GoCycle Update No.4
March 2009
I am writing with the latest news from GoCycle, Leighton-Linslade’s Cycle Town project.
This edition of the GoCycle Update is packed with information so again, I have listed the content below for your ease and reference:
1. Wheelie Wednesday – 11th March 2008
2. Cycle Instructors needed
3. Easter 2009 Activities – Cycle Training for ages 4yrs to adult plus mountain biking
4. GoCycle’s bike refurbishment project
5. Weekend Adult Cycle Training – 21/22 March.
6. Sustrans Ranger Event - Weds 11th March, 6.30 – 8.30 pm
7. Bike Week 13th – 21st June 2009
8. Summer Holiday Activities
9. Century Bike Ride – Sunday 6th September 2009 – Join us!
10. Loan or offer of bikes/accessories
11. February Wheelie Wednesday report
12. Infrastructure update
13. Cycle Parking in Schools
14. Additional Cycle Parking at the Train Station
15. Nicola’s sponsored bike ride – can you help?
16. GoCycle Website
17. Cycle Forum
18. Satisfied GoCycle Trainees
You can obtain more information on GoCycle events by contacting the office or following the website links in the text. And please forward this email to everyone who might be interested – they can email us to request their own future updates directly to their inbox.
Happy Cycling!
Alvina Farrow, GoCycle Promotions Officer
Events and activities for you:
1. Wheelie Wednesday – 11th March 2009
Our next Wheelie Wednesday will take place on Wednesday 11th March – 12.30 – 1.30 pm - Meet at the Market Cross Leighton Buzzard. (If you want your bike checked before the ride, please arrive 15 mins early).
2. URGENT – Cycle Instructors Needed for GoCycle Leighton-Linslade
This job, which can pay up to £20 per hour, involves training people of all ages - from 4 years old to 94 years old in the skills of controlling their bike and riding on the road.
Cycle Instructors need to be competent and confident cyclists - happy to ride along any road (although of course we all have preferences, when there are choices available!)
Also they need to have lots of patience, an outgoing and gentle disposition and clear, positive communication skills.
Contact us to arrange to observe some cycle training in action or you can receive Cycle Training to Level 3 Bikeability (Advanced Level) so that you can see how the logic and progression of the course works for you as a trainee. If you then feel you would like to continue, we can sign you up for a Cycle Instructors Course (4 days) which will allow you to work on our GoCycle Bikeability courses and become an accredited trainer.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
3. Easter Holiday 2009 activities – Cycle Training for 4yrs to Adults
We are delighted to be able to offer the following courses during the Easter 2009 holidays:
Monday 6th April 2009
9.30 am – 12.30 pm Introduction to Mountain biking 8 – 11 yrs
1.30 pm – 4.30 pm Introduction to Mountain biking 12 – 16 yrs
Tuesday 7th April 2009
9.30 am – 12.30 pm Introduction to Mountain biking 8 – 11yrs
1.30 pm – 4.30 pm Introduction to Mountain bikin 12 – 16 yrs
Wednesday 8th April 2009
9.00 am – 4.00 pm Level 2 12 years and over
(adults welcome)
10.30 am – 11.30 am Complete Beginners 4 – 7 yrs
12.00 noon – 1.00 pm Complete Beginners 4 – 7 yrs
2.00 pm – 4.00 pm Biking Basics 4 – 7 yrs
Wednesday 15th April 2009
9.00 am – 10.00 am Complete Beginners 4 – 7 yrs
10.30 am – 12.30 pm Biking Basics 4 – 7 yrs
2.00 pm – 4.00 pm Biking Basis 4 – 7 yrs
Thursday 16th April 2009
10.00 am – 12 noon Mountain Bike Taster Session 10 – 16 yrs
1.00 pm – 3.00 pm Mountain Bike Taster Session 10 – 16 yrs
Friday 17th April 2009
10.00 am – 12 noon Mountain Bike Taster Session 10 – 16 yrs
1.00 pm – 3.00 pm Mountain Bike Taster Session 10 – 16 yrs
Participants for the Mountain Biking courses will meet at Stockgrove Country Park. All other courses will be held at Southcott Lower School, Soulbury Road, Linslade. If you would like information on the course content or would like to book a place on any of our courses please download a booking form at All courses cost £5.00 and cheques should be made payable to Bedfordshire County Council.
