Wrap up and ride this December with Love to Ride’s Winter Wheelers campaign.
Winter Wheelers is a fun cycling campaign about helping people to conquer the cold and get on their bikes in winter (as well as giving out prizes) and NHS Lanarkshire staff can take part.
The cold, wind and rain can deter people from riding a bike, but this cold-busting campaign from Love to Ride aims to show that, with a little preparation, every day is a biking day.
Alongside the great health and sustainable benefits cycling brings throughout December, you can turn your rides into amazing prizes (like a bike worth £1,500). It does not matter if you are brand new to riding or a pedalling pro, anyone can join. To take part, register at www.lovetoride.net and log your journeys from 1 to 25 December. Remember to join the NHS Lanarkshire team.
Love to Ride is a behaviour change expert who has refined its approach by helping hundreds of thousands of people around the world get into biking. With quick courses articles with plenty top tips, everyone registered with Love to Ride can access the tools they need to build their biking confidence. Each rider will receive tailored emails that address their barriers to riding and help them to get in the saddle.
As the nights draw in and the cool sets in, it is an ideal time for all in NHS Lanarkshire to embrace all the benefits riding a bike can bring:
- Boost your physical health – even a 10-minute bike ride will raise your heart rate;
- Improve your mental health – riding a bike can make you feel happier and more connected to your surroundings compared to other modes of transportation;
- Reduce stress and anxiety – any form of physical activity is good for releasing endorphins and reducing stress;
- Make an impact on your environment – reduce your carbon footprint by leaving the car at home.
NHS Lanarkshire’s active travel officer, Georgie Stuart, said “It’s easy this time of year to want to stay warm and dry, but the more we can push ourselves to get outside, enjoy some fresh air and get our bodies moving, the better we’ll feel in the long run. Winter Wheelers is the perfect opportunity to get out for a short ride, reap the rewards and maybe even win some prizes.
“NHS Lanarkshire has several schemes our staff can access to enable more physical activity through the working day and we we’d encourage all staff to make the most of them.
“For any staff who don’t have access to a bike, the NHS Lanarkshire staff Brompton loan scheme is available for a free three-month loan of a folding bike. Or else staff can purchase their own bike with at least a 25 per cent discount through the Cycle to Work scheme, with secure cycle parking facilities now at 11 of our sites.”
How does it work?
- Register for free at www.lovetoride.net
- Join NHS Lanarkshire’s team
- Log your bike rides before 3pm the following day
- Wait and see if you won. There are prizes to be won every day and one lucky winner will receive a text on Christmas Day saying they won a bike.
NHS Lanarkshire is committed to supporting staff to commute actively and welcome your thoughts. Please contact bikeusergroup@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk with comments or queries on the new cycle parking, the Winter Wheelers campaign or the Brompton loan scheme, and keep up-to-date with info and opportunities via our Twitter and Facebook.
