Life Changes Trust
Our Cycling Friendly Community programme supports charities, projects and groups that work to make a difference to peoples’ lives, through the power of bikes.
Recently, we’ve been very happy to support the Life Changes Trust, a charity that supports people with lived experience of care, people living with dementia, and carers of people with dementia.
The charity runs the Keep Well Fund, a project which supports young carers aged 18-30 to purchase equipment that will help their physical and mental health and deal with the challenges that Covid-19 brings. The Fund offers grants up to £250 to young people and can pay for equipment, from musical instruments and sports equipment to art materials or tools, that will help young people to cope with isolation, maintain health, support wellbeing and stay positive with creative activities during Covid-19.
Funding from Cycling Scotland
We have supported by allocating £10,000 from the Cycling Friendly Community development fund, for carers to purchase bikes and cycling equipment to help them get through this difficult time.
The importance of bikes
Carole Patrick, Director of Evidence and Influencing, from Life Changes Trust said, “The Trust launched the Keep Well Fund to provide small individual grants to young people with care experience with a focus on supporting physical and mental wellbeing during lockdown. The response was overwhelming and we are incredibly grateful to the other funders who stepped in to help us support more applicants.
“Funding from Cycling Scotland means that young people who applied for a bike will benefit from being able to get outdoors safely, building fitness and staying physically active, which also supports good mental health. Young people with care experience can experience particular challenges in relation to mental health, and access to a bike will have long-term benefits in this respect. A bike can also be a vital mode of transport, helping young people to connect with family/friends and education and employment opportunities.”
The longer-term benefits of bikes
Pete Mills, Development Officer who runs the Cycling Friendly Community programme said, “We’re delighted to be able to support Life Changes Trust to provide access to bikes for young people with care experience: use of a bike will have a wide range of benefits during the lockdown phase, and the number of applicants looking at using a sustainable transport option is very encouraging for the long-term as well.”