The Essex Pedal Power team in Harwich have been working hard to welcome new recipients into the Essex Pedal Power family. Over 300 bikes have now been given away and the team have been able to form new relationships with many of the families and children who have benefitted from receiving a shiny orange bike!
In February, the team had the opportunity to invite a family of 12 along to the centre to collect their bikes and start their Essex Pedal Power journey.
The team were made aware of the family when three of the children attended Learn to Ride training, showing a keen interest in bikes and being able to cycle safely. The training session was held by Bikeability instructors and looked to improve the applicants agility, manoeuvring and signalling skills.
Other members of the family, both adults and children, then began to attend training sessions, as it was their hope that one day they would all be able to cycle together. The adults were taught more about traffic techniques and junction safety, as this is an essential and a fundamental skill for anyone who is due to collect an Essex Pedal Power bike.
On completion of the cycle training sessions, all 12 family members were then able to collect their bikes and take them home. The team spoke of how the family members cycled off together via the local cycle path, which highlighted for them the importance of both the training sessions and the cycle paths that allow residents such as this family to be able to cycle together.
One of the family members told the team;
“‘The bikes will make such a difference to our family life allowing the children to cycle instead of walk to school, get out more and become physically active.’
This story is one of many collected across the Essex Pedal Power programmes highlighting how the bikes have made a difference to families and their lifestyles, allowing them to spend more time together, as well as increasing their daily movement.
Carina Nea, Local Essex Pedal Power Coordinator, told us;
“Its so lovely to give large families who may not otherwise be able to afford bikes the skills and confidence they need to get out and cycle together. The bike is just the beginning of their journey to improved health and wellbeing, using cycling as a mode of transport and valuable family time.”
