10 th Ed Summer 16. A newsletter for and by people with learning disabilities in Shropshire.

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Daniella Walker
5 years ago
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1 10 th Ed Summer 16 A newsletter for and by people with learning disabilities in Shropshire. Recently Abbots Wood has done something fun and amazing! They cycled from Land s End to John o Groats, virtually! And they got lots of sponsorship and equipment doing it.

Abbots Wood Day Service, a centre for adults with learning disabilities in Shrewsbury, have been embarking on their Big Inclusivity Bike Quest (BIBQ) at their premises in Monkmoor.

2 Abbots Wood Day Service, a centre for adults with learning disabilities in Shrewsbury, have been embarking on their Big Inclusivity Bike Quest (BIBQ) at their premises in Monkmoor. On the 18 th April 2016 phase one of BIBQ reached its climax as the service users of Abbots Wood rode the last of 1017 miles into a virtual John o Groats. And forgot to stop! Launched by the Mayor of Shrewsbury, councillor Miles Kenny and the Big Arrival heralded by his successor, councillor Ioan Gruffydd Jones 6 weeks later the project was a huge success. The Quest was originally inspired by a challenge from local author and adventurer, Michael McCarthy who is taking on a virtual Land s End to John o Groats of his own. Starting out with practically no equipment not only did they raise just over a thousand pounds but they received donations of two tricycles, a hand cycle, three exercise bikes and helmets etc. estimated to be worth about 4000 and a 500 bursary from Inclusively Fit. All this material has brought cycling to many disabled people who would otherwise never have ridden a bike or who hadn t been on one for years. More than 110 different people rode some of the way on our virtual ride through the country. Much of this success was down to the great support of local groups and companies, in particular CTC, Cycling For All Shropshire, Quest 88, Energize STW s Inclusively Fit Project as well as Charlottes Tandem s a national charity that rents out tandems for free to the disabled, not forgetting a host of other individuals too many to cite here. However despite the widening choice of inclusive bikes available at Abbots Wood there are still some people that cannot regularly access cycling, those who are wheelchair bound. As we embark on Phase 2 of our Big Inclusivity Bike Quest, which will see our Questers set out on virtual personalised routes to personal places, we are trying to raise enough funds to buy a very special bike which can have a wheelchair loaded on to the front of it so that we can offer truly inclusive cycling for all. This is an expensive piece of kit so all help is gratefully appreciated. To find out more about the project and show your support check them out on Facebook (at the Big Inclusivity Bike Quest) and you can also contact them directly via those platforms for more information.

I took part in the Big Inclusivity Bike Quest and I really enjoyed it. When I was younger my mum bought me a bike with stabilisers to begin with and I loved it but I never felt safe without them.

Right at the beginning of the Quest I was one of first to try out a tandem, unfortunately I wasn t wearing cycle clips and tore the bottom of my jeans! But it was a lot of fun!

3 I took part in the Big Inclusivity Bike Quest and I really enjoyed it. When I was younger my mum bought me a bike with stabilisers to begin with and I loved it but I never felt safe without them. I out grew the bike and didn t cycle again until recently when the BIBQ Land s to John O Groats challenge started. Right at the beginning of the Quest I was one of first to try out a tandem, unfortunately I wasn t wearing cycle clips and tore the bottom of my jeans! But it was a lot of fun! And I went on it a couple of time after too. I also tried out the exercise bikes and watched the trikes which I d like to try out sometime. Altogether I rode 10 miles of the 1017-mile virtual route that we did together. I enjoyed it so much that now I go every week to the Sports Village for Pedal for Health on Wednesday afternoons 1-3pm. Where I have fun on their bikes. I hope to keep up my cycling as well as Walking for Health to keep me fit and healthy, to feel my heart racing, to keep my weight down and to help control my diabetes. It s also nice to meet people and chat while I m there. By Tara Simpson

. Interview with Ben Williams What brought you to Abbots Wood?

Tell us about the Big Inclusivity Bike Quest?

the universality of access for people and I felt that needs to be readdressed and that s the kind of thing I want to get involved in.

4 . Interview with Ben Williams What brought you to Abbots Wood? I was asked by my manager at Energize, Jessica Lightwood, if I would like to get involved with a virtual cycling challenge from Land s End to John o Groats. Tell us about the Big Inclusivity Bike Quest? I think the whole point is to give a chance and more access to physical activity or sport and anything like that because I don t believe that there had been the universality of access for people and I felt that needs to be readdressed and that s the kind of thing I want to get involved in. And you re continuing as a volunteer at Abbots Wood? Because I ve really enjoyed myself meeting everybody. I found it very easy to come in, people and staff are very friendly. I saw people blossom on the bikes over the weeks I ve been here. I ve been happy to come here. Ben will now be volunteering every Thursday morning to help us do cycling and other physical exercise. Welcome aboard Ben!

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We love to hear from you here at Shout! Here are some of your e-mails and messages. Feel free to contact us via: e-mail: shout@shropshire.gov.

It's a pity that customers, families and staff in these services could not have been given this information sooner.

6 We love to hear from you here at Shout! Here are some of your s and messages. Feel free to contact us via: Facebook: Shout Shropshire Dear Shout! The interview was quite informative. Well done to Shout! for tackling this issue. It's a pity that customers, families and staff in these services could not have been given this information sooner. Although councils across the country are outsourcing services to the private sector, what evidence is there that demonstrates that this direction is cost effective and value for money for taxpayers? I am concerned that these providers will want to see profit and that will mean a cutting back of staff or staff on lower income and sparse services for customers and/or a rise in local taxation to meet provider costs. If the council is unable to run adult services due to costs how does it expect the private sector to do likewise? What assurances are in place to secure jobs for existing staff at a living wage and a continuation of top quality services for customers? What is the plan, in the first instance and then beyond, if the private sector providers get into financial difficulties or fail to provide the services they are contracted to deliver? Answers to these questions would be welcomed by all I am sure. Many thanks. Social Care Professional, name supplied Great work guys, keep the good work up - Fraser McEwan Hi Guys Thanks for sending the latest copy of Shout! I loved the article and pictures from the Boccia tournament. It looked like it was great fun. Your Halloween party looked pretty gruesome too. Well done all. Brilliant work all round. Best wishes for Christmas and Stewart Smith Hi Shout! I have really enjoyed reading the Shout! Newsletter please congratulate Tara for her long article about the Boccia Tournament. Your photos are super and bring back happy memories for me. Happy New Year! Regards Susie Hancock RCC Shropshire

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