Following on from the success of last year's inaugural Stockport Big Event Series, which welcomed mass participation events to Stockport, Life Leisure are delighted to announce the dates for this years events.

The events which include a 10km Walk, 20 mile Cycle and 10km Run are being held in July, August and September and aim to encourage people to challenge themselves to take part in a mass participation event, whilst providing an opportunity for participants to raise money for their favourite charities.

The Big Event Series was launched last year to coincide with the Olympics offering local people who were inspired into sport an opportunity to set themselves some goals and participate in a fun event together with family and friends.

The Big Stockport Walk, a 10km Walk, is the first event on this year's calendar, taking place on Sunday 21st July. The route is suitable for walkers of all abilities and showcases plenty of Stockport's stunning countryside. Supported by the Rotary Club the event is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to take part and complete a mass participation event together. The walk commences at 10.00am.

On Sunday 18th July, the Big Stockport Cycle commences at10.00am, covering 20 miles across Stockport, starting and finishing at the Decathlon Superstore on George's Road, close to Stockport town centre. The event is a great opportunity for families to complete an event together or cycling enthusiasts to get in some practice training rides in for future upcoming triathlon or cycle events.

The Big Stockport Run, the closing event of this year's series, will be held on Sunday 22nd September. Starting at 10.00am, the 10km run is aimed at runners aged 16+, of all abilities. As with all other events the run will take in some of Stockport's best scenery and iconic landmarks.

The events will put Stockport on the map for sporting mass participation events and also coincide with the town's ambitions in terms of raising participation in physical activity, thereby improving the overall health and wellbeing of residents. Now annual fixtures on Stockport's events calendar it is anticipated the events will be bigger and better than last year and will also attract people from further afield as they grow in popularity. The Big Event Run offers participants who completed the Great Manchester Run or those completing Race for Life another opportunity to beat their time and/or raise more money for charity.

Participants can use their chosen event to raise money for their own charitable cause, whether a local or national charity. Laura Mylotte, Marketing Manager from Life Leisure said, 'We would urge local charities to use the events to raise money for their causes. The series offers something for everyone, so everyone can get involved.'

Neil Bardsley, Sport Development Manager at Life Leisure commented, 'This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone in Stockport to get involved in sport and physical activity no matter what their fitness level. The events are a fantastic way to showcase Stockport and put the town firmly on the map in terms of mass participation sporting events.' He continued, 'We want everyone to be part of it and to encourage more and more residents to use the events as motivation to get into physical activity.'