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Growing Well Nurturing a Cycling Culture

Growing Well, based at Low Sizergh Farm south of Kendal, helps people with mental health issues to improve their confidence and outlook on life by involving them in a range of activities as part of an organic growing business. The charity signed up an amazing four teams comprising twenty staff, volunteers and people on placements in the 2014 South Lakes Cycle Challenge. Eight of these were new or returning cyclists. A real spirit of mutual support and encouragement quickly emerged among the Growing Well teams, with more experienced members lending novices spare bikes, showing them how to use the gears and brakes effectively, offering advice on what to wear and where to ride. Those with common routes to work would meet up part-way and ride in together. “This really helped me keep it going”, commented Sally Ineson from Kirkby Lonsdale, who meets and rides with colleagues for the last few miles of her commute, “knowing that the others would be waiting, I felt I couldn’t let them down”.

Cumbria Constabulary’s Ian Hansen currently leads the charge in the 2014 South Lakes Workplace Cycle Challenge

Just over halfway through the 2014 Cycle Challenge and PC Ian Hansen, from South Cumbria Road Policing Unit, is at the top of the leader board of 323 cyclists who have signed up to this free five week competition to encourage more people in South Lakeland to ride bikes for commuting and leisure. Ian has covered an amazing 1172 miles on his bike over the first three weeks of the Challenge to put him in the lead of the competition for individuals who have covered the greatest distance. He actually only needs to travel a couple of miles from home to work based at Kendal Police Station but, spurred on by the Challenge, has been building extended loops into his daily commuting journeys to ‘get the miles in’. Commenting on his motivations for involvement in the competition, Ian says:

“As police officers we have to pass an annual fitness test, which gets that bit harder as the years roll by. I’ve also got a young family, that I’m keen to be able to keep up with as they (and I) get older. I used to do a fair bit of running, but that’s quite hard on the knees, so a couple of years ago a friend and colleague introduced me to cycling and sold me a second-had bike.”

Having showers, changing rooms, lockers and somewhere safe to keep bikes at Kendal Police Station also enables and encourages Ian, and his fellow officers, to choose cycling as a commuting option. Speaking of Cumbria Constabulary’s role in helping other cycle users, Ian suggested that a key action is offering advice on keeping bikes secure and deterring theft. Another is dealing with dangerous and anti-social riding behaviour, which can give all cyclists a bad name and lead to aggressive retaliation among a few drivers. On a more personal note, Ian helps out in a voluntary capacity at the primary school where his wife works, teaching the children cycle proficiency skills.

While Ian is heading the individual with the most miles competition, there is a range of other prize categories in the 2014 South Lakes Cycle Challenge, including the team who have completed the most journeys by bike, the new cyclist with the most trips, and the team with the most interesting or amusing name!

Brathay Trust setting a fine example in the team miles competition of the 2014 South Lakes Workplace Cycle Challenge

Going into the final week of the 2014 South Lakeland Workplace Cycle Challenge the two teams from the Brathay Trust are lying in 2nd and 6th place in the Team Miles competition, having collectively clocked up over 4,000 miles between during the previous four weeks. That’s an average of 100 miles a week each, with some individuals doing considerably more than that. “We’ve come a long way as an organisation – literally and in terms of how we are accommodated – since I started at Brathay in 2005”, says Simon Pack of team VC Clappersgate. “When I joined the organisation back then the only thing the staff handbook had to say about cycling is that there are no designated secure cycle parking facilities.” Since then, however, the number of people commuting to the Ambleside site has grown, in part prompted by initiatives including the Workplace Cycle Challenge in recent years, to the extent that better worksite facilities became a must. “We now have a secure compound containing good cycle racks, a drying room and access to showers and his ‘n’ her changing rooms”, says Simon.

