A cycling charity has launched a 12-week intensive programme for people living in and around Salford.
The course is based in Winton, Eccles and it aims to encourage people with physical and/or mental health conditions to cycle and to develop new skills.
Cycling development officer Lynnette Evans said: “The course runs on a Wednesday afternoon and it is for people who may be struggling to manage things like their asthma, diabetes, anxiety and physical well being.
“However, because it runs whilst most people are at work, it is for people who are currently not employed, retired, not able to work due to ill health or just working part-time”.
The programme was launched in Salford a month ago after receiving funding from a Bike Revival Programme. It has also made connections with Cycling UK, a national cycling charity, who helped the course being delivered in West Yorkshire for the past four years.
Ms Evans said: “The other programmes had a good impact on improving people’s lives, they helped people to get back into cycling, to motivate themselves and so we launched one right here in Salford.
“We have two fully qualified cycling trainers who are leading the people on the course” she added.
Sessions run two hours a week and learners are taught to build their confidence by cycling in a traffic free environment, then moving onto residential roads and practicing turning in and out of junctions as well as safe stopping and starting.
“We assess how successful the course has been by ensuring people complete a survey and self assessment at the beginning and then at the end” Ms Evans said.
The survey is a self assessment which covers the way individuals feel their health and wellbeing is at the beginning of the course, followed by another survey done at the end of the 12 week programme.
Cycle4Health support attendees beyond the course by providing contacts with where they may be able to get a bike from and gaining access to other cycling opportunities.
For more information go over to www.cyclinguk.org.
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