4. GoCycle's Bike Refurbishment Project
Have you got an unused bike?
If you have an unused bike you may want to consider getting it back on the road through our GoCycle Bike Refurbishment Project
Our aim is to ensure that unused bikes are valued and used regularly again
If you have a bike in your shed that you are not using, you can give it new lease of life in a few short steps..
• Bring it to a Dr Bike Session and we can check it and, if possible, we will adjust it to make it serviceable again.
.. then you can do any of the following:
• Use it yourself.
• Give it to someone locally or a member of your family/friends
• Offer it to a local school or club
• Put it on Freecycle - if you are happy using the internet
We intend to run Dr Bike sessions at all of the events listed in these GoCycle updates, but to ensure that there are no changes to our schedule, check with us nearer the time. If you would like us to run a Dr Bike stand at any events you are involved with (summer fete’s, public events, activity days, sports days etc) please let us know and we can look into staffing a Dr Bike stand at your event.
You can also learn to service and maintain your own bike at one of our Bike Maintenance Courses - or book a Bike Maintenance Instructor for your group or club.
The Bike is Back
If you would like information on the course content or would like to register an interest when the course is run again please contact Alvina Farrow
5. Weekend Adult Cycle Training
We are pleased to be able to offer adult cycle training at the weekend on the following dates:
Saturday 21st March 2.00 pm – 4.30 pm
Sunday 22nd March 11.00 am – 1.00 pm
The meeting place for these sessions will be at The White House, Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1HD. If you would like information on the course content, would like to reserve a place (requires refundable deposit of £5) or to register an interest in when the course is run again then please contact Alvina Farrow
6. Sustrans Ranger Event Weds 11th March, 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Ever thought of becoming a Ranger? You can ride your bike AND do something useful at the same time! Why not come along for an informal information evening and learn more about Sustrans and how you can become part of it. The date is Wednesday 11th March, 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm at The White House, Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1HD
7. Bike Week 13th – 21st June 2009
We would like to hear from groups and/or individuals who would be interested in participating in a fund raising event during bike week. We intend to run a sponsored relay ride on a quarter of a mile circuit, off-road. Each team would have a mascot which they will need to move around the track continually for either 12 or 24 hours (to be decided!). We are recruiting 10 teams of up 25 people per team. All funds raised from this event to be donated to Cancer Research.
8. Summer Holidays
We are planning a comprehensive, fun packed schedule for the summer holidays under the banner of ‘Cycling Adventures’ - watch this space!
9. Century bike ride – Sunday 6th September 2009 – Join us!
We now have the route almost planned for this ride, and will shortly forward details to those of you who have indicated that you would like to join us for all or part of this ride.
10. Loan or offer of bikes/accessories
• Available for long term FREE loan - child seat for a bike, including fitting,– from the GoCycle office, White House.
• Free – 4 sets of second hand bike lights and attachments – available from the GoCycle office.
News of what’s been happening
11. February’s Wheelie Wednesday
Thanks to those who turned out on 11th February, although the weather was cold, it was very pleasant and we enjoyed a ride around Linslade.
