Wellness Wednesday - nobody gets left behind
Pegasus Homes
Discover joyful later living. High quality homes for those over 60, designed around wellness, independence & community.
By Keith Turnbull
This is the public face of British Cycling.
I started cycling a few years ago for wellbeing reasons and remarkably quickly things progressed from short rides around home to taking part in longer charity rides, such as London to Brighton and Paris. I joined British Cycling to improve my knowledge and, as a father and husband, for the insurance & legal cover.
Following a rather nasty accident early in 2020 (black ice and narrow road tyres are not a good combination) because there was no physio during lockdown I used the bike to help rehab and was able to cycle again before I could walk without sticks. Without cycling I do not believe I would have recovered anywhere nearly as quickly as I did.
I then considered that if it worked for me then cycling can work for others too - be it recovering from physical or mental difficulties or simply to enjoy the outdoors for their mindfulness.
As such I volunteered for training and in 2021 qualified as a Guided Ride Leader for "Let's Ride". I am now insured to lead up to 8 people on British Cycling approved routes of up to 50 miles! But that is not the ethos of Let's Ride. The focus is very much on getting people outdoors enjoying their bikes who are perhaps new to cycling, fearful of traffic or returning to cycling in later life.?
We have a wonderfully energetic retired co-ordinator for Swindon and Wiltshire and a team of 12 leaders.The routes I have been involved in are predominantly on cycle paths and mostly attended by people over 60 who really appreciate knowing that there is someone leading and taking the responsibility of directions and traffic management.?
It is humbling to receive feedback that some participants would "not get out on their bike any more if it were not for Let's Ride". It is also a great way for participants to learn routes local to them and explore at their leisure, not to mention making a few new friends too. It is run locally entirely by volunteers purely for the love of seeing people enjoying cycling.
There are road based rides, rides on paths, off road rides and women only "breeze" rides, so if it interests you get on Let's Ride and see if there are any rides planned near your home. You can also download all of the approved routes yourself if you would prefer to explore on your own.
"Nobody gets left behind"
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2 年The amount of physical steps around this beautiful building pre developement and during it, will forever be etched in my memory! The positives certainly outweigh any negatives, especially seeing it looking so splendid.