About
Our History
Bike4Health was established in 2014 as a Community Interest Company (CIC). Since then, we’ve positively impacted over 6000 children in 38 schools across the North East through our cycling programmes.
Alongside our work in schools, our client list also includes 5 local authorities, 4 public health trusts, 6 third sector organisations, 3 govt. agencies, 4 community organisations, 3 business parks, 3 sporting clubs and 2 rehabilitation clients.
In 2018 we gained the support of The National Lottery through the BIG Lottery Fund. Their support enabled us to establish our first physical premises in Northumberland in that year. In Autumn 2020, we moved to an expanded premises in North Tyneside to be closer to the organisations, clients and individuals we work with.
This base in Benton, North Tyneside is located just across the road from The Rising Sun Country Park. Moving allowed us to upgrade our workshop facilities and enables us to deliver servicing and maintenance to more people and more bikes.
In 2022 our business model became fully realised and fully self supporting. Commercial servicing work and bike sales generate income to support our community cycling projects, and vice versa.
Our retail space also supports our community work. Bike4Health is proud to be a dealer for Frog, Ridley and SCOTT bikes, alongside Fazua, Bosch and Shimano Steps eBike Systems. We continue to develop our relationships with these industry leading suppliers so that we can offer our customers products that we aren’t just passionate about, but that we ride and use ourselves.
In 2023 we are aiming to bring more great cycling activities to communities across our great region, helping more cyclists through our workshop, and delivering more multi-day domestic and international trips.
Our Mission
We’re on a mission to make bikes part of everyday life for more people, promote personal, physical and mental wellbeing and bring communities together through a range of cycling activities.
As a community interest company, our work helps us to part fund programmes and activities to enable more young people to experience cycling from an early age… #morekidsonbikes
We aim to drive cultural change to make everyone BIKE HAPPY!
Our Values
1. achievement
2. community
3. engagement
4.fun
5. physical & mental
wellbeing
Who We Work With
What We Do
Ride, Repair, Support, Develop
We do everything (and anything) Bike! We support and manage trips, guides, tours, and events. We service and fix. We build tracks and other educational spaces. We facilitate experiences. We make everyone BIKE HAPPY!
Team
Our professionally qualified staff use their knowledge and experience to deliver a range of programmes suitable for individuals, groups, children, adults, schools, organisations and businesses.
We have ten qualified cycle guides/leaders in our team alongside four mechanics and our directors. Meet some of the team below.
Dave Buchan
Director
When he was twelve, Dave’s life was transformed by one farsighted teacher and a bike.
That bike ride to Rothbury was what Dave calls his “wow moment!” The beginning of the journey of the rest of his life. One which has taken him all across Europe in pursuit of muddy two-wheeled adventures. At one point he was managing 20,000 miles a year.
And when’s he not biking, he’s building – at first toys and dens, and now Cycle Tracks and Roundhouses.
Richard Wills
Director
As a life long cyclist, Richard’s earliest memories include childhood exploring on a Raleigh Grifter and buying his first Scott mountain bike at university.
Richard spent many years in business creating and promoting different products and services, before qualifying as a British Cycling Mountain Bike Coach and Mountain Leader. Richard now enjoys working at Bike4Health to inspire and deliver a vision where cycling is easily accessible and fun, whether getting you to work or away from it and into the hills!
Dan Wills
Marketing & Operations
Dan first learnt to ride at 3 years old under the watchful eye of father (and later, boss) Richard.
In his teenage years he spent countless hours digging and building trails and learning tricks in skateparks with his trusty BMX, before later getting involved with Mountain Biking.
Dan’s favourite part of his job isn’t spreadsheets, but getting involved with delivering rides. He’s currently working towards his level 2 Mountain Bike Leader award.