Our supported rides programme
Our mission is to use cycling to heal and protect the mental and physical health of local people facing struggles in their lives by providing them with opportunities to cycle and engage with the local cycling community.
“..after being diagnosed with ME I’ve been going out with Cycling Minds for a couple of months now. I have found this to be beneficial for both my physical and mental health. The groups have been small, and I’ve always felt safe during all our rides” Ride participant
Cycling Minds runs free supported e-bike ride programmes on the quiet country lanes around Hexham. Participants must be over 18 years old and able to ride a bike. Additionally, we are pleased to make arrangements for support workers to join us on our rides.
E-bikes are a fantastic equaliser, enabling people of all fitness levels to explore the stunning countryside, without anyone being left behind.
What we provide
– Supported e-bike rides between March and October
– E-bikes and helmets
– Assistance and help as needed
– Experienced and first aid trained ride leaders
The safety of our participants is paramount: all rides are risk-assessed. We also check in with participants about their suitability for the programme before they ride with us. We then offer them a “Taster” session to show them how to use the e-bikes and include some fun activities to assess their proficiency riding a bike
Who we work with
We currently receive referrals from several local organisations, including Adapt (Living Well), Natural Ability and Gateway into the Community. We are happy to accept referrals from new organisations, whether for individuals or groups.
Cycling is good for you!
The social aspects of the ride are important to both us and the participants. We always include a stop either at a cafe or as a picnic
The key proven outcomes of our work are a heightened sense of social inclusion, greater self-confidence and an increased likelihood of continuing to cycle.
We were recently handed an award by Cycling UK for Most Inspiring Community Cycle Club in the UK for 2023, thanks to our “outstanding contribution” and “for achieving great things” getting more people in our local community out on bikes.
Partner referral
If you are an organisation and would like to speak to us about referring your service users to us or if we have contacted you to be a referring professional, please complete this Referral form below and we’ll get in touch with you.
You can also call or text Jo or Beth on 07743 180075 during normal working hours.
Self-referral
We do not acept self-referrals at present but please get in touch and we will signpost you to our referral partners who can help get you registered on one of our programmes.
Together we are stronger
