One in a MILLION!
This week we’re recognising the great story of Ibe Hayter, 45, from Liverpool. He said…
Balancing myself on my bike, I gave the ground an almighty push. ‘You’re doing it!’ my dad, Clive, 71, shouted proudly. At five, I had learnt to ride a bike, with endless hours of teaching from Dad.
Growing up I loved to ride my bike to school and always had fond memories of cycling.
Yet when I got my first car, my bike was made redundant.
That was until I had my children, Omar,16, Ismael, 11, and Dean, eight.
Me and my wife, Ayesha, 41, made an effort to go on bike rides as a family.
We would all have such a great time.
‘Dad I don’t want to cycle to school anymore,’ Omar said one evening.
‘The other children in my class think it’s weird,’ he added.
Pausing for a moment, I realised why he may have thought that.
Hardly anyone in the local community cycled.
Attending a meeting at the Kuumba Imani Millenium Centre, an organisation set up to make our area a better place, I asked why there were no bikes around.
‘I don’t really feel safe on a bike,’ one lady said. ‘My bike is broken, I don’t know how to fix it,’ said another.
I thought back to all the memories
I had riding a bike and felt disappointed that others weren’t experiencing the same.
I also knew that bikes could help to battle climate change.
So, in March 2020, I decided to set up Cycle of Life.
A community project that would create a cycling culture – making bikes a viable option for others.
I wanted to offer popup workshops repairing run-down bicycles and riding lessons for those who didn’t feel confident enough.
I started
Nobody else was cycling in my town
the project in lockdown, but it was perfect timing!
The local community was so generous and charities even donated bikes for us to give out to key workers.
Seeing everyone come together to help others, and the environment, was extremely rewarding. I’ve even been recognised by Futerra Solutions as an Everyday Climate Hero, which is just incredible. Cycle of Life has shown others that saving the planet is down to us.
If I can do it, anyone can! ●visit col8.org.