Three actors from the ITV soap Coronation Street are coming to Macclesfield, to help raise money for charity.

The Big MND BBQ is a new community, family-fun event in Macclesfield, which will raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

The BBQ is free for under 4s to attend, a fiver for kids under 12 and a tenner for adults. It will take place at Macclesfield Rugby Club on Saturday June 22 from 12pm to 4pm.

And now, the fundraiser has had three celebrities confirmed to attend.

Click the red link directly below this image to get your tickets. (Image - Big MND BBQ)

Cast members from Coronation Street are attending, as there is currently an ongoing motor neurone disease plot line in the show.

Peter Ash, whose character Paul got diagnosed with motor neurone disease in the show last spring, will be in attendance.

Peter's on-screen partner Billy, played by Daniel Brocklebank, is also set to attend. Their characters have only been married a year, and the disease has significantly impacted their first year as husbands.

Sally Dyvenor, who plays Sally Metcalfe in the show, and is the mum of Prestbury resident Helen Flanagan in the show, will also be attending the Big MND BBQ in Macclesfield. However, her character is not directly impacted by the MND storyline.

Three soap stars are coming to a charity BBQ in Macclesfield. (Image - Big MND BBQ)

Daniel Brocklebank, who plays the partner of someone affected by motor neurone disease in the show, and has had a relative diagnosed with it in real life, spoke to Macclesfield Nub News about why they are attending the event.

"My grandfather had MND over 20 years ago now," said Daniel.

"He was ill for a few years and was only diagnosed with MND a week before he died. Thankfully we've seen huge advances in diagnosis since then. I've been working with the MND Association ever since and a few years ago was very honoured to be asked to be an Ambassador for the charity.

"MND obviously doesn't just affect those with the illness. It has a huge impact on their families and loved ones who ultimately become their full time carers as the illness progresses.

Daniel Brocklebank is one of three Coronation Street stars attending. (Image - CC BY 2.0 KeithJustKeith - https://www.flickr.com/photos/sreybhtiek/36304872713 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Brocklebank#/media/File:Daniel_Brocklebank_at_Manchester_Pride_2017.jpg Unchanged Cropped https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en Image changed by crop tool)

"When I was first told of the MND storyline in Coronation Street I was very surprised as the writers and producers had no idea of my connection to the illness or charity.

"However, my personal connection has been very helpful in playing the storyline as my family and I have lived it. Our team at Corrie have done a wonderful job in writing this storyline. My personal connection gives me huge confidence that I know we're getting it right.

"I'm looking forward to the Big MND BBQ. I'm a huge outdoor fan and cook at home on the BBQ often so I'm more than happy to cook a sausage or two.

"I'm not sure I can tease anything about the day however I'm sure the Big MND BBQ will be a wonderful family day full of good vibes."

Motor neurone disease is also known as ALS disease in the United States, and gained notoriety in 2014 with the viral trend called the 'ice bucket challenge', which raised millions of pounds towards research. (Image - Nub News)

Sally Dyvenor, also chatted with Macclesfield Nub News, and is looking forward to the Big MND BBQ.

"I think it's very important to support this charity to raise awareness of this terrible disease," said Sally.

"We had a member of the production crew who passed away from MND a few years ago and it was shocking to see his decline, this was my only personal knowledge of MND.

"I haven't been to Macclesfield before, which is terrible as it's not far from where I live. But I've heard the markets are wonderful. I am really looking forward to the BBQ and raising funds for MND."

There is a dedicated webpage to those affected by the ongoing motor neurone disease Corrie storyline. (Image - https://www.mndassociation.org/support-and-information/pauls-mnd-storyline-on-coronation-street)

Daniel Brocklebank spoke to Nub News in further detail, about the challenge of channeling his personal experiences with MND, into the character he plays in the show.

"It certainly has been one of the most challenging [acting roles]," revealed Daniel.

"However, it's been wonderful too. Not only being able to commemorate my grandfather but the hundreds pf other people I've known over the years who've been affected by MND. It's been an honour to be part of the storyline."

Sally, who has historically done fundraisers while on the show for Prevent Breast Cancer, was full of praise for the production team for the handling of the MND plot.

Six people are diagnosed per day, and six people per day perish from motor neurone disease per day in the UK. It has no cure. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

"The storyline is portraying the effects of the illness so brilliantly and I have learnt a lot about it from the storyline," added Sally.

