Cycle and Stride for Active Lives scheme thriving as latest wave of groups join up

A Transport for Greater Manchester-backed initiative is helping local community groups become more active through walking and cycling.

More than 30 new groups have joined Cycle and Stride for Active Lives following the latest round of applications, including local groups Become United, a Rochdale-based community group for the Greater Manchester BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) community, focusing on four areas: mental health, sport, youth and resources, and PossAbilities CIC, a social enterprise that has day centres across Rochdale borough which are attended by 150 people with learning disabilities.

The three-year programme seeks to reach 10,000 people across communities that are least likely to be active or to walk or cycle their journeys. This is done through grants, training, online support, activities and events - all with the support of incredible local champions and volunteers.

Become United received funding to host a series of walks over the summer, which have seen an average of 20-25 participants each time. Various sessions take place for different groups, including women, men, families, teens and children, so that everyone feels confident.

Previous walks have taken place at Watergrove Reservoir, Withen’s Clough, Syke Methodist Church, and Dovestone Reservoir.

 

 

Mohammed Towhasir from Become United said: ''The TFGM fund has been vital in supporting us encouraging ethnic communities to get out walking to improve their health and wellbeing.

“We would like to thank the TFGM and all those who have attended the walks which have been a great success so far, and we look forward to more walks over the next few months.''

Become United’s next walk is a women’s two-to-three mile route around Heaton Park (M25 2SW) at 12.45pm on Saturday 16 September.

The three bikes PossAbilities has bought with funding from the scheme will also enable them to offer cycling as an activity to up to 600 of their service users across Greater Manchester.

As their service users have learning disabilities, the bikes will be used in parks and green spaces, and quieter locations away from roads.

 

 

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham visited the group’s Cherwell Wellbeing hub, in Heywood, on 31 August to see how it is helping its clients become more active.

He said: “It was great to visit PossAbilities CIC and see first-hand the positive difference this programme is making to the lives of the vulnerable people they support.

“I’m delighted to see our hugely important Cycle and Stride for Active Lives initiative going from strength to strength as more and more groups get involved.

“Walking and cycling can be so beneficial to people’s health and wellbeing so it’s great to see a scheme like this – which aims to reach communities that experience more barriers when it comes to active travel – being so successful.”

Rachel Law, CEO at PossAbilities CIC, has praised the scheme for not forgetting about people with learning disabilities and putting them ‘front and centre’ of the project.

“Here at PossAbilities we encourage everyone we support to develop healthy lifestyles through good nutrition, having a health passport and staying as active as possible,” she said.

“Having the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham here to launch the project has proved a real boost. Credit to him for cheerfully riding in partnership with the people we support, highlighting the importance of exercise and fitness.

“With the project underway, the bikes that we’ve been able to buy with the grant from Cycle & Stride is so important. It will enable the people we support to experience the joy of cycling; to get out and about safely with support from our team; and hopefully this will become a gateway to enjoying being more active.”