Sign up and cycle to health in 2010!

Businesses from across Suffolk have been challenged to help their staff to a healthier, happier 2010 by making it easier for them to cycle to work.

Healthy Ambitions Suffolk has laid down the gauntlet to employers from around the county to sign up to the government’s ‘cycle to work guarantee’ scheme. The scheme, run by the Department of Transport, offers encouragement and incentives to staff to ditch their car in favour of a bicycle – in turn helping both their health and the environment.

As part of the project, employers are being urged to introduce a range of simple, low cost measures to help their staff get on their bikes, including providing secure, safe and accessible bike parking and changing and locker facilities. Companies can also take part in the cycle to work scheme, which gives staff the chance to offset the cost of buying a bicycle against tax, while some are offering a mileage rate for those travelling to meetings on their bike rather than in a car.

Sally Hogg, head of health improvement partnerships at NHS Suffolk, said: “Studies show that around a quarter of people live less than five miles away from their workplace. These are exactly the sort of people we’d encourage to get onto their bike and leave the car at home.

“Cycling to work is a great way to introduce some activity into your daily routine. It’s a fantastic stressbuster, and also helps the environment. So we’d encourage businesses of all sizes to look into how they can help their workforce to better health by making it easier for them to cycle.”

Rebecca Hams, Healthy Ambitions Suffolk project officer, regularly cycles around six miles from her home in Needham Market into work. She said: “I really enjoy cycling to work as it means I can easily fit in the recommended 30 minutes of moderate activity each day without having to worry about going to the gym in the evenings.

“As well as the health benefits which cycling brings, I also feel like I’m doing my bit for the environment by leaving my car at home – plus I’m also saving money which I’d otherwise be spending on petrol. I’d encourage others to give it a try so their health, wallet and the environment can reap the benefits.”

For more information on the cycle to work guarantee, visit www.cycletoworkguarantee.org.uk

The Healthy Ambitions Suffolk strategy aims to make Suffolk the healthiest county in England by 2028 by cutting the number of preventable deaths and helping people to live a healthier lifestyle. Currently it has three main strands – children and young people, businesses and older people. More strands will be added in the future.

A wide range of partner organisations are working together on the initiative, which is driven by Suffolk Strategic Partnership. More information is available at