Cycling changes lives, so can you
One powerful example of this is Paul’s story – a story of how cycling helped him recover; giving him purpose, direction and a way to connect with his family and community.
Paul’s journey shows just how life-changing cycling can be. But we need your support to continue helping more people like Paul find their way through cycling.
Paul’s story
Paul, like many others, struggled with the challenges of mental health and found himself without direction. He turned to drugs and alcohol to ‘help’ him through bad times, and when COVID-19 lockdown hit, it hit him hard. At the time, Paul was working in farming and cycled to get to and from work, but he didn’t really connect with the joy that cycling can bring.
After spiralling in lockdown and, to be a better dad to his sons, he ended up in DJK house, a recovery centre for people to rebuild their lives.
When Paul first arrived he could barely walk down the stairs. At the house, they encourage people to step outside of their comfort zone to aid in their recovery.
For Paul, one of those first steps was a ‘joy ride’ – a led cycle for novices around Liverpool. Paul would later say that there was nothing “joyous” about that first ride. But it was the first step toward something much bigger.
The power of community and trust
On that ride, Paul met Magdalena, Cycling UK’s development officer for Liverpool. Magdalena could see Paul’s potential, even when he couldn’t. And as Paul participated in more rides, he gradually began to experience the joy of cycling.
Paul told us that cycling helped him open up and connect with people more easily than in a one-to-one sit-down coffee setting. Riding alongside others, he felt more comfortable and found a sense of peace after every ride. That sense of accomplishment and connection started to transform Paul’s outlook on life.
With support from Cycling UK, Paul began to take on new challenges. He volunteered to deliver food on cargo bikes to elderly people who couldn’t get to food banks – a role that made him feel like he was giving back to his community.
And we gave him the opportunity to grow even further, providing training so he could become a ride leader and a qualified bike mechanic.
Paul’s life today
Today, Paul is thriving. He works as a bike mechanic with Peloton Liverpool, where he helps with various projects, including cycle repair events as part of Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival project. His passion for cycling has given him a new sense of purpose, and he uses the skills he gained to lead rides, help others fix their bikes and support his community.
Paul has also discovered a way to bond with his sons through cycling. The time they spend riding together has strengthened their relationship and given Paul a new way to connect with his family.
What’s truly inspiring is that Paul continues to pay it forward. He still visits DJK House, the recovery centre where his journey began, offering rides to others struggling with the challenges he once faced. He fixes bikes, leads group rides and shows others that, like him, they too can find a new direction through cycling.
On Fridays if you happen to see a group of 70 or so cyclists joyfully riding through the streets of Liverpool on a ‘joy ride’, Paul will likely be leading the way – using the skills Cycling UK taught him through our ride leader course and sharing the passion for cycling that changed his life.
It’s been fantastic to work with Paul in the last two years and to see his transformation thanks to recovery and cycling. From someone who wasn’t confident to fix a puncture two years ago to a dedicated bike mechanic who now helps his community by offering free bike repairs at the Big Bike Revival events on behalf of Peloton Liverpool
Magdalena Cichocka, Cycling UK development officer Liverpool Region