Our mission is to use cycling to heal and protect the mental and physical health of local people facing struggles in their lives by providing them with opportunities to cycle and engage with the local cycling community.
Connecting,empowering AND HEALING people AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH CYCLING
Cycling Minds CIC was incorporated inHexham (Northumberland) in November 2021 by three locals with a love of cycling.From the beginning, our core social purpose and how we fulfil this has beeninspired by and informed through extensive talks with numerous local social andhealth care providers, principally: The Living Well Service (managing socialprescribing for the 14 GP surgeries in West Northumberland); NorthumberlandCounty Council's Public Health, Well-being and Adult Social Care Services; thecharities Adapt North East (working to improve the quality of life of peoplewith mental health problems and who are disadvantaged in being able to accessservices because they live in a rural location); and Hextol Foundation (); aswell as other local charities and community initiatives such as Hexham YouthInitiative, Stop Gap Supported Housing and Number 28 Community Project.
All these organisations have reported alack of options for them to signpost their service users to organisationsoffering sports-related activities, particularly sports that arenon-competitive and outdoors. Cycling Minds is helping to fill this gap by deliveringfree guided e-bike rides to the people these referral partners signpost to us. Bydoing so, we form part of the social prescribing landscape in Northumberlandand work with link workers to incorporate cycling into our participantsperson-centred care plans.
We have found that the key benefits oftaking part in our Step On(e) guided rides programme are a reduction insocial isolation, increased self-confidence and improved fitness. Combined withthis, programme participants are more likely to continue cycling after completingthe programme and are also presented with opportunities to interact with thelocal cycling community through campaigning, joining a cycle club or justmeeting likeminded people wanting to ride together through Cycling Minds in afun, sociable and nurturing environment.
Since launch, our project has beenextremely well received by funders, with 80% of our applications being accepted.We see this as a seal of approval for Cycling Minds and the range of funders whoare supporting us also demonstrates how our project has positive outcomes innumerous spheres such as enhancing public health (social prescribing), supportingpeople with special education needs and reducing anti-social behaviour byproviding diversionary activities, to name but a few. We are presently fundedby Northumberland County Council, Sport England, the Northumbria Police andCrime Commissioner, The National Lottery Community Fund, the CommunityFoundation, the Evan Cornish Foundation, the Clothworkers’ Foundation, TheJoicey Trust, M&S, The Vulcain Group and Localgiving Magic Little Grants.
A link in a bigger chain
As well as making a difference at anindividual level, Cycling Minds also makes a contribution to cyclingdevelopment by campaigning for better cycling infrastructure and educatingpeople about cycling. Knowing the safest and most fun routes, how to carry outroadside repairs and how to ride safely in traffic are all challenges that oftenstop non-cyclists from taking up cycling. By delivering cycling classes andother activities in the local community, we are boosting the uptake of cycling.We also work with local businesses to develop cycling schemes for their staffas part of their CSR actions.
Our values
Nurture togetherness : We are onecommunity, one team, working toward a common goal: to enhance everyone'swell-being.
Empower the individual :We create opportunities for personal development through enhancedself-confidence and social inclusion.
Facilitate change :We serve as a launchpad from which cycling-based projects and community actioncan take off and flourish.
Solve local problems :We are convinced the health of the local economy and people can be improvedthrough cycling and finding ways to achieve this lies at the heart of what wedo.
Toby Price (Volunteer GeneralManager) : Cycling Mindswas envisaged by Toby who is a freelance Spanish translator, a keen cyclist andhas experienced first-hand how cycling can play a role in overcoming mentalillness. A Velotech Gold accredited bike mechanic and British Cycling Level 2 qualifiedride leader, Toby ran a popular free bike repair service for key workers duringthe first Covid-19 lockdown, and it was that experience that gave him theinspiration to establish Cycling Minds to help local people to cycle more.
Dominic Cook (VolunteerNon-executive Director) :Dominic is currently a director with one of the world’s leading engineeringprofessional services consultancies, WSP. He has been involved with localcommunity activities through the Hexham Round Table – treasurer for HexhamRound Table for two years, Chair for one year – helping to organise numerouscommunity events and raise funds for local good causes. He competes intriathlons and has also been treasurer for the One Life triathlon club forthree years.
Michael Williams (VolunteerNon-executive Director) :Michael is Managing Director of Hexham based PDL Solutions (Europe) Ltd.Outside of work, Michael volunteers as a Scout Section Assistant supporting avery active Scout group in Barrasford and has recently gained furtherresponsibility within the Explorers section. Michael has a passion for cycling,whether that be on the local trails on his mountain bike or on the many andvaried Northumbrian country lanes with a bunch of like-minded road cyclists .
Advisory Board
We couldn’t have gotCycling Minds up and riding without the invaluable support of our AdvisoryBoard of volunteer experts in different fields including: Ted Liddle, cyclingdevelopment and tourism specialist; Thomas Hardy, Twelfth City Cyclery bike shopowner; Justin Rowntree from SweetSpot, former advisor and fundraiser for asuccessful social enterprise working with young people with mental healthchallenges (Blend Kitchen ); Stef Anderson, former Fundraising andCommunications Lead at Ouseburn Farm Charity in Newcastle; Linz Philips, formerEVP at Sage and board member of Dynamo North East and Digital Leaders; and Tania Thomas, former Team Leader of the NHS Living Well Service.
Dr Ollie Hart has joinedCycling Minds as an ambassador and advisor, attracted by our sports health andtraining programme which will make a valuable contribution to fulfilling theNHS’s targets for person-centred care and social prescribing under itsComprehensive Model for Personalised Care. Known as Doc on a Bike after hepledged to swap a car for an e-bike for his work as a GP Partner and ClinicalDirector of Heeley Plus Primary Care Network, Ollie is a personalised care leadwith the Royal College of GPs, and one of two global Health and Wellbeingambassadors for parkrun. He is also a director of Peak Health Coaching and hasa strong interest in integrating conventional medical provision with addressingsocial determinants of health, sitting on the steering group of the nationalthink tank, Rethinking Medicine. He has been at the forefront of championingperson-centred care since 2014, engaging 70 GP practices to developperson-centred care skills.
John Holmes is a retiredChartered Surveyor with a career in Development, Housing, Regeneration,Economic Development, Heritage Management and Tourism in both the public,private and charitable sectors. He now chairs the Bernicia Housing Group, is aGovernor of Northumberland College, is a Trustee of Tyne & Wear Archives& Museums Development Trust and is a volunteer driver for a local charity.He has always been passionate about cycling and has taken part in manycoast-to-coast rides and several fundraising rides including for a Rumanianchildren's charity.
We are proud to have asour patron Northumberland County Councillor and Hexham Town Councillor, Dr SuzanneFairless-Aitken. Suzanne has experienced first-hand how cycling helps managemental health and decided to support the project as patron because, in herwords: "Cycling Minds very much ticks most of our list of priorities for Hexham– a sustainable social enterprise that will bring huge benefits to the healthof residents. A happy and healthy Hexham – a win-win!"
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