Stockport marks GM Moving in Action Week

As part of GM Moving in Action Week, Stockport Council, community partners and local organisations are showing how its Stockport Moving Together initiative is helping residents get active.

Stockport Moving Together aims to break down barriers and make movement an easy, natural part of daily life for residents, bringing the benefits of better health, stronger community connections, and building confidence and a sense of belonging.

Among the schemes in the borough supporting this mission is a partnership between Life Leisure and Age UK Stockport to deliver walking opportunities for everyone – from gentle indoor confidence walks to longer weekend wellness adventures.

The Stockport Walking Forum has given the community a voice, shaping future walking opportunities and helping create the Stockport Walking Network Facebook group, where people can connect, share walks and even train as walk leaders. And this September, the walking community will come together for the Age UK Stockport 40th Anniversary Walk Challenge: a celebration of community, wellbeing and 40 years of making a difference.

Elsewhere in the borough, other partnerships that are getting Stockport moving include:

• making swimming more inclusive for children and families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through tailored lessons, dedicated family swims and supported inflatable sessions, alongside training with Seashell Trust to build coaching skills
• bringing dance into community spaces through The Daily Dance – transforming markets and outdoor venues into dancefloors, building confidence, joy and connection for women and families of all ages
• supporting inclusion across the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, with Life Leisure, Seashell Trust and partners providing coaching and mentoring for staff to build skills, adapt activities and create inclusive opportunities for children with SEND
• offering one-to-one support through the Active Pathways referral scheme, which works with individuals to break down barriers to movement – from building confidence and attending sessions together, to finding the right local activity that fits their lifestyle
• working with GPs to support men aged 45 to 60, improving mental wellbeing and social connection through boxing with BOOST