Everybody Active! All-ability Cycling
All-ability cycling sessions are delivered at Palmer Park Stadium every Wednesday morning, 10 am to noon. More informationis availableon the Reading Leisure website.
Around 20 individuals attend the session with either a family member or a carer, with the support of staff at Palmer Park who help get the fleet of adapted bikes ready for them and then make sure that everyone is greeted and signed in.
Case Study
Maryham also regularly attends on Wednesday mornings. Palmer Park’s cycling session is just one of the many activity sessions Maryham enjoys, as part of a broad spectrum scheduled for her by Optalis, the learning disability day service.
Bradleigh, support worker at Optalis, says of Maryham: “She’s a very quiet lady and doesn’t interact very easily with people. However, when she attends the cycling session she becomes interested and attentive and often lifts her head to look at her surroundings.”
Very often, Maryham’s father or brother attends the riding sessions to take her around for a few laps themselves.
"The cycling sessions are great – they are a way that many of the people we work with can enjoy their own little bit of freedom."
Bradleigh Bond
Lead Support Worker at Optalis