Case study -

PACE, cycling for health

Situation

North Manchester Primary Care Trust have been offering health sessions since 2003. The sessions run between Easter and October and take place in Brookdale Park, Newton Heath, Boggart Hole Clough, Crumpsall Park and Clayton Vale. The PCT wanted to include cycling as one of the health session activities.

Our solution

We put together a programme of rides in all locations that were suitable for all ages and abilities. The sessions are held on Monday mornings from 9 to 11.30 am, come rain or shine. Most of the attendees have been re-taught how to ride a bike and in some cases taught from scratch as they had never ridden a bike in their life.

Their confidence grows every week as does their capacity for cycling. Their health and wellbeing improves too. We attended the monthly PACE social event to hand out information about the sessions and to encourage people to come and have a go. Staff from the PCT attend the cycling sessions as part of their ‘bank time’

We supply bikes and helmets for all the sessions. We purchased a new fleet of bikes, both men- and women-specific designs, step-through and lightweight models that could be exclusively used for the health rides.

Year by year itinerary:

• 2003 PACE at Brookdale Park and at Philips Park

• 2004 PACE at Brookdale Park including the PACE triathlon swim, walk and cycle where participants won prizes for attending all 3 sessions more than 5 times

• 2005 - 2009 PACE at Brookdale Park, Boggart Hole Clough, Crumpsall Park

Benefits

• Improved health and wellbeing of all those who take part

• Everyone learnt new skills

• New friendships forged

• A healthy alternative to medication