Thanks to the work undertaken by Faringdon charity ‘Farcycles’, children and adults who enjoy cycling have been provided with the opportunity to use safer cycling routes around the area.
What started as part of a Faringdon Ecoweek initiative back in 2008, when a group of cyclists took a bike ride through several organic farms to the wind turbine at Westmill, formed the embryo of a cycling group being established in the town. Encouraging people to think about how they use energy and get on their bike instead of getting in their car and also live a healthier lifestyle, the weekly cycling event grew in popularity. Instead of cycling across farm fields safer routes around the area were found and a loosely connected group of two hundred people, of all ages and abilities, started enjoying cycle rides in the stunning countryside around Faringdon, into Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Berkshire.
The people who started the ‘Farcycles’ group, realised that many children around the area could not ride bicycles and if they did, they were not necessarily ‘road aware.’ As a consequence, David and Lyn Williamson – trained in cycling proficiency – collaborated with the local primary school providing formal cycling lessons. It was also apparent that one of the main reasons that children had not learned to cycle was a lack of somewhere to learn away from traffic.
Farcycles became a registered charity, committed to improving the cycling experience in and around Faringdon, as well as helping to ensure that children and adults are suitably trained in cycling safety to get the most from being cyclists, not only in Faringdon but further afield.
A team from Farcycles then had the idea, in late 2018, to develop a local Cycle Park where children and adults could learn to cycle in safety. So began the process of designing, planning, and funding the project through grants and donations. Farcycles received support from the Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Fund, Faringdon Educational Activities Trust, the Faringdon Town Council and Lord Faringdon Trust to name but a few organisations who supported the initiative.
The Cycle Park is located off the Stanford Road and can be accessed from the top of London Street. The postcode is SN7 8BF and the what3words address is w3w.co/interval.cycles.looms
Constructing the cycle training park started on 7April 2019 and by 7 July it was officially opened. Farcycles delivered this amazing pioneering community facility for current and future generations to enjoy. They collaborated with specialist ecologist to protect local wildlife during construction and subsequent landscaping work involved planting 180 native trees, thus ensuring that wildlife has been given a suitable habitat in which to thrive. Many of the trees were sponsored by local families. The Cycle Park is free to use at any time and has proved to be extremely popular with families travelling from far afield to use the facilities.
At the Cycle Park, many people donated bikes and the team decided to set up a 'pop-up shop' in August 2020. The bikes were refurbished and sold on as there was great demand for bikes in lockdown. Many more bikes were donated as people cleared out their sheds and garages at this time, and the pop-up shop became more established. To date approximately 600 bikes were sold in a two-year period. Volunteers were also able to repair bikes and sell parts if they wished to do home repairs.
Now the charity is delighted to be moving into new premises which will provide them with a larger bike shop. Money raised from the shop helps to maintain the Cycle Park and also enabled two speed awareness signs to be erected in Faringdon, with the aim of reducing speeds and making it safer for cycling. The new Farcycles Bike Shop is located on Marlborough Street and was officially opened on in early January 2023 by Lord and Lady Faringdon’s son James Henderson on behalf of Lord Faringdon’s Charitable Trust, who are generous benefactors of Farcycles. Faringdon Mayor Kiera Bentley, together with shop volunteers and Farcycles Trustees were also in attendance.
Throughout the year starting in Spring 2023, Farcycles runs a series of cycling safety training courses for children aged three and above and adults too. The courses cover balance bike training, riding a pedal bike independently and for adults there are courses to develop confidence in riding a bike aimed at beginners and cautious adults. These courses are extremely popular and prove that you are never too old to learn to ride a bike safely.
Over the years, Farcycles has devised a network of cycling routes to link important places in the town for example the Health Centre, Schools, Folly Sports Ground and the Town Centre. Some of these have been implemented but they are continuing to work with Faringdon Town Council to campaign for additional safe cycling routes around the area.
In 2021, Farcycles were recipients of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of service to the local community.
Helping people to get on their bikes safely is not only beneficial to the health as cycling is a great form of exercise but it is good for the environment.
For further information about Farcycles visit farcycles.weebly.com
