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Press Release

Link: Cycling for Health
Link: Family Fun Cycle Day Poster 

Supported by funding from Staffordshire Primary Care Trust Locality Health Bank, the Sustainable and Healthy Communities team at Stafford Borough Council are creating a brand new pilot Cycling for Health project to encourage more people to cycle more.

To celebrate the launch of the scheme, the team are hoping that families and individuals across the borough will 'Get on their Bikes' and join them for a day full of fun and cycling on Sunday 16 November.

The Cycling Family Fun Day will take place at Back-2-Bikes, Stafford's very own bicycle recycling centre also set up originally by the Sustainable and Healthy Communities Team (formerly Local Agenda 21 team) on Greyfriars Way in Stafford starting at 10:00 am and running until 2:00 pm and, with a promised visit by Stafford MP David Kidney, the day looks like being a huge fun-packed success!

Everyone is welcome to bring their own bikes or, for a refundable deposit, borrow a bike from Back-2-Bikes and join in a variety of activities including a Treasure Hunt - a chance to ride your bike to discover the hidden treasure and win cycling related prizes. Or how about taking a self-guided bike ride along the traffic-free Isabel Trail?

For those who are worried that their bikes are a little worse for wear, Dr Bike will be on hand to provide a free bike safety check and to give tips to help you maintain your bike.

Local cycle training team Rapid Riding will also be in attendance to offer advice on safe cycling as well as displaying a variety of different types of bikes so that you can decide what type of bike is right for you.

Did you know that on average, cyclists live two years longer than non-cyclists or that regular cyclists are as fit as an average person ten years younger? Not only that, cycling is the least polluting way of travelling after walking and is far cheaper than driving with no road tax, fuel bills or MOT to consider and a bike is far less expensive to maintain than a car.

So, if you don't own a bike but would like to take to two wheels to help save money and improve your own health - as well as that of the planet - then the Family Fun day will provide just the opportunity to try out and buy a second-hand bike from Back-2-Bikes.

If you're interested in learning more about the Cycling for Health scheme and how you can become involved, you will be able to talk to members of the Sustainable and Healthy Communities team, including Kim Squires, Cycling for Health Co‑ordinator, about the programme on the day.

For more information call Kim on 01785 619686 or e-mail ksquires@staffordbc.gov.uk.  Or for information about other initiatives set up by the Sustainable and Healthy Communities Team, contact Karen Davies on 01785 619686 or e-mail kdavies@staffordbc.gov.uk