Wigan friends inundated with responses as they plan to hold a walk for women

Friends Donna Peet, from Platt Bridge, and Emma Hesketh, from Scholes, have organised a walk to bring women together and encourage them to talk.

They want to introduce them to other women, so they can make friends, support each other and share any mental health struggles.

They were motivated to do something after the deaths of two Wigan women.

Donna put a post on Facebook to see if there would be interest in a walk on Sunday, starting in Platt Bridge and going to Walmsley Park, Ince and back.

She was inundated with responses, with 107 women saying they planned to attend by Monday and numbers continuing to rise.

Donna said: “We just said shall we do something and decided to organise a walk and get everyone out of the house, so they are not sitting inside. It started as a little walk and now everyone is getting involved. We have ended up with lots of people.

"We want as many people as we can get to come along. If quite a lot of people turn up on Sunday, then we can have a chat about how they want to go forward – do they want to organise nights out, for example?”

Colin Ingram, owner of TIP Skips in Bickershaw, will fund refreshments for the walkers, while local businesses have donated prizes for a raffle.

Donna and Emma are now planning to set up a group called Wigan Angels and hold regular events, including Sunday walks and other outings.

Donna, 49, said: “If we have this group, if people are feeling like they have not got anybody, they will be able to make friends. If they are struggling, they can pick up the phone and talk to one of us. We can help with housework. If they need to get out and don’t have a babysitter, someone will step in and do something.

"We want to make sure they are not on their own.”

Sunday’s walk starts at 12.30pm on Webster Street, Platt Bridge. Children are welcome.

To find out more, go to Donna’s profile – under the name Donna Dennis – on Facebook.