Are you a community lover? Come celebrate with us!

Community Lover's Guide to the Universe

Community – what does it mean to you? Community is one of those words that has a different meaning to everyone, and everyone defines their community in a different way. That’s the amazing thing about community – your community is unique to you, because it starts with you and then reaches out based on your interests, the places that you go, the people that you see.

For us, community is what helps you when you ask and inspires you when you’re stuck – and you return the favour. It surprises you endlessly, and enables you to surprise yourself. We love community, and so we’re very proud that our You Can Check It Out Team founder member Ellie McKenny has been editing the Cambridge edition of the Community Lover’s Guide to the Universe – collecting stories by individuals about what community means to them, through the innovative community project they have been working on.

You can read the first stories here. Even better, you can come and meet the people behind the projects, share ideas and ways of working, and enjoy coffee and cake as part of a Community Lovers’ Meet Up during the Romsey Art Festival:

Wednesday 7th August

7pm to 9pm

CB1 Cafe, Mill Road, Cambridge

You Can Bike Too

You Can Bike Too in the early stages back in 2011!

Our project, You Can Bike Too, is one of the stories captured and members of the project team will be going along, together with the people behind the other stories captured too. Anyone who is interested in any of the Cambridge stories, or who is interested in community and doing things collaboratively is welcome! If you’re planning to come please email Ellie to give her an idea of numbers: emckenny@hotmail.com. Unfortunately the venue isn’t wheelchair friendly.

Find full details of the Romsey Art Festival here (another great community event!). You can find out more about Community Lover’s Guide to the Universe and explore the other editions from all over the world here.

You can see what You Can Bike Too is up to lately here.

We look forward to seeing you at CB1!

Lou Shackleton

Change-maker in Chief

Day 11 – Arrgh, sales…asking for money in a cape

Do something that both scares and excites you. This is day 11 of my 30 day Scare The Crap Out Of Myself Video Challenge.

Today, I was challenged to ask for money in support of You Can Bike Too, the incredible all ability cycling project who organised CamBikeFest. I really, really dislike asking for money. I really, really, dislike sales. But, I know I need to get better at it and find a way that I feel more comfortable. Today, I did it with the help of some geeky glasses, a cape, and some bike shaped cookies.

For the next 30 days I will post one video which will describe doing something that both scares and excites me, one learning point, and a take away. Join me through my ‘Hell yeah!’ moments and my ‘Oh Sh*t’ moments for the next 30 days and please do cheer me on!

Why on earth would you do this, Mel?

For Me: To bring some structure back in my life. To prove to myself that I can follow through. To document my journey at this scary time. To feel alive.

For You: Perhaps you are on a similar journey, thinking of making a change or needing to give yourself a kick in the bum to get going. I hope that following my journey will help you feel that you are not alone and inspire you to go out and do things that scare you too. Because in the end, it is by finding and doing something that makes you come alive that we truly start to make a dent in the world. Want to scare the crap out of yourself on film? Start your own challenge and let us know that you do! Share it on twitter with #stcoom (short for scarethecrapoutofmyself!)

Finally, Danger Lou, thank you so much for the inspiration. This is my journey towards Danger Me

How to Meet a Member of the Royal Family in Five *Easy* Steps…

1) Find someone who has something “impossible” that they want to achieve – “Aaran can’t cycle.” Pair them up with someone passionate about the thing they want to achieve (meet both Aaran and cycling fanatic Ruth)

2) Set about making the impossible possible – so that you can turn the phrase “Aaran can’t cycle” into “Aaran can cycle!”

3) Build momentum, recruit other cycling fanatics including Clive and Angela, and create a whole movement of people interested in creating cycling opportunities for everyone – and win a Cambridge Evening News Community Support Award for your efforts

4) Receive an invite from the Mayor of Cambridge to attend a very special event at which you will be presented to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

5) Find and dust off your best frock / suit / Sunday Best and turn up at Cambridge Guildhall at the appointed time – and make sure someone records what happens

And there you have it… Making your impossible possible. Who knows where it might lead?

When was the last time you did something impossible?

Lou Shackleton

Change-maker in Chief

Paralympic boost to cycling – as seen in the Guardian!

