Hugely positive clip on BBC London about #InclusiveCycling, Wheels for Wellbeing’s popular sessions, and our Wheels4Me.co.uk London non-standard cycle loan scheme.
With tremendous thanks to Princewill Ahante for producing this segment.
The Wheels4Me London loan scheme is proudly funded by the Motability Foundation and delivered in partnership with Sustrans and Peddle My Wheels.
Now, more of us are cycling than ever before. Journeys on bikes are up more than a quarter since 2019, according to TfL. Well, one charity is trying to make sure no one is left behind. Wheels for well-being provides adaptive bikes for the disabled. It aims to ensure everyone gets the chance to experience cycling. Prince Will Aante explains, “It’s difficult enough trying to get around in London as a disabled person. While there are 272 tube stations in the city, only 93 are step free. The buses can be stressful to use, leaving us indoors most days. Something as simple as mobility becomes a barrier for disabled people. Last year, I needed surgery after aggravating my deformed foot commuting through a station with no step free access. And I never imagined cycling would be part of my recovery story. I thought cycling wasn’t for people like me. The barriers were obvious. No adaptive cycles, nowhere safe to cycle, and quite frankly, I didn’t believe I could do it. But then I found Wheels for Wellbeing, and that changed everything for me. Wheels for Wellbeing is a charity working to ensure disabled people access the physical, emotional, practical, and social benefits of cycling. We have cycles for everyone. When they come here for the first time, we see real expressions of joy and happiness from experiencing cycling perhaps for the first time or cycling in a safe and supportive environment. Cycling has enabled me to see how far I can go. I I’m so much more independent. So, I’m not asking my parents for lifts every single day or I’m not getting so stressed out about getting to places on time. If I didn’t have cycling, I think I would be quite immobile or I wouldn’t have the confidence to go out. The charity provides free cycle loans through its wheels for me skin. So, we’ve been operating for under a year and we’ve had a really wonderful response. Um, a lot of people have been able to cycle again for the first time after maybe having an injury or becoming unwell. Uh, people able to cycle with their children and their families. We’ve had some loadies who’ve then been able to cycle to work for the first time. Some people who have never cycled before uh, and didn’t realize it was an option, but now understand that there is an option for them and with the right with the right uh, facilities that that’s possible. The city of London says cycling has increased by 50% in the past 2 years. There’s a cycling culture out there, one that celebrates speed, image, and gear. But for people like us, cycling means something different. It could be physiootherapy for some or a hobby for others. Ultimately, cycling gives us freedom. Princeville and Hantate reporting there. Whether now his