Cycling Forum networking event

Date of the event: 12th November 2009
Organised by: Cycling Projects and Target: Wellbeing
Venue: Avenham Park, Preston
Reported by: Rob Squires, Network Co-ordinator (Third Sector)

Photo: River Ribble, looking North from Avenham Park

This was the second regional physical activity networking event, that we have organised for Target: Wellbeing projects, this time with a focus on cycling, and other outdoor activities. Most of the credit for organising this goes to Cycling Projects, who put together the programme, speakers and venue.

This partnership emerged through a realisation that Cycling Projects have an operation up and running in pretty much all of the 10 Target: Wellbeing programme areas, and in those where they do not, there are plans. Our collective aim therefore was to strengthen links between Cycling Projects, and other Target: Wellbeing funding cycling projects in the region, with a view to increased collaboration in the future. This aim was achieved to an extent, with some interesting new links being established between projects.

Cycling Projects put together an excellent programme of speakers for the morning, including:

• Jenny Ashburner from Preston PCT talking about how they support Target: Wellbeing, and cycling initiatives in the City;
• Ian Tierny talking about the work of cycling Projects in the Region
• Yvonne Ashcroft talking about the Pedal Away TWB project in Preston;
• David Jeffreys from Natural England, talking about partnership work with walking initiatives;
• Alasdair Simpson from Lancs County Council talking about how the local authorities are promoting cycling in the county.

Copies of the presentations can be downloaded from Target: Wellbeing’s new web site when it goes live in the very near future.