Matthew Bradley
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) is encouraging staff to get on their bikes as part of national Cycle to Work Day.
Matthew Bradley, a Waiting List Coordinator, has cycled to work at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary since 2014 and says it has saved him a great deal of time and money.
He is pleased that Cycle to Work Day is taking place on Thursday, August 8, as it is all about giving it a go.
The Trust has been promoting Cycle to Work Day on social media and hope lots of people will find it beneficial.
Matthew said: “The time factor is a big thing for me when it comes to cycling to work.
“It takes me about 25 minutes to cycle from Heysham into Lancaster but it would be longer than that in a car. I’d also have to park and walk to the office.”
Matthew first got into cycling to work when a colleague suggested it.
Matthew Bradley
He said: “I just thought I’d give it a try. I’d always cycled for pleasure and was quite confident on a bike.
“I found cycling to work very easy. I would also cycle in with a friend and we’d just chat on the way. We’d just pootle along the cycle track.
“I’m slim anyway but cycling does keep you fit. Exercise releases endorphins and I know from someone close to me that it can help with mental health problems. It’s a low-impact form of exercise so it’s good for your joints.
“Cycling home at the end of the day gives you more of a release than driving. I’ve not spent any money on petrol coming to work in five years. I’ve never decided not to cycle in for weather-related reasons. The cycle path is gritted in bad weather and it’s lit up all the way from Caton to Lancaster and to Morecambe.”
Matthew explained that it’s important to wear a helmet because even experienced cyclists can make mistakes or get involved in an accident.
He said: “If you hit your head in the wrong spot it can be very serious. I don’t understand people who don’t wear helmets. I just think it should be non-negotiable.
“If someone hasn’t tried cycling to work before, I’d just say, have a go.
“I enjoy it and I’m sure lots of other people would like it. I think people might be quite pleasantly surprised to find how easy it is and how much money it can save.
“Your bum does get used to it after a couple of weeks!”
If you would like to take part in Cycle to Work Day or for more information, please go to www.cycletoworkday.org
UHMBT is pleased to offer staff the opportunity to join the Trust’s Cycle to Work scheme as part of its commitment to improving working lives and also to help staff consider alternative ways of commuting to work.
The scheme gives staff the opportunity to loan/hire a bicycle and associated equipment for a period of one year. The scheme also supports the Trust’s green transport policy by encouraging members of staff to find alternative ways of travelling to work, thus caring for the environment.
For full details of the scheme please search for Cycle to Work Scheme and information on e-bikes on the staff intranet.