Help more children learn to ride

Ride with us from London to Brighton

This year we are entering a team into the London to Brighton charity cycle. The ride, which is run by the British Heart Foundation, takes place on Father’s Day, Sunday 18 June. The 54-mile route takes you through the beautiful Sussex countryside and to the sea. 

We are asking all our riders to raise a minimum of £300, which will go towards our Innovation Fund. The fund has been set up to help as many children as possible learn to ride and focuses in particular on children that have barriers to overcome. 

The Innovation Fund 

We have used the fund to help deliver Bikeability lessons to children that might not otherwise be able to access them.  

Charlie, Sabrin and Faith all benefitted from training that was funded in this way. All three of the children have hearing loss and hadn’t been able to access cycle training. The Innovation Fund meant they could take part in the specialised training they need to learn this life skill. 

Faith’s Story  

Faith, who uses two cochlear implants and is profoundly deaf, also has physical issues with her balance and core strength. She had only ever been able to ride using stabilisers and had only ever cycled at home. It didn’t seem like she would be able to enjoy the freedom and fun of cycling on her own away from home. 

Faith started out on a balance bike on the Bikeability course that was put together to suit her different needs. She was able to develop her balancing and gliding skills. At first Faith found it very challenging, so the instructors helped her build her confidence by giving her the opportunity to try out three and four wheel cycles. 

Having access to adapted cycles through the innovation fund was key to give Faith the confidence and practice so she could build up her strength, and improve her balance. 

Cycling success 

The instructors kept encouraging her to try the balance bike and the two wheel cycle, and then on day three Faith suddenly put her feet on the pedals and she was off! Soon she was whizzing around and enjoying her new skill. 

The course also taught her key Bikeability skills including how to check her surroundings, steer, brake and signal, so Faith and her family could be confident she would be safe to cycle outside of her home. 

Faith said she loves the course, and her mum was moved to tears seeing her cycling confidently on two wheels! They had tried so many times to get her cycling with stabilisers and hadn’t been able to do it. 

The specialised Bikeability training the Innovation Fund provided, including expert instructors and access to adapted cycles and the time she needed meant that Faith was finally able to master cycling.  

With your help, we can help more children like Faith, Charlie and Sabrin access Bikeability and overcome the barriers that stop them learning how to cycle. 

Will you join the team? 

If you are interested in joining Team Bikeability for the London to Brighton charity cycle in June, we would love to cycle with you! All you need to do is pay the £25 (+booking fee) non-refundable fee to register and the place is yours. There are limited places available. 

To take part in the ride with us you can sign up here.  

There is also more information available about the ride here.  

If you can’t take part in the ride, you can still donate to the Innovation Fund here.