Wanted: Cycle instructors to help boost health and wellbeing in West Yorkshire
Cycle for Health is a programme of training and led rides, funded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s CityConnect programme and delivered by Cycling UK. It offers a route into regular activity for adults identified as having poor mental or physical health. The package of support develops skills and confidence to help kick-start a drive to improve health and wellbeing and everyday quality of life.
Courses will be run as weekly two-hour sessions over 12 consecutive weeks, at hubs across West Yorkshire with fleets of bikes. Groups will consist of up to 12 participants, with multiple courses at each venue. The scheme is running for nine months from summer 2021, following successful delivery of a four-year programme that ended in 2019/20.
Course participants will be adults referred from health organisations including primary and secondary healthcare services (e.g. GPs, mental health support services, cardio rehabilitation) and exercise referral schemes. Participants will be screened to be sure that Cycle for Health is the right activity programme and check that cycling is a safe and appropriate exercise for their health condition.
Andrew Cremin, interim head of England Behaviour Change & Development Team at Cycling UK, commented: “Cycle for Health has made significant impacts on people's lives in West Yorkshire, helping more than 1,000 course participants to improve their physical and mental wellbeing through structured cycling sessions in the previous delivery phase. As we launch our next phase, many of our previous instructors who were unable to work during lockdown have had to take on new jobs, so we're once again looking for experienced cycling instructors to help with this exciting scheme.
“Anyone with the requisite skills and a love of cycling will find joining Cycle for Health a rewarding opportunity, using their knowledge to help empower people to experience the joy that cycling can bring.”
Instructor requirements
Cycling UK is looking for:
- Lead instructors: fully qualified instructors (NSI or 1st4Sport) with experience of working with adults.
- Co-instructors/Ride leaders who are NSIP or have a Ride Leader qualification.
Instructors must be able to be able to attend at least six weeks of a 12-week course. Continuity of delivery is important to build good relationships with the participants, and between instructors; and grow confidence and cohesion within the group. Having a DBS check, First Aid, or other relevant qualification (e.g. coaching) is useful but not essential.
People interested in working on the Cycle for Health project should contact Cycling UK on 01483 904562 or cycleforhealth@cyclinguk.org
ENDS
Notes to editors
Cycling UK
The UK’s cycling charity imagines a world where the streets are free of congestion and the air is clean to breathe, where parents encourage their children to cycle to school and everyone shares the exhilaration of being in the saddle. For more than 140 years, we’ve been making our streets safer, opening up new traffic free routes and inspiring more people to cycle more often. For more information, visit www.cyclinguk.org.
CityConnect
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s CityConnect programme works in partnership with a range of public, private and community organisations to encourage more people to cycle and walk short journeys.
The CityConnect programme has received funding through the Department for Transport-funded Cycle City Ambition Grant (CCAG) and local match funding – a combined £60m package of works aimed at improving cycling infrastructure across West Yorkshire and York to make cycling and walking the natural choice for short journeys. The programme is delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the five West Yorkshire councils and City of York Council.
The programme is currently developing a package of works to access up to £14.8 million funding through the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, and the Leeds City Region Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of Government investment through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), delivered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.
In partnership with Leeds City Council and City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, the team has completed work on the 23km Bradford Leeds Cycle Superhighway, which connects two of Yorkshire’s major cities with a route segregated from traffic.
Communities across West Yorkshire and York are seeing the benefits of new, high quality cycling and walking infrastructure, including Bradford’s Canal Road Cycleway, Leeds’s City Centre Cycle Superhighway, the Castleford Wakefield Greenway, a series of canal towpath upgrades in Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale, and Scarborough Bridge, York.
Through CityConnect, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority also delivers a series of awareness campaigns and engagement initiatives, including support for businesses, schools and grassroots initiatives to boost the number of people travelling by bike or on foot. For more information visit www.cyclecityconnect.co.uk.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
West Yorkshire Combined Authority works in partnership with local councils and businesses to ensure that everyone in the region benefits from a strong, successful economy and a modern, accessible transport network. By championing the region’s interests nationally and internationally, the Combined Authority secures the investment to deliver better transport and housing, help businesses to grow and create jobs.
For more information visit www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk
Press contact information
For more information, please contact the national Cycling UK press office. Due to the restrictions caused by the coronavirus outbreak, currently the main press office number (01483 238 315) is not being monitored. If you would like to speak to a member of the press office please email publicity@cyclinguk.org or call 07786 320 713
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