Welcoming new cyclists at the UW Welcome Fair

Late September, Bike Worcester was represented with a stall the University of Worcester Welcome Fair. This annual event introduces students to a wide range of local organisations and services that can support them during their time in Worcester. With new students still finding their way around town, our stall provided a useful point of advice. The conversations with students also gave us useful insight in things holding back use of bicycles within their community. Some international students, for example, were worried about differences in road rules between the UK and their home country, while commuting students expressed a need for more secure bike storage spaces. Many students who were not able to bring a bike to Worcester were pointed towards our bike recycling scheme, which provides an affordable and sustainable way to get on two wheels. We also gave suggestions to more enthusiastic cyclists on how becoming a BW volunteer can be a great way to boost your CV by gaining new skills, building a network, and making a difference in the local community. As a little extra incentive, all visitors at the stall who signed up to our mailing list were entered into a draw to win a refurbished bike. This week, our lucky winner, Sharen, came by the BW bike recycling hub at the Crowngate Centre to collect her prize! Sharen was incredibly pleased with her bike and is keen to explore the city on two wheels. She was also impressed by the bike recycling workshop and is planning to join our women’s bike maintenance sessions, which is held there every Tuesday. These sessions are a great way to learn how to care for your bike, pick up new skills, and connect with other cyclists. We loved hearing from new Worcester students at the UW Welcome fair and hope to see more students out and about on bikes around Worcester. If you missed us at the fair, please check out our website and we hope to meet you at one of our many events!