Learn to Cycle in Your Lunchbreak!

How old were you when you learnt to ride a bike? Perhaps, like many of the adults we support at Moredon Sporting Hub, you never had the opportunity to learn as a child. Well, it’s never too late to start! And for any “rusty riders”, as the saying goes, “It’s just like riding a bike.” Once you’ve learnt, you may feel a little wobbly to begin with, but you never forget this life-changing skill.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, we’ve been running sessions for women at Moredon Sporting Hub to help them learn to ride a bike. Since July 2024, we’ve helped over 100 women learn to ride a bike and regain their confidence after a long break from cycling.

Sessions take place on Tuesday lunchtimes between 12:00 and 13:00, and we’re now welcoming men who’d like to learn to cycle too. You’re supported by friendly and experienced staff and volunteers on a dedicated traffic-free cycle track. It’s just £6.00 per session, which includes bike and helmet hire.

For one lady I worked with recently, learning to cycle was essential to help her get to a new job. Here’s her story:

As a child, Refka (36) was involved in a horrific car crash which left her with a hole in her arm, and she never learnt to drive due to PTSD. She’d always wanted to learn to cycle but had never managed it, thinking that her disability would make this too difficult. After being made redundant from her previous job, Refka was due to start a new role which was beyond walking distance. This prompted her to join a Learn to Cycle session at Moredon Sporting Hub.

After just her second lesson, she was riding laps of the track independently! With route-planning support, she is now cycling to work every day, dropping her daughter off at school en route.

“I absolutely love cycling now — I feel like I’m flying! It’s such a beautiful feeling. I’m still astonished at how quickly I learned.”

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To find out more about these cycling sessions and other opportunities at Moredon Sporting Hub, visit centralswindonnorth-pc.gov.uk/moredon-sporting-hub/cycling, or for any enquiries, please get in touch with me at rebeccacox@britishcycling.org.uk or call: 07515606704.