Deputy Lord Mayor launches CTC'S Cycle Champions Programme in Bradford

Hawarun Hussain, Bradford’s new Deputy Lord Mayor, will be getting on her bike with 50 other cyclists from the Bradford area on Sunday 15 June to officially launch CTC’s Cycle Champions Programme in Bradford and showing just how easy it is to jump on a bike and go…

Hawarun Hussain said:”Cycling is great fun and fantastic for keeping fit, so come and join me at the launch of CTC’s Cycle Champions Programme in Shipley. It’s only a short ride into Bradford, or just come up to Centenary Square and join us there”.

The 5 mile ride will leave Market Square in Shipley at 9am and travel along Canal Road to arrive in Centenary Square by 9.45am. Everyone is welcome - you can be a new cyclist or an experienced one - you just need to be able to cycle 5 miles and bring a bicycle that’s in good working order.
If you don’t have a bike you can book one by contacting CTC’s Cycle Champions Officer Viv Carnea, who is organising the ride. Book anyway, only 50 can ride.

There will be advice about choosing and looking after a bike and bike skills from 10am to 12 noon in Centenary Square, and Crank-it-Up Cycling for All will be there with wacky bikes for people to try.

The Deputy Lord Mayor’s Ride will launch the new CTC Cycle Champions Programme which aims to encourage hundreds of new cyclists across the Bradford district over the next 4 years. CTC’s Cycle Champions Officer Viv Carnea’s dream is to see people from all communities, ages, shapes and sizes out on roads in Bradford on a bike.

Viv Carnea said: “The idea is to get people on bikes so that they can discover that cycling is an excellent way of being active and increasing fitness. Cycling cuts out petrol costs and the inconvenience of sitting in traffic jams, especially on short journeys which are so much quicker on a bike. And it’s safer than becoming a couch potato.”

As a CTC Champions Officer, Viv is also looking for people from across the Bradford district to volunteer to help others get on their bikes too. You don’t even need to be keen cyclist to be Cycle Champion! Those interested should contact Viv Carnea at Bradford Community Environment Project on 01274 22 32 39, txt 07717 66 36 97 or email viv.carnea@ctc.org.uk for more information.

For more information, photos or an interview contact CTC's Cycle Champions Officer for Bradford Viv Carnea on 01274 22 32 39, mob 07717 66 36 97, email viv.carnea@ctc.org.uk or CTC’s Press Officer Victoria Hazael on 01483 238 315 or 07786320713.

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Notes to Editors:
CTC – the UK’s national cyclists' organisation has 70,000 members and affiliates in 250 clubs across the UK. We are the oldest and largest cycling body in the UK, established in 1878. We provide a comprehensive range of services, advice, events, and protection for our members, and work to promote cycling by raising public and political awareness of its health, social and environmental benefits. For more information, see www.ctc.org.uk

CTC's Cycle Champions programme will improve the health, transport and environmental prospects for individuals and communities across England who have historically not benefited from cycling. In partnership with local organisations, our officers will work with volunteers to bring CTC's knowledge and expertise to inspire, train and support 34,000 new cyclists who are currently inactive or at risk of inactivity.

CTC's Cycle Champions is part of a portfolio of projects being delivered by a consortium of leading walking, cycling and health organisations and is funded by through the Big Lottery's Wellbeing Programme. The consortium is led by Sustrans and includes CTC, Cycling England, British Cycling, Living Streets, London Cycling Campaign, the National heart forum, the national Obesity Forum, the Ramblers' Association, Campaign for Better Transport and Walk 21. It is delivering projects that will enable 2 million people to become more physically active by walking or cycling as part of their daily lives by 2012.
The CTC's Cycle Champions Officer for Bradford is a partnership between CTC Charitable Trust and Bradford Community Environment Project (BCEP), the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and the Bradford and Airedale PCT. BCEP aims to contribute to the sustainable regeneration of Bradford, through effective environmental programmes, inspired by community need; see www.bcep.org.uk for details of BCEP's programmes.