This great piece in the Guardian talks about all the things we’re finding at You Can Bike Too:

  • how incredibly flexible the bike is when it comes to catering for all kinds of abilities in fact, we have found that our bikes are great for people who just aren’t that confident about cycling
  • trikes work really well for those whose balance makes using a traditional bike difficult
  • riders with disabilities and able bodied cyclists can and often do ride together at club and coaching sessions

It’s great to see our supporter Ian Tierney quoted in the article too! Without Wheels for All Cycling Projects, we wouldn’t have come this far. Don’t forget you can come and try these bikes for yourselves! There are two options:

– Weekend family sessions for mums and dads to cycle with their kids – see here for full details

– Week-day adult sessions for any individuals who wants to give cycling a go – see here for full details

We look forward to seeing you there! And we’re pleased to report that so far, these sessions have been rain-free – though it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.

We think it’s great that the paralympics are having such a positive effect and getting more people interested in cycling. How have the paralympics influenced your view of the world? What did you learn?

Lou Shackleton

Change-maker in Chief

Making the Impossible Possible – and more

“We are going to make an invisible bike helmet.”

 

Think about the reaction in the room when someone first said this out loud. What do you think this was?

– “Sure, go for it!”

– “Hey, where do I make my investment?”

– “Sign me up for your first product launch!”

Somehow, I don’t think this was the first reaction…

Take a look at this movie, which I found over on Brene Brown’s blog, Ordinary Courage:

This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen, watching this story unfold before my eyes, and having my breath taken away at the end. The courage and determination of these women is exemplary and inspirational all at the same time.

“Easy, only took us seven years!”

“We’ve been good at raising venture capital. Ten million dollars”

“Once a man wanted to tell a story about female managers. Get a rooster, and there will be order!”

“If people say it’s impossible, then we have to prove them wrong”

“Creating an invisible bicycle helmet, people said it was impossible. If we can do that, we can do anything”

These are all incredible statements, in their own way, and spoken with such assurance and humility. How would you motivate yourself to achieve “the impossible”?

When was the last time someone told you, “that’s impossible!”? What did you do?

I can’t wait until my breath is taken away like this again! If you have any similarly inspiring stories of the impossible becoming possible, please post them here.

Lou Shackleton

Change-maker in Chief

Ride, Laugh and Experience Cycling Together

You Can Bike Together Flyer

Have a go at cycling with your friends

What better way to get some quality time with your friends than jumping on a bike together.    As you might already know, it is possible to hire our bikes from Milton Country Park most days. (Just make sure you book ahead by calling 01223 420 060) But what about those people that are new to cycling or who may need an extra hand getting started? From September we will have times on many Tuesdays where there are instructors on hand for help and support. So come along and give these amazing bikes a try with a friend!

New family fun days at Milton Country Park

You Can Bike Too Family Fun Days

Be Inspired – Enjoy Cycling Together

Have all of these Olympics and now Paralympics given you the cycling fever? The catch phrase of these events were ‘Inspire a Generation’, so we want to do our part. From now until the end of December on the last Sunday of every month we will have instructors available to introduce you and your families to our adaptive bikes of all sizes and shapes. Then, you can have a go at cycling together. What better way to spend a Sunday morning together with your family?

Bikes are a-coming…

I feel like things have been a long time a coming!! But we have what Angela (Project team member) calls some “action!”

Wheels For All (Cycling Projects) have loaned Milton Country Park four adaptive bikes which nudges up our total to seven bikes….plus of course the two-wheelers that we have for parents or anyone else to ride alongside the child or adult that they are supporting.

So what You Can Bike Too will do is use these whilst we collect our own ‘family’ of bikes! (I feel like we have ‘fostered’ these loan bikes for a short while….!)

The project team are very excited at the prospect of more bikes….and also very excited at the up and coming events planned.

1. Big Weeked on Parkers Piece, Saturday 7th July – This is a really exciting event because the Olympic Torch is coming to town! Ashfield Bikes are bringing their bikes for people to try out and we will have our volunteers and instructors helping out with lots of information! (And it was such a hit last time, Outspoken are bringing their fantastic Smoothie Maker Bike along too!)

While the Big Weekend continues on Sunday, our team re-locate to Milton Country Park for the Big Bike Ride.

