Staying Active – Cycling
No wonder cycling for fun continues to be so popular. It is a fantastic way of staying active that is exhilarating, liberating and gentle on the environment. Because the bike takes most of the strain, there is far less impact on your lower body, which makes it a great choice for anyone who hasn’t been able to exercise much recently. Apart from all the health benefits – it is generally considered to be particularly effective in reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes – cycling is easy to incorporate into your existing daily routine: cycling to and from work, for example.
A few years ago, Lifeplus signed up to owning a piece of British history and made a positive difference at the same time. With just a five minute drive between offices in Saint Neots, proximity to the town centre and local amenities, Lifeplus saw this as yet another internal incentive, to add to their existing portfolio, to promote holistic wellbeing.
Lifeplus bought 12 of the limited edition elephant bikes which are used to travel between sites and local facilities. These elephant bikes are fully refurbished Royal Mail delivery bikes, passed on to create potentially life-transforming opportunities for others in need. With every bike bought another is donated to a social enterprise in Africa (www.elephantbike.co.uk) where owning a bike can mean securing work, generating an income and getting an invaluable education. So that’s at least 12 more lives being supported from just one company!
Purchasing elephant bikes is just one way that Lifeplus promotes health, wellbeing and eco-friendly initiatives internally. The bikes are easy-to-ride. We offer helmets and high-vis jackets for staff safety, cycle maps and cycle training for all levels. As well as the elephant bike initiative, Lifeplus supports numerous activities throughout the year too, championing the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. These include walking meetings, cycling events, a commitment to environmentally friendly practices plus various fun and active fundraising events too. It’s just another way of demonstrating our ambition at Lifeplus to help people to live well.