CHURCHES CONNECTING COMMUNITIES THROUGH CYCLING

Joy Roxborough writes about a church-based cycling and well-being project that is positively impacting the health and fitness of participants

New cycling lanes installed in Wolverhampton are being put to good use, as a local church in East Park, Wolverhampton, is developing a thriving cycling and well-being initiative in the West Midlands. Mount Shiloh Apostolic Church launched the No Limits to Health Cycle Hub in March 2022 as a means of reaching out to surrounding communities. Since then, participation has been growing steadily, with new and established riders — young and old — regularly attending the various activities.

Saturday mornings see riders prepare for their cycling tours, which start at 10am. Routes vary and are a mix of road and off-road scenic paths through parts of the city and include a midpoint stop before the second leg of the circular route takes the group back to the No Limits to Health East Park Cycle Hub.

Founder, Sam Henry, said: “God gave me the vision to do this, and I am overwhelmed by the impact it has been making for people of all ages. Young people — the youngest an 11-year-old — have been coming, as well as adults, some of whom haven’t been on a bike in over 20 years. We even had a lady in her 60s who had never been on a bike before. It has been just phenomenal!

“The vision is to enable children, young people and adults to experience the joys of cycling for health, well-being, sport and leisure. Our core mission is to deliver cycle-based activities that reach residents from under-resourced communities, and to bridge the gap that currently exists in Wolverhampton and the West Midlands regarding physical health and mental well-being.”

Rides are led by qualified bike leaders, and there are sessions for new riders which help to build confidence. Satellite hubs are also being set up at other churches, with the newest one being Gloucester Street Church of God of Prophecy.

No Limits to Health Cycle Hub, created as a social enterprise, has benefited from grant funding from Sport England, Cycling UK, Canal & River Trust, and The National Lottery. This has enabled the company to purchase a number of cycles, which are made available to participants free of charge. “We don’t want people to miss out because they don’t have a bike,” Sam said, “but as a social enterprise, we are always open to donations, ideas and collaborations to raise funds to cover costs, such as maintaining the cycles.”

The Cycle Hub is part of a wider church initiative with Mount Shiloh Apostolic Church. Sam and Pastor Gilroy Brown are in the process of developing and fundraising for the Shiloh Community Health & Wellbeing Hub. This will be a holistic base aimed at addressing the spiritual, physical, mental and social needs of residents from the East Park area and the wider Wolverhampton community. This programme will be conducted through a range of community engagement activities, including the No Limits to Health cycle programme. Other activities include dress design sessions for beginners and advanced clients; a community clothes shop, selling clothes and accessories; a drop-in social space, where healthy conversations, art therapy sessions and recreation will be organised; and a well-being café which aims to provide a choice of healthy food for users.

Pastor Gilroy Brown said: “The Church should not only exist in the community; it should also engage with the community and be used as a resource for spiritual, mental, social and physical well-being. As outlined in Luke 4:11, we should follow the example of Christ whose ministry was in the community, meeting the needs of the poor and oppressed.

“As part of our Kingdom mission, we believe in partnering with other local churches. We are proud to be part of Churches for Positive Change, which believes in the ‘power of the collective to bring about genuine transformative impact in the City of Wolverhampton’.”

Stephen Barnes, a regular cyclist with No Limits to Health, said: “I first joined No Limits to Health in the winter and my first session was a struggle due to my physical health. Sam suggested that, rather than giving up, I should use one of the e-bikes. I found this helped a lot and since that day I have been out riding regularly. This has been beneficial for my physical and my mental health. I have been enjoying nature and the fresh air on the varied routes that we take. I also fully enjoy the social aspects of the group and would fully recommend No Limits to Health to all.”

To register to be part of this, visit www.nolimitstohealth.com