ACTIVE Cheshire has praised Winsford Town Council for taking ‘positive steps’ to encourage healthy living with the very first Walkabout Winsford.

Active Cheshire, an established charity of 25 years, are aiming to get 50,000 people more active, more often, by 2017.

Every year the charity invests more than £500,000 each year on behalf of Sport England, Cheshire West and Chester Council and other partners.

Now, Active Cheshire has pledged their support to Walkabout Winsford, which will kick off at Barton Stadium on Sunday, March 8, from 1pm.

“This is the first time we have seen such positive action from a town council,” Anne Boyd, chief executive of Active Cheshire, said.

“Winsford is quite a challenge as well. Winsford’s community has lots of different types of people and quite a lot of disparity. What they have done as a town council is incredible.”

The charity’s latest initiative, This Girl Can, is a national campaign developed by Sport England to get more women up and down the country active:

“It’s about challenging mums to be healthy,” Anne, from Winsford said. “It's about bringing real women together, not gym buddies, but mums.

“They just need to make simple changes to their lives.”

Active Cheshire has been working with mums in Winsford and so far Anne says the programme has ‘really made a difference’.

“Walkabout Winsford has given us a chance to reach even more mums,” she said. “The fact that it is such a family friendly event has made it so much more attractive for us.

“The mums of Winsford will be out in force, that’s for sure.”

Alan Warburton, Winsford Town Council clerk said the council are ‘delighted’ Active Cheshire are supporting Walkabout Winsford.

He said: “The Town Council is trying to do its bit to encourage people to take more exercise.

“Sunday's family walk is just one of three major 'fitness' events this year – the others being the 'Salt Town's Shaker' cycle ride in June and 'Run Winsford' in October'.

“So shake off those winter blues and join us for the first ever 'Walkabout Winsford.”

For more information or for a registration form, email walkaboutwinsford@hotmail.com or pick up a form from Winsford Town Council’s office at Wyvern House.