A RALLYING call has been sounded to find six passionate women — one from each of the borough’s towns — willing to champion female fitness.

Residents from Bury, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Whitefield, Tottington and Prestwich are being recruited as ambassadors for the I Will If You Will campaign.

Joining forces with the movement to encourage women to be more active are celebrity ambassadors Jennie McAlpine, Nikki Sanderson and Tracey Neville.

The six new champions will encourage women of the town by writing blogs, sharing advice and publicising sporting activities through social media and noticeboards.

To launch the mission, the celebrity supporters met current champions Gaynor Wilson, Grace Holden, Leanne Turner and Shaheena Haroon.

Jennie McAlpine, who stars as Fiz Stape in Coronation Street, said: “The current champions have so much passion and enthusiasm about inspiring their peers to become more active, it’s fantastic.

“I would like to encourage people to nominate anyone they know who has the same passion about people leading a healthier lifestyle, while having fun at the same time.”

One of the ways champions can encourage people to take part is by doing 30 minutes of exercise a week, for 10 weeks — the #IWIYW30for10 pledge.

The new ambassadors will be kitted out with clothes and equipment and armed with posters, recruitment cards, pin badges and timetables.

At a town hall meeting last Wednesday, Deputy Mayor of Bury, Cllr Sharon Briggs, was announced as one of the new faces of the project.

The youngest of the IWIYW champions, 16-year-old Grace Holden, said: “I like to lead an active lifestyle and eat healthily, so I encourage friends and family to do the same.

“In the middle of my GCSEs I found exercise is a great way to de-stress.

“Finding the motivation to be active can be the hardest challenge but as a champion, I’m hoping to provide a friendly, encouraging face to get more of us active across Bury.”

To nominate someone or yourself: email 150 words on why you would make a great IWIYW champion to iwillifyouwill@tangerinepr.com before July 27.