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October 13, 2024
GETTING FOLKS ON THEIR BIKES – BIG BIKE REVIVAL 3
March was the month that we opened our doors to the public after four years of planning, restoration and community pop up events. Phew! We made it.
Our third joint venture with Big Bike Revival and Cycling UK helped bring five new Levenshulme based events to fruition.
It also gave a big boost to the opening month celebrations with useful bike repair sessions being advertised around the same time as anticipation started to ramp up and it helped raise our profile in the community so more folks knew who we were, when we were opening how they could get involved and learn with us!
This time, we focussed on the educational model of bike fixing – each person that took part was invited to fix their bikes with our mechanics and were allocated 30 minute slots. No pressure, we promise.
It turns out people were really interested in the fix and learn approach. As a result, the number of local people who had a chance to learn how to do some basics on their bike and learn some bonus life skills reached a whopping 79! That’s 79 people making steps towards complete bicycle maintenance empowerment!
In total, we put on three “fix with us” events and two led rides, each with bike maintenance elements attached to them.
Over the course of our five events we managed to get 115 people involved! 36 people riding in groups and 79 flks learning how to fix up their trusty steed. A real success and delivered with style by Anna, our cycling ambassador!
Each time we work in and around the community we remember how great the place we live is. No exception at Levenshulme Market. It was a super busy day at Levenshulme Market and we brought the full crew down. 3 mechanics and Anna. Some people booked in advance and some strolled up on the day on the off chance. In total we worked on 29 bikes in the beautiful sunshine surrounded by the nice smells and sounds of the day.
Next up was an after school pop up on our patch of green on the side of the Fallowfield Loop.
Kids and parents from local schools and passers by were intrigued and pleased to see us grafting in the space. Two of our team worked into the evening showing young children and adults how to fix their own bike. Good times were had by all.
Alma Park Primary School put on a celebration of all things active travel in the local park.The challenge of the day was to cycle, scoot, skate and walk around the park as many times as they could!
We got involved by helping fix up bikes and doing DIY sessions with the pupils and their parents. The best bit was undoubtedly when we took a really big group for a ride along the Fallowfield Loop. Children of all ages joined us and we formed a happy and very cute long bike train in the sunshine! We fixed 26 bikes and welcomed nearly 30 cyclists on our ride.
Ken Foster’s was next on the March list. We did a Loop de Floop and back to Chorlton with a group of 23 of us. The youngest children on the ride were 10yrs, with smaller ones in trailers etc so we managed a steady pace over to Station South. It was really great to finish with this one as we also gave folks a snaky peak of the station before we officially swung the doors open!
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