Wandsworth Movers and Shakers

Background

An innovative project devised by Wandsworth Cycling Campaign, one of LCC’s local groups, aimed at opinion formers and community leaders in the London Borough of Wandsworth.

The aim of the project was to identify the “movers and shakers” and encourage them to try cycling with personalised cycle training. The hope was that they would become role models – or local cycling champions – in the local community.

The project

The CLPP grant helped fund the cycle training for key figures in the community, including elected representatives, celebrities, community and faith leaders, teachers, business leaders and journalists.

It was hoped that by training the “movers” and engaging them in dialogue, it would help them gain a better understanding of cyclists’ concerns. It was also hoped they would promote their experiences and cycling awareness through media coverage in Wandsworth and beyond. They were told: “Tell everyone in Wandsworth about the benefits of cycling – and then tell the world.”

Cycling Training UK was used as the training provider. It was chosen because of its excellent track record in training and working with community groups and because it was well placed to deliver training in a flexible way, in terms of time and location.

Outcome and Benefits

The project attracted significant publicity and was very successful. Among those who participated in the project were:

• Justine Greening, MP for Putney. She said: “I just used to take the bike for local trips, but I am now cycling regularly across the borough to my Tooting office – it would never have occurred to me to do that before.”

• Nick Bowes, Wandsworth Labour speaker on Transport and Planning. “The training has made me think more about how I could cycle and also it’s opened my eyes to how we need to look after cyclists on the road, and how we need to do things to make it safer and encourage more people to cycle!”

• Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting. He said: “It's really important that we put into practice all our good intentions and spread the word.”

• Chief Supt. Joe Royle, Wandsworth Police Borough Commander. He said: “The benefits of cycling are environmental (and) physical and mental health.”

The project proved very valuable in providing insights on the barriers to cycling – and how they can be overcome, as well as getting high-profile individuals to promote cycling from their own experience.

The project also won the Best Community Cycling Initiative at the London Cycling Awards in 2007, hosted by LCC.

Future

The project helped raise Wandsworth Cycling Campaign’s profile and improve links with local organisations. The campaign aims to develop these links to help strengthen future campaigns. WCC hopes to see Movers and Shakers taken up by other campaign groups and is willing to share their experiences in order to assist in this. More information on the project can be found on Wandsworth Cycling Campaign’s website by following the link on the right.

Christopher Road, Deacon of St Simon's Church, Putney, said: “I've always felt a bit inferior on the road but now realise I have every right to be there and should ride less politely - in the nicest way."