FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
121 miles on an adapted cycle. Because disabled people across England deserve better access to cycling.
This July, three riders will set out from Kendal on a 121-mile journey to Newcastle, not on road bikes, but on a Van Raam Fun2Go adapted cycle, the same side-by-side model used at inclusive cycling hubs across the country.
Their ride, We Ride Together North, is a fundraiser. It is also a statement.
Nationally, Wheels for All, England’s leading inclusive cycling charity, is aware of 316 inclusive cycling offers serving 190 separate local authority areas. That’s 60% coverage of England. The remaining 40% represents thousands of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions who currently have nowhere to safely and confidently get on a bike.
The team, Paul Alcock, Chair of Trustees at Wheels for All, Ian Tierney, Chief Partnerships Officer, and Nick Green, a long-standing friend of the charity, will ride from Kendal Leisure Centre on the morning of 14th July, heading north through Staveley, Windermere and Keswick to Penrith, before reaching Carlisle at the end of Day 1, approximately 56 miles in.
On Day 2, the team continues from Carlisle to Hexham Leisure Centre, a Wheels for All hub, before joining Northumberland County Council’s newly built cycle path along the Tyne into Newcastle, finishing at the Millennium Bridge.
Ian Tierney said:
“Cycling should be available to everyone, regardless of ability or postcode. By riding this route on an adapted cycle, the same kind we use at our hubs every day, we want to show what’s possible when the right equipment and the right support are in place. There’s still a long way to go before every community has that access, and that’s exactly why we’re doing this.”
Paul Alcock added:
“I’ve seen first-hand how transformational inclusive cycling can be. Our Impact Report shows that 81% of our participants report improved mental wellbeing and 74% say their confidence has increased through cycling with us. This challenge is about extending that opportunity to more people, in more places.”
Nick Green said:
“Every pound raised goes directly toward growing inclusive cycling provision. We’re inviting individuals, families and community groups to join us for a stretch of the route and help us reach our £10,000 target.”
The ride passes through Hexham, where pupils from Hexham Priory School and members of Tyndale Day Services are being invited to cheer the team on at the Wheels for All hub stop. RISE, the active partnership for the North East, will be at the finish line in Newcastle.
Supporting the challenge is Tomcat SNI Ltd, the Gloucestershire-based manufacturer of Tri-cycles who has won the Queen’s Award for Innovation twice (2013 and 2020) and the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade (2025) is providing cycles for the event, including the Flame Comfort electric assist trike and the Bullet, which will be available for members of the public wishing to ride alongside the team at points along the route.
Nazia White from Tomcat said:
“Inclusive cycling changes lives. We’ve seen that for nearly 30 years. We’re proud to support this challenge and to put our tri-cycles on the road where they belong, showing what’s possible when barriers come down.”
The challenge follows a strong year for Wheels for All, which in 2025 delivered 1,756 inclusive cycling sessions and 27,499 individual rides, supporting 5,118 unique participants, up 10% on the previous year. Independent research values the social return at £22.50 for every £1 invested in the charity’s work.
The JustGiving page is live, with the team already over a fifth of the way to their £10,000 target. Anyone wishing to donate, join the ride for a section, or follow the journey can do so through the links below.
Donate: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/weridetogethernorth
Follow the journey: @WfACharity @Tomcatsniltd on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
