Working with communities to increase walking and cycling
Active Oxfordshire is delighted to be working with local communities and partner organisations to help increase rates of walking and cycling in areas of greatest need.
Oxfordshire County Council successfully received funding from the Emergency Active Travel Fund during COVID-19 to increase Active Travel throughout the county, and has commissioned Active Oxfordshire to support the delivery of Community Activation in Witney, Bicester West and Oxford. This Community Activation focus is essential to ensure that we are working with partners to reach people in greatest need, as well as ensuring that increases in Active Travel are driven by the communities themselves and can create long term change.
As always, we are focusing on supporting adults and children who are at increased risk of inactivity, as well as addressing the inequalities that can prevent Oxfordshire's most vulnerable residents from being active and able to ride a bike.
Active Travel outcomes so far
Witney:
• 79 children have benefited from bike clubs and tuition to date. Of these children there were 44 Boys and 35 Girls. 60% of the children are in receipt of benefits/eligible for Free School Meals.
• 59 residents have been engaged in the new Street Tag Cogges Café Loyalty scheme & accessing the new Cogges Polytag
• Six vulnerable residents who have been on the shielding list took part in the first Tea, Talk and Walk session on 26th August
Bicester:
• Six residents have accessed the FAST Family Bike Scheme to date; three adults & three children, all of whom who are eligible for the FAST scheme which targets those from areas of disadvantage in Bicester
• 12 women have been trained as Breeze Ride Leaders and can now lead female group rides
• 15 teachers or Youth Activators have been trained by British Cycling
• 14 women have taken part in Breeze Rides in Bicester to date
Oxford:
• 20 adults accessed the first Dr Bike session offered by Cyclox with a gender breakdown of 17 women & 3 men
• 1850 Adventure Maps were provided to school children in Cowley, Temple Cowley, Florence Park, Littlemore and Rose Hill immediately before Summer holidays began
• 8000 walkability/ neighbourhood maps were provided to households in and around Low Traffic Neighbourhood areas
Breeze ride cyclists, July 2021
I would like to say how amazing the coaches were with all the kids
up at the school and James especially as he was so
nervous at the start and yet 4 sessions later and he went
from being nervous even with stabilisers on, to cycling
confidently with no stabilisers at all!
Parent of child from Witney who benefited from bike clubs and tuition from Windrush Bike Project
One lady suffers terribly with anxiety to the point that she is unable to sleep & Covid has made this much worse, she has looked forward to this & very much enjoyed her morning. Getting her out of the house is a major breakthrough!
Tea, Talk and Walk Leader (delivered by Cogges Manor Farm in partnership with Wychwood Project and West Oxfordshire District Council)
