ON yer bike! A new Bike Hub is opening this week offering free cycling and wellbeing activities for adults and children at North Solihull Sports Centre.
This is thanks to the Active Communities initiative led by Solihull Council and The Active Wellbeing Society in Birmingham.
Delivered by the Big Bike Project, and funded by Sport England, the Bike Hub will enable residents to design and be part of a programme of cycling activities tailored to helping beginners, people wanting to increase their cycling confidence and skills and those who do not usually get the chance to cycle.
The programme will feature Learn to Ride sessions and Leisure Rides as well as regular maintenance courses and bike fix sessions led by Dr Bike.
It will be officially unveiled on Thursday, January 16 at 10am by the leader of Solihull Council, Coun Ian Courts. To mark the launch, free adult cycling activities will be available from 9.30am to 11am.
Coun Courts said: “The new Bike Hub is a welcome addition to the borough. It will offer opportunities for children and adults to develop new skills or rediscover existing ones and meet people with similar interests.
“As well as the proven benefits cycling can have on physical and mental wellbeing we also know that it has a wider role to play in reducing congestion and improving air quality in Solihull.”
The Big Bike Project team has been talking to residents about services it would like to see and have used the responses to inform the free activities on offer.
Regular weekly Learn to Ride sessions (aimed at beginners and anyone looking to improve their skills and confidence) will take place every Thursday from 1pm to 3pm starting on January 23. Weekly Led Rides from the Sports Centre will start on Thursday February 20 at 1pm.
The Big Bike Project is just one of the Active Communities initiatives making it easier for people to access social and physical activity across the region.
To find out more visit active-communities.org