Advertorial content created by Life Cycle UK, for Voscur

Local charity and Voscur member Life Cycle UK is offering free cycle stands to voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in Bristol, thanks to funding from the Megawatt Community Energy Fund and Travelwest.

Whilst COVID-19 is having a huge impact on our communities, so too is the escalating climate crisis. As we move out of lockdown and things start to reopen, Life Cycle is here to help Bristol’s VCSE sector contribute to the green recovery our city desperately needs.

We want a city where active travel is easy and enjoyable. We want our roads to be safer, our communities better connected and our air cleaner to breathe. We can all do our bit to reduce the number of unnecessary car journeys and give people a chance to get active in a low-cost way; supporting and enabling more people to cycle is a simple way to do this, and thanks to Life Cycle UK, VCSE organisations can do it for free.

Life Cycle’s Take a Stand® scheme will supply, deliver and install up to four ‘Sheffield’ cycle stands at zero cost to the organisation. These sturdy stands give peace of mind to people on bikes, and provide reliable parking right on your doorstep.

Why cycling matters now

• The number of cyclists has skyrocketed during the pandemic. According to the Government, cycling has risen by around 200% since the first lockdown, with more people opting to avoid public transport. Indeed, over half of public transport users in the UK say they will continue to avoid buses and trains after the pandemic, in favour of cycling or walking.
• Cycling forms part of the One City Plan in Bristol, highlighting the benefits of cycling for healthy, active, sustainable transport that benefits the environment and people's wellbeing. There are goals to improve local cycling and walking routes, making it easier to cycle through the city. Cycling also feeds into the Sustainable Development Goals that city leaders and influencers are working to meet. 
• Life Cycle’s Take a Stand® scheme will provide much-needed cycle parking to help the growing numbers of cyclists to access jobs and services. The benefits to your staff, volunteers and service users are huge, boosting well-being and helping people escape transport poverty. 

Take a Stand® will empower VCSE organisations without a designated Sustainable Transport budget to provide for their communities and combat climate change. All you have to do is apply.