"The more people understand any illness the better it is for raising awareness and funds.

"As someone with a profile it is good to have a way of getting a message out there, sometimes if people read about someone's experience it can be educational and also really helpful."

Event organiser and Macclesfield resident Karen Sivewright is grateful for the support from the famous faces, and indeed the generous Macclesfield community.

Event organiser Karen Sivewright is on a mission to spread motor neurone disease awareness in Macclesfield, as well as organising a cracking day out. Karen got into fundraising for motor neurone disease after hearing the story of a friend. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

"The Big MND BBQ is a chance to bring the community together to raise awareness of motor neurone disease and raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association," said Karen Sivewright.

"We are delighted to have the support of Sally Dyvenor, Peter Ash and Daniel Brocklebank from Corrie. Thank you for showing your support, and to the community of Macclesfield."

Daniel concluded with this rousing message: "I'd like to say a huge thank you to Karen for organising this event. Every penny we raise will help to support those living with MND and their loved ones."

"Pete [who portrays the character diagnosed with MND on the show and will also attend the Big MND BBQ] and I have made several appearances together helping to raise awareness and funds for the MND community. It's been incredible to have him there. I adore him."

Volunteers who are helping to organise the Big MND BBQ, to take place on June 22 at Macclesfield Rugby Club. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

For a recap on the motor neurone disease storyline in Coronation Street, you can click the play button on the top of this article or head to this link.

According to the Motor Neurone Disease Association, six people in the UK are diagnosed with motor neurone disease every day. 

It attacks the nerves that control movement so muscles no longer work. It can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk and eventually breathe.

Tom Quirk is the Senior Community Fundraiser at the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The charity work across the nation, but are based in Northampton. 

Punters from The Rovers Return are coming to Macclesfield, to indulge in a big community BBQ raising money for charity. (Image - CC 2.0 Manchester : Coronation Street by Lewis Clarke Unchanged https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manchester_,_Coronation_Street_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4204282.jpg Unchanged https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en)

"MND is a neurological disease that affects the brain," he said.

"It is a terminal disease that stops the brain communicating with muscles outside the body. It starts in your hands, and works its way through the body until you can't walk, talk, eat and then breathe. 

"About a third of people die within a year of diagnosis of MND. And over half of people die within two years of their diagnosis. 

"We support people living with and affected by MND. We provide care support from grants, whether it is helping them to heat their home or travel expenses because they are going to hospital a lot more. We provide campaigning to raise awareness, and research, our vision is a world free from MND.

Tom Quirk works for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and told Nub News how the disease affects the human body, and family members of those diagnosed with it. (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Macclesfield Nub News)

"Six people are diagnosed every day. If you think about how many subscribers Tom has [which is 12,000], in every 300, one of them could have MND at some point. That is a pretty scary figure. 

"£2000 could fund a laptop that an MND Researcher could use, and have specialist software on that laptop to enable them to carry out their research. 

"That is a piece of equipment that we are able to give to a researcher to potentially bring us a step closer to a cure to MND. The lifetime value in what that could mean is incredible, thanks to the help of events like The Big MND BBQ." 

According to the Motor Neurone Disease Association, Motor neurone disease affects 5000 people in the country at any one time.

Where money raised from the June 22 Macclesfield event could go to. (Image - @mndassoc)

It is down to events like the Big MND BBQ in Macclesfield that can fund the vital research, and support to families, the Northamptonshire-based national charity provides.

The Big MND BBQ takes place in Macclesfield on Saturday June 22 2024, from 12pm.

To score your tickets to the Big MND BBQ, please click HERE.

If you can't make the event, but still wish to donate to the fundraiser , you can click HERE.

Tickets for The Big MND BBQ are free for under 4s, a fiver for kids under 12 and a tenner for adults, and include the BBQ food cost. It will take place at Macclesfield Rugby Club on Saturday, June 22, from 12pm to 4 pm. In addition to the BBQ, the event offers traditional fete like stalls, free football activities for Under 12's provided by Bollington United Football Club, facepainting, tabletop games, opportunities to try pickleball and rounders, performances from over 350 members from the North West Regional Rock Choirs and some fantastic raffle prizes, including a mini signed bat and shirt from the England cricketer Stuart Broad, and a special Coronation Street raffle prize to be handed out by the Coronation Street cast members.