A Norfolk grandmother has told how she has lost weight and feels fitter, after  discovering a love of cycling that changed her family’s life.

Wendy Dorling has been bitten by the cycling bug thanks to Sustrans Bike It, which was funded and promoted by Thetford Healthy Town in partnership with Norfolk County Council and NHS Norfolk.

Wendy, 49, who lives in Thetford, took up cycling when she began to bike to and from school with her 10-year-old grandson Josh Murad in January 2010.

“Cycling is a great mode of transport. I find that it’s quicker to do the school run on the bike, rather than travelling by car,” she said.

“It saves a lot of money. It is also a nice way to start the morning – you have a bit of exercise that wakes you up, and it’s good to be out in the fresh air.”

Wendy started cycling using a second-hand bike, but now her son Lee Woodcock has built her a mountain bike of her own.

It was Lee, 25, who originally inspired the family to cycle. He first became interested in cycling when his car broke down just over two years ago. Since then, he has volunteered at Dr Bike sessions and today he works part-time as a bike mechanic at Keystone Green Ventures Bikes, Thetford’s bike recycling project.

Lee recently completed his first endurance event; a 10 hour race through Brandon Country Park, in which he completed 16 laps of the 8 mile course, a total of 128 miles to finish in third place.

He met his girlfriend Suzie through cycling, has built his own bike, and cycles from Thetford to see friends in Norwich and Mildenhall.

His passion for cycling quickly spread to the rest of the family. His mum Wendy credits cycling with helping her lose a stone in weight. She has also joined
Mildenhall Cycle Club’s women’s ride which cycles off-road each week – something she hasn’t done for years.

“It was a case of ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’,” Wendy recalled, speaking of her family’s love of cycling.

“The first week I thought it could go either way but I can now manage it far easier, and I enjoy it. I feel like I have more stamina now. I have lost weight and I’m a lot physically stronger thanks to cycling.

“Recently Josh and I went away to the coast. We cycled an 18-mile bike route, and I didn’t think anything of it. Josh has boundless energy and it’s a good activity for the school holidays that we can do together.”

Josh has been a part of Bike It’s winning teams for many of their interschool competitions, and he helps out at a weekly cycle surgery at his school. He can also fix his own bike, thanks to the support of his uncle Lee.

Josh has managed to get his granddad, Wendy’s husband Max, into cycling too.
Max, 50, and Josh now cycle 10 miles each weekend at High Lodge.

Wendy said: “Cycling is a really easy thing to get into. If you have ridden a bike when you were younger you do have that skill.

“By getting a secondhand bike, it can be a cheap hobby. It’s handy for getting around and you will save yourself money too.

“If you work reasonably locally to where you live or if your school run is not a long distance I would recommend cycling. You don’t have to pay to park your bike and I think that a lot of the time, if you are doing short journeys, cycling is a lot quicker.”

Lucy Macleod, a Consultant in Public Health at NHS Norfolk, said: “Thetford Healthy Town has a range of initiatives to encourage people to be more active, and their promotion of Sustrans Bike It is clearly inspiring people like Wendy and her family to incorporate more physical activity into their daily life.

“Today’s sedentary lifestyles can lead to a risk of developing serious illnesses like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. But often it’s easier to become more active than you think, and Wendy and her family prove that cycling can be enjoyable for all ages too.”

Georgie Burr, former Bike It officer in Thetford said: “I’m so pleased that Wendy’s, Max’s, Lee’s and Josh’s enthusiasm for cycling has kept on growing.

“They really are walking (or cycling!) proof of the health and wealth benefits cycling can bring. I have had a lot of support from the family, from Lee’s help at my Dr Bike sessions, to Wendy’s support at bike breakfasts.

“I think that Bike It at the Bishop’s (Primary School) helped transfer a love of cycling off-road to cycling the school journey for Josh and Wendy. This is something Sustrans hope more people can get involved with.”

Carol Doherty, Project Manager for Thetford Healthy Town, said: “This is a wonderful example of a local family who are reaping the benefits of how cycling has not only given them a healthier lifestyle, but also enjoying riding together as a family.”

Thetford Healthy Town promotes various ways for people of all ages to adopt a healthier lifestyle. For more details on Thetford Bike It and Thetford Healthy Town, visit: www.thetfordhealthytown.co.uk or call 01842 757350.