Armed with tasty cheese sandwiches and plenty of snacks, we hopped into the minibus and soon arrived at the Olympic Park in the beautiful sunshine. A wide range of adaptive cycles awaited us, and members were able to choose the one that suited them best.

Kim, one of our members who attended the trip, said:

“I love cycling. I was told about the trip the week before, and I was counting down the days. It was my main mode of transport before I had a stroke, and the day I had the stroke was the last day I ever cycled. I was really looking forward to getting back on a bike on my own.”

We enjoyed doing laps around the Olympic Park, soaking up the sunshine and taking in the wonderful views. We were even able to ride around the velodrome itself!

Our Therapy team uses an interdisciplinary approach to rehabilitation for people living with brain injury, drawing on their expert knowledge and skills.

Catherine Fussell, Headway’s Therapy Service Manager, said:

“Movement is medicine for both the body and the mind, but meaningful movement is often difficult to access for people living with an acquired brain injury.

Bikeworks’ accessible cycling sessions allow people with brain injury to rediscover the freedom of riding a bike, build confidence, and improve their physical and mental wellbeing.

Watching the members’ joy as they rode a bike independently for the first time in years was really special.”

These sessions are organised by Bikeworks, an award-winning social enterprise that uses cycling as a practical tool to tackle inequality and increase access to physical activity.

Simon Shone, Lead Instructor at Bikeworks, said:

“It gives people an opportunity to ride who may not otherwise have been able to.

If you can’t ride independently, you can use a side-by-side bike. If your balance isn’t quite right, you can ride a trike. If you can’t pedal at all, you can use a platform bike while remaining in your wheelchair.

Cycling is a universal pleasure, and everybody should have access to that.”