ADVENTURER Bear Grylls has asked the founder of a Bolton hiking group to lead women on his festival in Devon.

And Rhiane Fatinikun, who leads the Black Girls Hike group, has also been invited to do a 'Ted Talk' - an online training course.

Black Girls Hike was started two years ago by Rhiane, who is now running the group full time since quitting her job as a civil servant for Bolton Council.

Their Ted Talk on November 17 will focus on climate restoration.

Rhiane and her group have had an amazing year, from a hiking column in The Stylist, to a campaign with Facebook on Women’s History Month, a film with O2 on getting outdoors, and a video with Natural England down to working with Adidas.

Bear Grylls has now asked Rhiane to lead women on his Devon festival, where she will interview boxer Nicola Adams.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw our inbox. I couldn’t believe how much it’s taken off just by creating a hiking group in Bolton.”

The group go on hikes to Entwistle Reservoir and further afield like the Lake District.

Rhiane said: “I decided to step up two years ago because I was in a car accident, where someone ran me over. I started getting anxiety and was diagnosed with PTSD, so I wanted to do something worthwhile for my wellbeing.

“I saw some women on the train getting ready for a hike and wanted to try it myself.

“It felt natural to create a space for women in the BAME community because there aren’t enough people in these communities going to explore.”

Rhiane thinks black people in Bolton are disconnected as many moved into Bolton but are not born there.

She added: “I think after Black Lives Matter last year; more women reached out to us. People see the life changing impact hiking can have on your mental health and getting out of your comfort zone.

“Black people in Bolton usually move there and so they have no real connection to the place sometimes, so community groups are important.”

Black Girls Hike sees women aged from their 20s to their 60s mixing as they all take up hiking.

Rhiane, originally from Worsley, added: “These women haven’t done anything like this before, but it becomes a sisterhood. It’s all happened so quickly.”

To see more or join the group, see their Instagram page @bgh_uk