Coronation Street star makes moves at Prestwich Zumbathon in the fight against breast cancer

Coronation Street actress Jennie McAlpine was in the pink on Tuesday 6 October as she took part in a two-hour Prestwich Zumbathon to make moves in the fight against breast cancer.

Jennie, who plays Fiz Brown in Coronation Street, joined more than 70 other kind-hearted fundraisers for the dance extravaganza at the Royal British Legion on Bury Old Road in Prestwich.

The ‘Party in Pink’, which raised more than £900 for Zumba’s associated charity Susan G. Komen, was organised by Whitefield-based Zumba instructor Mandy Labrianidis, who runs weekly Zumba classes in the Prestwich and Bury areas.

Mandy said: "Every year the Party in Pink gets bigger and better and the atmosphere this year was amazing. I’d like to thank all the ladies who took part and their families and friends who sponsored them, as well as the local businesses who generously donated raffle prizes.”

The event was Mandy’s fifth annual Zumbathon and was supported by I Will If You Will, the Bury-based female fitness movement.

Jennie, who is an I Will If You Will ambassador, said: “The ladies who took part in the Zumbathon all did a great job dancing the night away and raising money for such a worthwhile cause.

“Every time I do Zumba, it feels like the first time because I always forget the moves and bump into everyone, but I love it because it’s so much fun and we all have a laugh.”

Zumba’s ‘Party in Pink’ is a global movement that started in 2010 to raise funds for the fight against breast cancer through Zumbathon events. So far almost £1 million has been raised for breast cancer charities, funding revolutionary medical research that has the potential to save millions of lives globally.

To find out more about Mandy’s Zumba classes call 07931 600256 or Facebook: Zumba Life With Mandy Labrinaidis. To find out more about I Will If You Will and other activities in Bury go to www.iwillifyouwill.co.uk

ENDS

Press release issued: 16 October 2015.

Picture:Coronation Street actress Jennie McAlpine (right) with Zumba instructor Mandy Labrianidis at the Prestwich Zumbathon to raise money for Susan G. Komen breast cancer charity.

Notes to editors:

About I Will If You Will

I Will If You Will is focused on changing women’s and girls’ behaviours towards taking part in sport and physical activity with the aim of getting more women and girls being more active, more often, and helping improve the health and wellbeing of people in Bury.

It aims to overcome the many practical and emotional barriers to being active, while encouraging women to support each other by joining the I Will If You Will community.

The Phase One campaign was delivered by Bury Council with £2.3 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England. For the Phase Two campaign, Sport England has allocated a further £2 million to extend delivery over the next two years (to December 2016).

The successful IWIYW pilot campaign identified valuable insights and helped develop the foundations for Sport England’s national This Girl Can campaign, which launched in January 2015, as well as Sport England’s practical guide to helping women and girls get active (www.sportengland.org/womenandgirls).