Cycling for Health - Physical Activity & Community Activity (PACE)

“BikeRight! A local “not for profit” company delivering “Learn to Cycle” sessions for the Physical Activity Services – PACE (Physical Activity Community Exercise) Team, has been shortlisted for an award in the “Suppliers Delivering Sustainability” Category at the LGC & HSJ Sustainable Communities Awards 2009.

BikeRight! provides a weekly cycle training session for Asian women at risk of serious health problems, many of whom have never learnt to ride a bike. Cycling was introduced in 2007 as a way of introducing new and different opportunities to get active but numbers attending were low. However we decided to refund it in 2008 as numbers had begun to increase towards the end of the summer. In 2008 PACE expanded the activities on offer and included Nordic Walking taster sessions and tennis sessions all of which have proved a huge success.

This year between March and September over 40 women to learned to ride a bicycle. Some of the women have to overcome barriers of family pressure, clothing restrictions and language to come. One of Manchester Public Health Development’s new Health Trainers (based within ZEST) also attends the sessions and acts as interpreter, she has us helped to break down cultural barriers and helped make the sessions sociable as well as positively healthy. By only sending female staff, BikeRight! and PACE have achieved what is acceptable for the cultural needs of the group, as well as giving strong positive role models.

This piece of work has been developed over two years and has been built on solid foundation of the Asian Women’s Health Walk which has proved very popular and increased usage of Crumpsall Park as described by Bill Eastwood in July 2006

“The Health walks that take place in Crumpsall Park have been a great success, it is extremely pleasing to see an increase in the multi cultural use of the Park, and more visitors attracted to Crumpsall, because of what I believe to be an extremely well organized and popular weekly activity that is based on the local communities needs and wishes. Well done to everyone involved.”

This is an excellent example of Manchester Community Health working in partnership with the third sector and engaging with BME communities.

This programme of activities has contributed to the improved sustainability performance of Manchester PCT and its Physical Activity Services Team aimed at countering health inequalities.

Further Details

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