How one simple thing on a Sunday morning is changing the lives of young women in Manchester

After graduating university, Ella Thompson had 'absolutely no idea' of what she wanted to do or where she wanted to be. She considered taking a job in Europe.

But one nagging doubt held her back: "How will I make friends when I get there?" So, the 23-year-old from Bolton began searching online for groups where young women could meet new people and make new pals.

And what she found changed her life. Inspired by walking communities such as 'City Girl Barcelona' and 'City Girls Who Walk NYC', Ella decided to set up something similar in Manchester.

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Six months laterGirls Who Walk Manchester have come a long way. Thousands of people have taken part in the weekly walks and the group has gone viral, clocking up 11k followers on Instagram.

And it's now been has been adopted by more 35 cities and towns nationwide. "It's such a simple concept but has resonated with so many people who can relate to myself and my situation after finishing university," said Ella.

"I think we have grown so quickly as there was previously a gap in this space of combining friendship with walking in the younger generation."

The group aims to reach women aged 18 and over who want to meet new people, make friends, and push themselves out of their comfort zone. It can be anyone from university students, to people who have lived in Manchester their whole lives, to young professionals who have moved to the city for work.

And with those aged between 16-29 are over two times as likely to report feeling lonely often or always than those over 70 (9.7% versus 3.7%), according to a recent study by the Office for National Statistics, Ella says there's definite need for the kind of 'no