August 2021 Parenta magazine

Cycle To Work Day
Summer’s here and it’s time to ‘get on your bike’ – literally. Yes, Thursday 5th August is Cycle
To Work Day where everyone is encouraged to cycle to work… or round the park, or in their back
garden! It doesn’t matter where you are, how old you are or if you are a complete beginner, a
‘cycling-rememberer’, or Tour de France veteran, this day is for you. It’s about getting in the
saddle, keeping yourself fit, helping the environment and having some fun!
Cycle To Work Day is officially promoted
at cycletoworkday.org where you can
find lots of useful information and advice.
There are posters to download to help
advertise the day to your staff and parents
as well as advice and information on
how the Government’s cycle-to-workscheme
works which allows employees
to get a discount on cycling equipment
through their workplace. You can also find
a handbook for employers here which
explains the benefits, eligibility, equipment
and how it works. Employers can set up
their own scheme or work with a thirdparty
to administer the scheme.
What are the benefits of
cycling?
The Government recommends that cycling
and walking should be the natural choices
for shorter journeys, or as part of a longer
journey by 2040. The “Cycling and Walking
Investment Strategy”, published in 2017,
sets out the Governments goals, and the
strategies and finance needed to achieve
them. The benefits include:
• Better health
• Reduced air pollution
• Cheaper travel
• Increased productivity for businesses
• Increased footfall near shops
• Vibrant and attractive environments
designed for healthy living
The health benefits of cycling for
individuals are well understood as it can
increase fitness, improve mental health
and help people maintain a healthy
weight. Physical inactivity is estimated
to cost the NHS up to £1 billion per year,
with further indirect costs calculated at
£8.2 billion 1 – a substantial amount of
the NHS budget, yet many of us remain
largely inactive but could easily increase
our activity by cycling or walking to work/
school.
According to government research 2 :
• Two out of three personal trips are
less than five miles
• Over 90% of school children live within
15 minutes of a primary school on
foot or by public transport
• Three-quarters of children live within
15 minutes cycle of a secondary
school
If we want to improve our health, our
lifestyles and look after the planet, then
cycling (and walking) more is one way that
we can all help.
Top tips for Cycle To Work Day
1. Be prepared and check your bike for
safety following the ABCD code:
A. Air
B. Brakes
C. Chain
D. Direction
2. Wear the right protective clothing
including a well-fitting helmet
3. Plan your route – choose a quieter
route if you are less confident
4. Carry some snacks, bicycle repair kit
and change of clothes if necessary
5. Wear supportive and sturdy shoes
6. Give yourself plenty of time
7. Follow all road safety rules
8. Stay safe – if you are not confident or
sure at junctions, get off your bike and
walk it across or round the junction
Encouraging young children to
cycle
According to a YouGov poll by Cycling UK,
82% of parents have taught their children
to ride a bike, and 70% said they believed
it to be a “vital life skill”, but the number of
journeys made by bike remains very low
at only 2%. Encouraging young children
to cycle and learn to ride a bike is one
thing that early years settings can do to
encourage more cycling.
Bikeability is another Department for
Transport scheme that teaches cycling skills
and cycling safety to millions of children
each year. Bikeability has 3 levels which are
suitable for children who can already ride
independently without stablilisers, and a
lot of primary schools run Bikeability Level 1
and Level 2 courses for their students. But
did you know that they also run sessions
for children aged 4 – 7 years as part of the
Bikeability Plus programme that includes a
Balance course and a Learn to Ride course?
The Balance course encourages children
to balance on a bike before worrying
about pedalling and higher skills.
It can be done on a balance bike,
or just by removing the pedals
and stabilisers from a normal
bike. This is a great way to help toddlers
become more confident on two wheels,
and you could also include scooters too as
many younger children begin on these first.
Ensure that children are wearing protective
clothing and a well-fitting helmet at all
times when either scooting or cycling.
There are also more resources aimed at
early years settings on the Bikeability site
which you can access here. These include
lesson plans and information on the
following topics:
• Picture This! An Understanding the
World activity about cycling
• On our Bicycles – a PSHE & Physical
development activity about Bikeability
Balance
• “Red, Amber, Green – Roundabout!” A
fun activity to do in PE teaching pupils
about traffic lights, roundabouts and
road safety
• Let’s All Cycle collage – using art and
design skills
• A ‘Magic Bicycle-Pencil’ Adventure
which encourages the development of
fine motor skills and covers a variety of
EYFS areas
Involve parents
You could also run a parental advice and
information session and incorporate some of
the advice from the Bikeability information for
families. One of the main areas of concern
they are trying to address is to get parents
to cycle behind, rather than in front of their
children, saying:
“You often see families cycling with the
parent in front and the kids dangling
behind; what we’re actually trying to do
with Bikeability Family is reverse that. When
children lead and cycle in front of the adult,
the parent can always see the situation and,
as a result, parents feel much more in control
and much more confident as well.”
The idea behind Cycle to Work Day is to
encourage people to cycle more consistently,
not just on one day, so why not make it a
week- or even a month-long activity? You
could even create a fund-raising opportunity
and organise some sponsorship for your
setting or other charity too. Whatever you
decide, we’d love to hear what you’ve been
up to, so please send us your pictures and
stories to hello@parenta.com.
References
1. NICE report (2013)
2. DfT (2015) Investing in Cycling and
Walking: The economic case for action;
National Travel Survey 2014; Living
Streets (2013) The Pedestrian Pound
38 August 2021 | parenta.com
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