A FEMALE fitness movement in Bury which has helped more than 7,500 women and girls become more active in 2014 is launching its Community Fund for a second year.

A total of £24,000 has been made available by I Will If You Will (IWIYW), offering local groups and clubs the chance to bid for up to £1,000 each to put towards costs for venue hire, equipment, coaching or publicity.

Groups which support the IWIYW movement by encouraging women and girls to carry out 30 minutes of exercise per week are being encouraged to apply.

Whether it is a dance workshop or charity walking club, the scheme organisers are encouraging any group to get involved, as long as the proposal will help local women and girls to try new activities and be more active.

Funding is available to help community groups from any of the six towns in the borough: Bury, Prestwich, Whitefield, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom and Tottington.

Last year’s round of funding supported a wide variety of projects including Bury Dragons Diving Club, Jinnah Day Care Centre and Bury Hockey Club.

One group which benefited was Hunters Hill TRA, a kickboxing club, which applied for funding to help launch a "Muay Thai for Mums" kickboxing class.

It enabled a Saturday afternoon class to be launched for the mums of children already attending a kids training session. The funding covered the women’s session fees as an incentive for the first 12 weeks, as well as allowing the club staff to invest in gloves and skipping ropes suitable for women.

Julie Leech, Hunters Hill TRA club treasurer, said: “I was made aware of the IWIYW funding on the website after I looked up Muay Thai and saw there wasn’t currently a facility available.

“We had concerns about the equipment being unsuitable for women, which is why we applied for funding to make the sport more accessible. We’re so grateful for the funding, which has made all this possible.”

Liz Saunders, programmes support manager at Bury Council, said: “Thanks to the IWIYW Community Fund, some really inspiring groups and clubs gained financial assistance last year which really helped to improve local access to physical activity.

“The IWIYW movement strives to inspire women to get together, make a change and be more active, more often. With local groups on board we can achieve this aim together.”

To apply for a grant or to find out more: contact Liz Saunders at Bury Council on 0161 253 6357; e-mail e.saunders@bury.gov.uk; or visit www.iwillifyouwill.co.uk/communityfund. Applicants will be notified within six to eight weeks.