this winter thanks to GM Walking and Wheeling Fund investment.
The GM Walking and Wheeling Fund, supported by NHS GM, and distributed by GM Moving, Salford CVS and 10GM is putting nearly £85,000 into grassroot community organisations.
21 organisations who regularly work with those who face the most barriers to being active will benefit with 10 receiving small grants (up to £2,000) and 11 picking up medium grants (up to £7,000).
In line with GM Live Well, successful groups will be building on local strengths, connections, and working with communities to deliver great everyday support in every neighbourhood.
In Manchester, Bike It Walk It, are using their medium grant to create new walking groups in Cheetham Hill and Crumpsall for South Asian women with diabetes.
The CIC will be working with women referred to them via the local Primary Care Network (PCN) and expect more than 30 patients to benefit from the 20-week programme.
Cheetham/Crumpsall has the second-highest level of diabetes in the UK, with local ward data from the NHS showing inactivity and poor health outcomes significantly above the national average.
The project enjoyed a successful trial earlier this year and combines walking with education and health advice in a monitored peer supported ownership approach.
As well as being a female-led initiative, the session leader is a qualified interpreter who can provide translation (Urdu/Punjabi) and visits from diabetes experts.
Participants will complete baseline assessments and blood tests before and after the programme to measure change in behaviours and overall health.
Meanwhile in Salford, Walking Mums Club are creating two, free weekly walks for pregnant and post-natal people in Ordsall Park and Buile Hill Park within the Salford South East PCN area.
Like Bike It Walk It, a proportion (eight) of the 64 planned, weekly walks will be enhanced Walk and Talk sessions with relevant local health or wellbeing professionals.
Beis Menachem Chabad Lubavitch and Langworthy Cornerstone Association have also received medium grants in the 2026-27 round to create new opportunities in Salford.
Manchester Deaf Centre, Silent Patient Network, and StepUp Manchester Black Men Community will be delivering in various areas across the city of Manchester to tackle health inequalities.
And Billy and Andy’s Music School (Trafford), Diversity Matters North West (Hyde), KRIMMZ Girls Youth Club (Bolton) and OPAL (Oldham) were also successful from the 127 grant applications.
“It’s fantastic to see a huge range of different types of organisations being successful with their applications to the GM Walking and Wheeling Fund for 2026-27. It’s so important for us to work with and fund those organisations who are a trusted part of their communities, so our money reaches those who need the extra support most. All our community organisations are so important in delivering great everyday support in every neighbourhood and we’ll continue to support our unsuccessful applicants wherever we can.”
Carole Pollard, Community Walking Lead at GM Moving