Why Cycling?

Our work is inspired by the NHS 5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing and our young beneficiaries will be able to develop their cycling skills and confidence following a programme aligned with the National Standard for Cycle Training syllabus while increasing their fitness through moderately strenuous activity in line with NHS recommendations on healthy levels of exercise.

But why cycling? Well, as the Northumberland Cycling and Walking Board state in their Our Way Prospectus, cyclists have better health and wellbeing, utilise less health and welfare support and are more likely to live well and for longer. That’s what we want for our young beneficiaries and indeed the wider community. Cycling saves the NHS money, reduces congestion, creates jobs and injects money directly into the local economy, boosts the vitality of town centres and improves liveability and enhances family and community life. In short, cycling is healthy, social, clean, quiet and fun. Why would we not want to champion it?

Key Points


– 20 minutes of exercise a day cuts the risk of developing depression by 31%

– Physical inactivity costs the NHS up to £1 billion a year, with further indirect costs calculated at £8.2 billion

– Meeting the targets to double cycling would lead to savings of around £567 million annually from air quality alone and prevent 8,300 premature deaths each year

– Mode shift to active transport such as cycling is one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing transport emissions and curbing climate change

– Cycling contributes £5.4 billion to the economy per year and supports 64,000 jobs