More opportunities than ever to get involved in GM Walking Festival 2025

By GM Moving | 06 February 2025 | TAGS: GM Walking, Walking and Wheeling

The annual GM Walking Festival is fast approaching with GM Moving partners across Greater Manchester urged to share the opportunity to join the movement and get involved. 

The GM Walking Festival is a celebration of walking and wheeling, as part of May’s National Walking Month, providing an opportunity for everyone to celebrate the benefits of moving more.  

And after listening to feedback, organisers GM Moving have increased the number of ways that partners can be involved and use the Festival to fulfil their own objectives.  

It’s hoped that, with GM Moving support, even more local authorities, charities, workplaces, health and education settings, and community groups can join the movement.  

Here’s how you can get involved this year: 

Hosting a public walk. Like previous years, whether you’re a regular walk host or not, we need partner support to create a programme of free group walks designed and organised by and for local people. 

Last year more than 400 public walks were submitted to form a fantastic programme of walking and wheeling opportunities across the entire breadth of the city region.  

Public walks can be submitted until Friday 22 March and will be available on the GM Walking website in April. Submit your walk here.  

There’s also the opportunity to create private walks, an offer aimed at businesses, nurseries, and schools, so they can share their event(s) with people in their community.  

It is hoped that these organisations can use the Festival, and National Walking Month more broadly, to kickstart new, healthy habits and routines.  

Finally, GM Moving ask everyone to sign-up and commit to celebrating everyday walking and wheeling throughout the GM Walking Festival.  

This may include sharing how you/your organisation benefits from creating the conditions for moving more and/or link into Mental Health Awareness Week (12-18 May) or Walk To School Week (19-23 May).  

Signing-up gives partners access to GM Walking Festival resources and support and ensures they get the most out of National Walking Month. 

GM Moving are here to help.   

The GM Moving team are here to support your involvement with the GM Walking Festival and ensure it’s tailored suitably to allow you to fulfil your walking and wheeling ambitions.  

If you’d like a chat about how the GM Walking Festival can support your work get in touch with the GM Walking Festival team via [email protected]  

Grants of up to £100 to support community walk organisers to plan and host a walk during the GM Walking Festival in May and help to sustain the walking activity beyond this are also available..  

You can find out more about the grants at one of our two Zoom Support sessions on Thursday 13 February (10-11am) or Monday 10 February (5-6pm). Book a place here.  

What happens next? 

The deadline for public and private walks to be submitted is 5pm on Friday 21 March. Private links will be shared with organisers and public walks will be available on the GM Walking website in April.