12. Infrastructure Update
The following cycle schemes have already commenced, or are about to start, financed by the additional funds secured from Cycling England:
Pages Park
Upgrading the footpath leading to Pages Field to cycleway standard
Linslade Recreation Ground
Upgrading the footpath between Waterloo Road and Station Approach to cycleway standard plus resurfacing of part of the path near the Hunt Hotel
Vandyke Road Playing Field
BMX / Mountain Bike jumps
Vimy Road Open Space
Small BMX pump track
Marley Field / Danes Field
Providing a cycle path from Marley Field across the open space, connecting with existing footpaths on Danes Field plus a small BMX pump track on Danes Field
Ouzel (Northern) Meadows
Providing a surfaced cycle path across the meadows, connecting the bridge across to the Riverside Walk with the meadows entrance at Twelve Arches Weir
Vandyke Road Youth Club
Providing a portable Northshore-style cycle track
Meadow Way / Columbia Drive
Hosting a 'trail build' workshop and improvements at Columbia Drive on a couple of existing, informal BMX sites
Following the exhibition, it has been decided to postpone the planned improvements to existing footpaths alongside Clipstone Brook and to switch the investment planned for Parson’s Close to the BMX/Mountain Bike jump site at Stone Land Quarry in Heath and Reach
13. Cycle parking in schools
Work is due commence this month in all the schools in Leighton Buzzard, Linslade and Heath and Reach to install, improve or upgrade existing cycle parking facilities.
Allison will continue to work with schools on their School Travel Plans to ensure that the facilities are put to good use and to continue booking Cycle Training for Years 4, 6 and 9.
14. Additional cycle parking at the railway station
Work is due to commence this month to install cycle parking on the south side of the Railway Station.
15. Can you help Nicola achieve her goal?
Nicola Collins writes:
“In a moment of madness I decided that it would be a wonderful idea to cycle from London to Paris 520 gruelling km of sweat and tears, towards an amazing charity dedicated to raising the awareness of cancer in both male and female patients. (The Institute of Cancer Research registered charity number 534147)
Why you may ask? The answer is simple. My mum has a form of leukaemia, known as CLL and although it isn't life threatening she will need treatment as the disease has been detected at such a young age. I lost my granddad to cancer in 2001 and my partner has lost both of her granddads to liver cancer.
Our most recent bereavement to this evil disease was Jumbo (H's Granddad) who was a flight engineer in the Second World War; he flew with the Lancashire bombers and completed over 50 live missions, how he survived is beyond comprehension, however not only did he survive he went on to become a peer of his community, heavily involved in the church raising money towards charitable causes, and led a purely amazing life.
I need to raise £1250 to complete this challenge, and £1000 of this needs to be raised and submitted by the 8th April.
So far I have raised just over £200 and that was through one extremely successful fundraising night at a nightclub I frequently visit in London, however I still have a long way to go.
I will be organising many more fundraising events either collections for the cause or anything else that springs to mind, and require as much assistance as possible in reaching my goal.
My contact details are below and if you require any further information please feel free to ask”
Justgiving.com
Tel: 07761 415 405 / 01525 851 249
16. GoCycle website
We are constructing our website and would love to receive any news and pictures from you to include in our monthly news and views section – don’t be shy - let’s see those cycling pictures coming in! Currently, our general information and news, plus a space for a download of the Cycle Map, is available on the Town Council’s Website.
17. Cycling Forum
Have you thought about getting involved in the Cycling Forum? Now is your chance, email: llcyclingforum@aol.com or have a look at the Cycling Forum’s Yahoo
Esther Clarke, the Chair, looks forward to welcoming new members to regular meetings, activities and social events. Help make the Cycling Town work for you!
18. Satisfied GoCycle trainees:
“I wouldn't have got back onto my bike if it hadn't been for the offer of cycle training. I had my bike serviced ready for the training …….
I have been out on my bike again this week - cycled into Linslade on Monday evening for my yoga class.” Adult Cycle Trainee – the Cycle training was cancelled due to thick snow, but the idea has stuck!
“ …. many thanks for such an excellent cycle training session on Monday. I got a lot out of it and it has given me much more confidence to get out on my bike. So hopefully you'll see me cycling around town soon!” – first local shopkeeper to take up the Bikeability challenge!
“… Thank for all your time and effort. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed herself and learned some new things” – Year 4 Cycle training.
