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Local environmental
organisation, BioRegional, is giving away free cycling packs to
Sutton residents to help them save money, get fit, travel faster,
improve the environment and most of all have fun! The packs contain
everything you need to know about cycling including a booklet, ‘On
your bike’, produced by BioRegional with a grant from the
London Cycling Campaign. The packs also contain information on local
cycling groups, money off vouchers for local cycling shops, local
and regional cycle maps and information about cycle club membership
and insurance - all held in a waterproof case that can be conveniently
carried whilst cycling. The packs are part of a wider initiative
to get local people cycling.
Why cycle?
Cycling offers a functional and fun way of traveling for all ages.
There are no vehicle emissions and cycling helps you to keep fit.
Cycling only 30 minutes a day adds significantly to your life expectancy.
You’ll also have a fitness level equivalent to someone ten
years younger. Promoting cycling is part of a BioRegional scheme
to encourage the local community including residents of the Beddington
Zero Energy Development (BedZED), where BioRegional is based, to
become more imaginative about how they travel. Walking, cycling,
and local public transport is often cheaper and more comfortable
than driving a car. You could save yourself over £1,000 on
car costs every year by switching to cycling5.
Dr Bike sessions and Cycle
Maintenance Workshops
Before embarking on a cycling journey you need to make sure that
your bike is safe. BioRegional and local cycling group Cyclism have
formed a partnership to run free Dr Bike Sessions. The sessions
provide a 10-minute bike check and basic repairs. You can also meet
other cyclists and learn about local cycle events and facilities.
Two Dr Bike sessions have already run this summer at All Saints
Community Centre in Wallington. The sessions proved to be very popular
with adults and children from BedZED and the local community. A
2-hour maintenance class was also held to give keen cyclists the
opportunity to learn how to keep their own bikes in tip top shape.
Where can you get your pack?
BioRegional has 100 cycling packs
to give away to Sutton residents. The packs will be available from
All Saints Community Centre, New Rd, Wallington, Monday afternoons
and Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am – 5pm.
The next Dr. Bike ten minute bike check will be in the Autumn, sessions
are held in early evening so both kids and adults can go. Call BioRegional
for more information 020 84044889
Notes
London Cycling Campaign, now in
its 24th year, is the largest urban cycling campaign in the world,
has 8,000 members and active local groups in each London Borough.
LCC's mission is to increase cycling in Greater London. Its vision
is to make London a world class cycling city. It provides a wide
range of services to cyclists and potential cyclists across London.
Its members benefit from free third party insurance, discounts in
bike shops, the best cycle insurance on the market, an excellent
magazine and the support and advice groups in every London borough.
Other information at www.lcc.org.uk
or on 020 7928 7220.
SEED: The cycle pack is part of
the BedZED Green Lifestyles Project which is supported by
SEED. In September 2000 the New Opportunities Fund, a National Lottery
‘good cause’ distributor, appointed the Royal Society
for Nature Conservation (RSNC) as an Award Partner in its Green
Spaces and Sustainable Communities funding programme. Through this,
RSNC’s Social, Economic and Environmental Development (SEED)
Programme is to distribute £13.94 million in lottery funding.
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