2. Sunday 8th July –  The Big Bike Ride is going through Milton Country Park. You Can Bike Too will have a presence in the park so riders and support will see adaptive bikes. There is still time to register to cycle as part of the event and there are two routes to choose from.

So that’s this weekend covered… what next?

3. Sunday 15th JulyPark Life at Milton Country Park. Loads more fun for everyone!! As well as being able to meet the bike project, there are lots of other activities…. canoeing, water walking and circus skills to name a few!

Looking Ahead to August…

August sees the Paralympic Torch arriving at Milton Country Park on Saturday 25th! There will be lots of activities to try including the bikes at You Can Bike Too  – we won’t be missing the fun, and we’ll have more information closer to the time…

So onwards and upwards!! A busy Summer ahead for the team getting ready for all these events… Which one will we see you at?

Lou Shackleton

Change-maker in Chief

We're cyclin' in the rain!

           I’m Cyclin’ in the Rain

quote bike
Quote Bike hiding from the rain! 

Just cycling in the rain
What a glorious feelin’
I’m happy again
I’m laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun’s in my heart
And I’m ready for love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I’ve a smile on my face
I bike down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just cyclin’,
Cyclin’ in the rain!

A wet Wednesday April 4th 2012…Milton Country Park was the place to be. The first ever mini Bike Fest took place!

The You Can Bike Too Project Team and supportive volunteers from The You Can Hub, Milton Country Park, Ashfield Bikes and Cycling Projects all came together to show Cambridge and its surrounds what is possible for people of all abilities to achieve on bikes! Outspoken provided a fantastic smoothie maker machine! Stacy and her team provided jewellery made from old bike bits! (Loved the bike tyre mirror!)

Mayor on a bike
Mayor and Mayoress cycling our team member around in style! 

 

The mayor took a ride with the mayoress and a You Can Bike Too team member – now that is travelling in style…bring the bling! The smiles said it all! The bikes whizzed around the circuit! Mud was splattered but no one cared! 74 people rode bikes of all shapes and sizes. Quotes were collected and attached to a ‘Quote Bike’! A consultation was held….results/photos to be posted up soon. All this in the rain…nothing stops the cyclist!

 

 

 

Bike Cake

Bicycle cake!

Oh yes and I forgot to mention it was Angela’s birthday! A cake in the shape of a bike wasmade to celebrate these two events happening on the same day! (Thank you Doreen!)
Thanks to all that attended and all who made it such a brill day!

Now it’s time for you to start singin’ and cyclin’ too!

We’re cyclin’ in the rain!

           I’m Cyclin’ in the Rain

quote bike
Quote Bike hiding from the rain! 

Just cycling in the rain
What a glorious feelin’
I’m happy again
I’m laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun’s in my heart
And I’m ready for love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I’ve a smile on my face
I bike down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just cyclin’,
Cyclin’ in the rain!

A wet Wednesday April 4th 2012…Milton Country Park was the place to be. The first ever mini Bike Fest took place!

The You Can Bike Too Project Team and supportive volunteers from The You Can Hub, Milton Country Park, Ashfield Bikes and Cycling Projects all came together to show Cambridge and its surrounds what is possible for people of all abilities to achieve on bikes! Outspoken provided a fantastic smoothie maker machine! Stacy and her team provided jewellery made from old bike bits! (Loved the bike tyre mirror!)

Mayor on a bike
Mayor and Mayoress cycling our team member around in style! 

 

The mayor took a ride with the mayoress and a You Can Bike Too team member – now that is travelling in style…bring the bling! The smiles said it all! The bikes whizzed around the circuit! Mud was splattered but no one cared! 74 people rode bikes of all shapes and sizes. Quotes were collected and attached to a ‘Quote Bike’! A consultation was held….results/photos to be posted up soon. All this in the rain…nothing stops the cyclist!

 

 

 

Bike Cake

Bicycle cake!

Oh yes and I forgot to mention it was Angela’s birthday! A cake in the shape of a bike wasmade to celebrate these two events happening on the same day! (Thank you Doreen!)
Thanks to all that attended and all who made it such a brill day!

Now it’s time for you to start singin’ and cyclin’ too!

Lou Shackleton

Change-maker in Chief