Fellow team member Mark Allen, relatively new to cycle commuting, has found the team support and enthusiasm infectious. “I’m cycling to work much more frequently as a result of the Challenge, at the moment because I can see the others in the team obviously making the effort. But I’m sure this will continue, to some extent, once the Challenge is over as I’m amazed at how much I’ve saved in fuel over the past few weeks. I have just treated myself to a brand new pair of quality bike shoes from the money I’ve not spent at the petrol pumps.” In addition to financial savings there are often time gains too. “It takes us hardly any longer to cycle, including showering and changing on arrival, that driving to and from work, and we don’t then have to find other time in the day to do some exercise.”

James Firth, another member of the team, added that encouraging cycle commuting also leads to real benefits for their employer and families. “Whatever stresses the day holds are blown away on a bike ride, particularly in this part of the world. We cycle commuters always arrive at work or home in good humour. Then there are operational advantages for a centre like Brathay Trust. We’re always having to deliver and collect minibuses from different locations. Using a bike for the other half of the journey means that only one staff member need be tied up in these shuttles.”

While the Brathay Trust has sufficient staff with an interest in cycling to field two teams of five that are both doing well in the team miles competition, the South Lakeland Workplace Cycle Challenge includes a range of award categories to encompass those without such resources. These include the team registering the greatest number of trips (rather than miles), a community group or charity team, and teams with the greatest or smallest total age in years.

Dr Bike 12-2pm Thursday 18th September

FREE Dr. Bike session – just turn up with your bike and receive a free check-over / tune up courtesy of the South Lakes Cycle Challenge (www.southlakes-cyclechallenge.co.uk)

Location: Gazebo opposite Designworks, Kendal LA9 4AT. Dr Bike will be on the New Road side of the building - see google map

Ride Around the World

Nigel Dykes, Outdoor Studies Course Leader based at the University of Cumbria’s Ambleside Campus, has signed up for the Challenge to help him achieve his goal of cycle commuting a total of 24,900 miles by Spring next year – the equivalent of riding around the world. He’s been riding to work intermittently for a number of years, and admits it has not always been easy, particularly with a young family and full-time job. But the children are now old enough to enjoy leisure bike rides with their dad. Moreover, Nigel plans his working week to minimise the days he needs a car to carry paperwork and equipment. He admits that the digital age is greatly helping, with the vast majority of lecture preparation, student marking and administrative tasks now done electronically. Nigel’s enthusiasm for cycle commuting received a significant boost when he was able to buy a new machine a few years ago through the widely available Cycle to Work Scheme (through which employees can buy cycling equipment from their gross salary – before it is taxed). He tries to ride the 38 mile round trip to and from work twice a week. To date, Nigel’s cycle commuting mileage totals 23,000, and he has calculated he needs to undertake around 50 more commutes by bike to achieve his target of riding the equivalent of a circumnavigation of the globe.

On the motivation for his own personal challenge, Nigel says:

"I want to make the point that we can find adventures in everyday life that, while being fun and enjoyable to do, can also significantly benefit not only ourselves, but other people as well as the world around us. Simply cycling to work has an impact on issues such as congestion, pollution, climate change, health and wellbeing, travel costs, etc. I’ve come to love cycling. I perceive it as a freedom, much more than the car has ever given me. I just get on my bike and go, and I’m so much fitter than I was, which makes me feel great."

The 2014 South Lakes Cycle Challenge pedal powers away, clocking over 500 miles in one day!

On Thursday 4th September 2014 workplaces in the South Lakes started to compete in a fun, free competition to encourage more people to ride bikes, and discover how enjoyable, healthy and cheap cycling can be as a way to get around.

The Challenge was launched to coincide with National Cycle to Work Day.

Events at South Lakeland District Council and Cumbria County Council marked the start of the Challenge. A fresh fruit breakfast and prize draw for cycling goodies were on offer at SLDC. Cumbria County Council invited Wheelbase and Bike Gen to County Hall. Wheelbase brought a range of bikes which are available through the Bike to work Scheme. Bike Gen is promoted by South Lakes Against Climate Change (SLACC) as a way of showing people how much energy is required to power daily items including light bulbs, sound systems.