This week it's been Women's Sport Week, and Salford Community Leisure has chosen eight women to front its new This Girl Can Salford campaign, after the search began in June (see previous Salford Star article – click here).
The aim is to get more women of all ages and shapes to take up exercise and sport after a survey found that 63 per cent of women in Salford do not partake in any regular sporting activity. The women, selected from fifty who applied, will now be working to inspire others to get fit and healthy.
The eight women are...
Christine Bradley, age 50, from Salford who was an active 12-year-old until she was hit by a lorry. Christine has since spent years rehabilitating, including yo-yoing in weight, but has tried numerous sports and activities successfully, including most recently swimming the English Channel for charity.
Donna Phillips, age 37, from Eccles, who has lost 12 stone and got fit to improve her health and reduce the chances of having diabetes.
Gemma Kenney, aged 33, from Eccles, has used sport and fitness to improve her life and aid her recovery from an aggressive strain of breast cancer.
Josie Maley, age 35, from Worsley, who, as a novice, has mastered Ironman and triathlon challenges over the last year.
Kelly Fellowes, age 34, from Swinton, who struggled with gestational diabetes due to weight gain during her first pregnancy. Kelly took action to lose weight through exercise when she fell pregnant again, loosing around five stone in total and improving her life.
Kelly Morley, age 36, from Eccles, battled with her weight and had to deal with the loss of her partner finally getting in mega fit shape
Lynn Holden, age 55, from Salford, who has gone from a size 20 to a size 12 doing exercise and changing her lifestyle.
Rachael Powell, age 35, from Eccles, has dropped two dress sizes in a year through the right combination of nutrition and fitness leaving her energised
Sinead Bent, age 19, from Worsley, is a talented runner for Salford Harriers and has used exercise to overcome difficult personal circumstances
Stacey Wantling, age 38, from Swinton, who slimmed lost nine stone after taking up exercise.
The ambassadors will now work throughout the year to inspire others and hit their own personal health and fitness targets...
"Although Team GB at Rio 2016 did extremely well, we didn't set out to find Olympians but real women who enjoy being active and have a story to tell that will make a difference to the females in Salford" says Mark Chew, Head of Salford Community Leisure's Sport and Leisure.
"It was very difficult to decide on the final ambassadors as everyone had a special and inspirational story to tell" he adds "We're looking forward to sharing these ladies journey's with the residents of Salford and beyond."
Main photo shows Sinead Bent
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