Hospital staff saddling up for successful bike scheme hits milestone
Pedal power is king at Basildon Hospital as the 100th staff member has now received a free bike, as part of a successful scheme by local councils in collaboration with the NHS.
The ambitious programme promotes sustainable travel and healthy commuting options, attracting lots of interest from staff at the hospital, which is part of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.
The lucky staff member to get the one hundredth bike is Farhan Rashid Nabil, External Affairs Officer at the Trust, who said: “With my new bike at hand, I hope to explore more of Basildon, connect with other cyclists and improve my fitness. It also speeds up my journey to work.
“The bike scheme was one of the first few projects I was involved in when I started working at the Trust, so I was thrilled when I was asked to collect the 100th bike.”
Basildon Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing, Leisure, Arts & Culture, Councillor Jeff Henry, said: "Essex Pedal Power is a fantastic initiative that has transformed the lives of Basildon Hospital staff that have received the bikes, enabling them to cycle to work rather than take a long walk or by using other transport.
“It’s great to see that the 100th staff member has received their bike with the aim to improve their mental health, fitness, and to see how beneficial active travel can be for them.”
The giveaway scheme is run by the Essex Pedal Power project, delivered by The Active Wellbeing Society and supported by Essex County Council, Active Essex Local Delivery Pilot, Basildon Borough Council, Sport England, and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.
Lydia Smith, Essex Pedal Power Coordinator for Basildon at The Active Wellbeing Society said: “It’s a great achievement that we’ve been able to provide over 100 staff members at Basildon Hospital with a free bicycle. This milestone shows the value of working together to make it easier for everyone to travel actively.”