Solihull Wheels for All (SWFA) is an inclusive cycling charity, with the aim of removing many barriers, that prevent people with disabilities from considering cycling as a physical activity.
Our project is providing a service that enables disability groups, and individuals, from children to the more elderly, to benefit from a physical activity that contributes towards improvements in health, wellbeing and quality of life, additionally SWFA cycling sessions presents an opportunity for families, groups and individuals to meet others with disabilities/injuries to share experiences and develop friendships.
Some of our current service users include, local day care centres for adults with physical and learning difficulties, special needs schools, Headway the brain injury association, Sense an organisation for the deaf blind and Autism West Midlands.
SWFA is based at Tudor Grange Leisure Centre in Solihull where cycling sessions are run at the outdoor athletics track which is adjacent to cycle paths in a park. Our location provides a safe cycling environment which is perfect for anyone who lacks confidence, is unable to ride or has difficulty in cycling.
We are proud to offer a large selection of bicycles to suit all abilities ,our fleet includes two wheeled bikes(some with electrical assist) tricycles, tandems, recumbents, a varied range of adaptive bikes, some which can accommodate a rider and carer.
Cycling sessions are run for 2hrs every Monday morning throughout the year and for 1hr every Monday evening from March-October. Further sessions run for 2hrs on Wednesdays on a more ad hoc basis.
All our sessions are supported by a project lead instructor alongside an enthusiastic group of experienced volunteers helping to develop rider skills, boost self -esteem and help/encourage service users to reach their goals or targets whilst making it primarily enjoyable and fun.
SWFA are continuing to build on our success. During 2022 we had 1500 attendances to our cycling sessions, as of Sept2023 we have already exceeded that number, and with opportunities to expand our services further, potentially running sessions at venues away from our base at the Leisure Centre in Solihull, for example taking bikes to special needs schools, care homes that cannot travel to the leisure centre.
