Christmas came early to Woodbank Park recently for participants of our weekly Social Wellbeing programme, who took part in a festive Santa Dash.
The activity took place as part of Stockport’s Town of Culture programme and was a follow up to the summer’s Move to a Mile programme, which encouraged people who were previously inactive to build up to walking a one mile distance.
Over 300 Santas took part in total, including over 20 Santas representing Stockport County’s wellbeing programme. The participants were also joined by a special guest, Vernon Bear, who got everyone in the festive spirit with his unique warm up. Everyone taking part also received a Santa hat and a well-deserved mince pie, as well as a certificate at the finishing line.
All the Stockport County participants attend our weekly Social Wellbeing Group. This is a free weekly drop-in every Wednesday morning at Edgeley Park, which provides opportunities for vulnerable people within the community to meet up and socialise with County Community Trust staff and volunteers to help them make new friends, swap stories, and reminisce about their present and past life experiences and memories.
Operations Manager for the County Community Trust, Dave Wardle said:
“The Town of Culture Santa Dash was a great way for the people of Stockport to come together, young and old. Personally watching 20 of our Social Wellbeing Group take part in this event and complete the one mile Santa Dash was exceptionally inspiring. Watching people like Barry, who is 86, cross the line, be presented with his own certificate and get cheered on by the people of Stockport was very moving.
“Activities like these shows the power that taking part in physical activity programmes can have on our community.”
