The year in numbers - what CTC has achieved in 2015 with the help of our volunteers

By Julie Rand
Monday, 21 December 2015
Stevenage and N. Herts CTC ride by John Crouch
CTC is an independent charity whose activities reflect the commitment of our members, volunteers and partners to make a lasting difference to the lives of individuals and communities by supporting people to cycle and keep cycling. Without the help of our amazing volunteers, we would not be able to achieve this goal. Thank you!

The list may not include seven swans a-swimming, five gold rings or even a partridge in a pear tree but they are pretty impressive figures nonetheless. Here are just some of the numbers that convey the size of CTC's contribution to putting more people on bikes in 2015, thanks to our voluntary project workers, campaigners and local group officers.

CTC's Local Groups

Almost since CTC's inception, our network of volunteer-led local groups has enabled thousands of people to take up and continue cycling. In the 21st century, the network is still going strong with new groups forming every year. In 2015:

  • 1.5m hours was contributed by our volunteers
  • CTC’s 100+ formal Member Groups and around 60 informal groups have put on over:
    • 13,613 rides, which equals around 262 every week
    • 248 sportive and challenge rides in the UK
    • 1000+ off-road rides.
  • CTC has 600+ Affiliate groups, of which in 2015:
    • 400 groups put on around 20,800 rides
    • 8000 individual riders (at an average of around 20 per club) took part
    • 416,000 ride opportunities were offered

Bike Week 2015

CTC took ownership of Bike Week in 2014 and in 2015, there were:

  • 873+ registered events
  • 500,000 participants
  • 19% of UK adults were reached by Bike Week coverage
  • Over 14 million opportunities to see Bike Week in the media

Cycling Development projects

  • 95,000 people have benefited across the UK from 5,000 cycling related activities and events
  • 4,000 people have received training in cycle skills, ride leading and bike maintenance
  • 8,000 volunteers have contributed over
  • 2,200 hours to support our cycling development projects as ride leaders, event assistants, mechanics and community club leaders

Ride Leader workshops

The funding also enabled us to develop a training programme for CTC groups. In autumn 2015:

  • 40 workshops were delivered 
  • 1016 people registered an interest in attending
  • 751 people actually attended, equal to 74% of those who registered
  • 401 different cycle groups were supported
  • 80% of CTC Member Groups attended
  • 50% of CTC Affiliate Groups

The sheer number of people who benefited from inclusive cycling has been phenomenal. CTC's Inclusive Cycling network of 50 centres smashed the target set for its total number of beneficiaries, including people taking part as volunteers, as well as the number of cycling participants involved.

  • 50 inclusive cycling centres
  • 40 new CTC Affiliate groups set up
  • 17,304 beneficiaries engaged with
  • 15,295 new people introduced to cycling
  • 780 new volunteers recruited
  • 1,084 people given the opportunity to engage with their local community                                          

Looking forward to 2016

So you can see it's been a very busy year for CTC in 2015. Thank you to all of you who have helped make this possible. Look out 2016, here we come with exciting plans for even more events and activities to bring people the gift of cycling!

Julie Rand, CTC Member Group Coordinator

Disabled and non-standard cycling Family cycling Volunteering for Cycling UK