‘Help us to get all abilities on their bikes’ Support needed to buy wheelchair-friendly cycle
A successful cycle project designed to get people of all abilities out on the road is seeking to extend its good work.
The All Ability Cycling Project started out in April 2016 with a focus on people with disabilities who found themselves restricted when going outdoors.
More than 100 people benefited from the Live Active Leisurebacked project thanks to specially adapted bikes - and they now want to extend the range to a wheelchairfriendly cycle.
But doing so has a price tag of £9000, so an appeal has been put out for local businesses to show their support.
The wellbeing team at Live Active Leisure hopes that the financial boost would help drive fitness and better access to cycling well beyond 2017. It currently has a fleet of 13 bikes. The project was supported through the generosity of parents, schools, NHS Tayside and council departments. Funding partners include Perth Common Good Fund, Cash for Kids, The Gannochy Trust, Cycling Scotland, and Perth and Kinross Disability Sport.
Since its launch, a number of local volunteers and agency staff have been trained to use the bikes resulting in volunteer-led weekly open sessions and opportunities for specific groups to hold their own sessions.
Julie Stewart, a Physiotherapy Support Worker with the Learning Disability Physiotherapy Team at NHS Tayside said: “We have encouraged many of our service users and service providers to use the bikes and we firmly believe that the All Ability Cycling initiative has resulted in positive physical health outcomes for participants.
“Everyone wants to cycle independently and this has allowed our users that opportunity; for many of them, this is something they’ve not enjoyed since childhood. Socially, the all ability aspect of the initiative helps participants integrate with their local community in a fun way and highlights the abilities of people with learning disabilities to others.”
Thomas Wood, a service user from Julie’s group commented: “I like using the bikes because it gives me lots of freedom that I can’t get anywhere else. I feel safer going around the Inch instead of busy roads.”
Gill McShea, partnership and funding manager said: “The project has been a huge success with local children and adults who are unable to cycle due to physical, learning or sensory difficulties and disabilities, benefiting from the opportunities All Ability Cycling brings.
“However, we are missing a wheelchair bike which would allow us to make the sessions fully accessible and inclusive for everyone. There is also demand for the bikes to be available for individuals and families to use at more flexible times and we’d like to work with our partners to identify what could be done to make this possible.”
Should you wish to contribute or sponsor the project email GAMcShea@liveactive.co.uk. Centre Danny MacAskill’s Drop and Roll Tour at Bell’s Sports Picture Fraser Band Photography
We are missing a wheelchair bike which would make the sessions fully accessible and inclusive