Let’s get together….I Will If You Will

This Saturday (18 January) St John’s Square at The Rock will come alive with a whole host of activities, as women and girls are invited to get together, get moving and join the pioneering ‘I Will if You Will’ movement as it gathers momentum.

From 2pm until 6pm, women and girls of Bury are invited to join in a whole host of activities to inspire them to be more active and start the year as they mean to go on. Friends and family are all invited too.

Activities include a giant exercise-powered light projection across the front of Debenhams. Powered by six exercise machines, the projection will be brought to life by Coronation Street star and Bury local Georgia May Foote at 4pm. Designed by Illuminos, the projection promises to be a real showstopper. 

Georgia, who plays Katy Armstrong on the soap, said: “I’m really looking forward to getting down to The Rock this Saturday to kick start the ‘I will if you will’ movement in 2014 and get the interactive light projection going. I love getting out and being active, especially when I can do it with my friends and family, so I’m really pleased to be part of this innovative campaign inspiring the women and girls of Bury to get moving.”

Other activities include:

·  ‘Let’s give it a shot’ photo booth - grab some sporty props and have your photo taken with a friend with instant photos to take away and keep

·  ‘I Will If You Will’ pledge wall. Inspire yourself and a friend to get active by telling us what activity you fancy trying, and pledging to give it a go

·  ‘Let’s give it a go’ sport and fitness fair. Meet a range of local sports providers and learn what’s on offer near you. From rounders to racquet sports and from dance to diving, they will be on hand to provide advice, encouragement and information as well as showcasing their sports with demonstrations.

All women and girls attending the event will have the chance to enter a free prize draw to win a six-month membership for two, including personal training, at the Village Spa and Leisure. There will also be the chance to pick up a few giveaways to help ladies make time for themselves now and again.

I Will If You Will is a movement to get the women and girls of Bury moving. With National Lottery funding from Sport England and being launched by Bury Council, this initiative is about women getting together and trying something new: doing something for themselves for a change and having a laugh while they do it.

This £2.8 million behavioural change project is rigorously testing what works in changing the sporting habits of women and girls. Best practice from Bury will be used to inform strategy to help increase the number of women participating in sport across the country. 

Councillor Jane Lewis, cabinet member for leisure, tourism and culture, said: “I’m incredibly proud that Bury has been chosen to trial this campaign. This is a huge investment that is being made in Bury and what we want to do with it is get our women and girls engaged in activities in the local community. So come on Bury – let’s show ‘em how it’s done. I Will If You Will!”

Help and advice for Bury ladies who want to get moving is available at http://www.iwillifyouwill.co.uk/ along with all the latest news, what’s going on near you and how you can get involved. 

ENDS

For more information, please contact Gill Long, communications manager at Bury Council, on 0161 253 5301 or g.e.long@bury.gov.uk

Notes to editors:

Event details and timings

Where:   St John’s Square, The Rock

When:   Saturday 18 January

2pm:  Event starts

2pm – 4pm: Sports demonstrations

4pm:  Georgia May Foote and friends begin to

power the projection.

4.20pm:  Bury women and girls, family and friends take over powering the projection.

6pm:  Close of the event

‘Let’s give it a go’ sport and fitness fair attendees:

·  Bury Athletics Club

·  Jigsaw (activities for disabled).

·  Prestwich Cricket, Tennis and Badminton Club

·  Holcombe Brook Tennis Club

·  Bury Clarions (Cycling)

·  Bury FC Community Trust

·  Bury Dragons Diving Club

·  Bury Leisure sports centres

·  Street Shakers

·  BADMINTON England

·  British Cycling

·  Exercise, Movement and Dance Partnership.

·  Football Association

·  England Hockey

·  Rounders England

·  England Squash and Racketball Lawn Tennis Association