Meet the Team Archives

New Placement Students join the team!

22/07/2024

by biketheukforms with No Comment Blog Meet the Team

Meet Charlotte and Olivia, the two new placement students working with Bike the UK for MS in 2024. As we come from different Universities and other ends of the country, we thought we would get to know each other and understand why we both took on this placement opportunity. After speaking to each other in an ice-breaker fashion, we decided we would like to tell you our findings.

Olivia

Words by Charlotte Austin

Olivia is a current Health and Exercise Science student at University of Bath. She is working remotely in Lancashire for this upcoming year as one of the placement students as Bike the UK for MS looks to expand.

Olivia has always had a passion for sports, playing hockey for her University and in development teams. Her sport has allowed her to travel across Europe for a tournament in the Netherlands. She also started her charity journey playing in a hockey tournament fundraiser. Hockey has given Olivia key memories in travelling and fundraising and is looking forward to ‘adding to those memories with these exciting cycling trips.’

The outdoors is also no stranger to Olivia. She has enjoyed a multitude of camping trips and walking her Springer Spaniel Dot in the Lake District over the years with her family. She sees this placement as a great way to have ‘new experiences whilst doing it for a great cause’.

Olivia is also ready to showcase the skills she has acquired from previous coaching experience and tackle the wide variation of responsibilities this placement presents. Olivia’s first trip will be on the North Coast 500. She will be one of the route leaders throughout the 8 Day journey and then continue leading the remaining routes of the year.

Charlotte

Words by Olivia Bowker

Charlotte is currently pursuing Mathematics and Sport Science at Loughborough University and will be working remotely from Suffolk for the Bike the UK for MS team as a placement student. She is ‘excited to join the team, expanding her horizons and knowledge of the charity and rides’.

Charlotte’s leadership and motivational skills shone brightly when she captained her netball team to both regional and national competitions, showcasing her strategic mindset and team spirit. Balancing academics, athletics, and responsibilities, Charlotte smoothly took over some administrative roles while leading her netball team. Her ability to manage and excel in multiple areas illustrates fantastic organizational skills.

Beyond the court, Charlotte’s passion for the outdoors and adventure began with family camping trips and hikes, often accompanied by her two Boxers, Hope and Tank. Her adventurous spirit took her to the summit of Snowdon, a challenge she conquered with determination. This year, she’s preparing to climb Snowdon again, this time in support of Macmillan, showcasing her commitment to fundraising and supporting charitable causes.

Charlotte looks forward to the exciting new experience of embarking on a BTUKFMS ride as a route leader on our first trip, NC500 and the rest of the upcoming rides this summer

We hope that allowed you to know a little bit about us and share some more with you on some of our events, calls and rides. We aim to help Bike the UK for MS fulfil this years’ potential with some hard work and passion for a great charity and relishing the opportunity to learn all that is available to us within this placement year!

Meeting up with MS Society local support groups

06/02/2024

by Felix Young with No Comment Blog Meet the Team

UK Programme Manager, Felix Young, shares a report from his visits to two of the MS Society support groups that our riders’ fundraising goes towards.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet two of the MS Society support groups close to where I live last week at their monthly social events. These events are an integral part of what these volunteer-led groups do to ensure that their members can access social occasions that are appropriate to their needs.

First up was the Cheltenham, Gloucester & Forest of Dean group in Yorkley. This is one of the groups that the riders on our Land’s End to John O’ Groats trip meet each year as they ride across the UK. In the spirit of our January #move4ms challenge, I decided to travel by train and bike meaning that I could use the ride up from the train station to add some kilometres to the team total. This meant I arrived a little flustered – forgetting that the ride up to Yorkley is all uphill and perhaps over-estimating my climbing abilities with the time allowed!

It is always a treat to see some familiar faces as well as having the opportunity to meet new members of the group. After sharing some of Bike the UK for MS’s story so far it was exciting to introduce some of our 2024 projects to the group including #move4ms, our MS Awareness Week Challenge and the summer trips that riders will be taking on all across the UK plus the personal challenge that I am planning to undertake in the Spring (watch this space!).

This led to tales of midges and ticks (I am not sure why my stories kept on coming back to bugs just before the cake was served up?!) as well as some of the stories from my summer at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships – taking place not long after I had last met the group in July. It wasn’t just me talking though (as can sometimes happen…), chatting with the members of the MS Society groups has been the main place where I have learned more about what it means to live with MS. As someone who did not have a personal connection to MS before I rode with Bike the UK for MS, it can be hard to truly understand:

“There are things I would like to join in with but MS stops me. I love gardening for example and my partner helps me and there is a local gardening group; they organise things like a walk in the woods to see the daffodils emerge. I won’t be able to join in with things like that and so I miss out.”

“I would love to join an art club. We were making wreaths and everyone was picking out what they wanted to put in theirs – I can’t hold things because of my MS though and so I didn’t know what to do. You don’t want to keep asking people to do things for you.”

A reminder that Bike the UK for MS is all about using the power of the bike to make a difference to those living with MS.

The following day I was able to take the short bike ride over the hill to Cumberwell Park Golf Club to meet up with the Bath & District group of the MS Society to join them for their Christmas celebration meal. This group was the first one that Bike the UK for MS supported back in 2014 and on a personal level was my first time meeting a local support group of the MS Society.

Members such as David and Julie have been members of the group since back then 10 years ago and it is always such a pleasure to re-acquaint myself and hear the stories that they have ready to tell. Despite all the challenges that living with MS had created for them it is so humbling to feel their determination and desire to overcome the day-to-day effects of the condition.

It is also particularly pertinent to spend time with the family who provide the support that they need every day of their lives. These social events are just as important for them as for the members who are living with MS. There are 130,000 people living with MS in the UK but the affect it has on people’s lives reaches much further to those around them and it can be easy to underestimate this impact until you get to know people such as the wonderful members of the local support groups.

The Bath & District group has a minibus that can carry up to three people using wheelchairs and the group are now fortunate to have a number of volunteer drivers who are able to help ensure that the group’s events are truly inclusive:

“It is so important. It can carry up to three people who otherwise would not be able to join in with what we do. It ensures that what we do is inclusive to everyone.”

The minibus does not come without its costs of course and there are a number of MS Society groups that I have met through my time with Bike the UK for MS that are not in a position where they can offer transport support in such a way. This can be particularly felt in rural locations such as north Wales or the Highlands of Scotland (places that Bike the UK for MS trips go to and so groups that our riders meet each year) where a single group may cover a vast area with limited transport options available.

The work that groups such as these would be utterly transformed if they had the financial support to be able to offer what the Bath & District group are able to do so with their minibus. We hope that with more fundraising and more awareness of the vital role that these volunteer groups carry out it will soon be possible for more people to access social events like to ones that I was lucky enough to be able to join – making a real difference to their quality of life whilst living with MS.

Route Leading: “It’s almost better than doing it yourself”

24/01/2024

by Felix Young with No Comment Blog Meet the Team

All you need to know about volunteering as a Route Leader with Bike the UK for MS

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10 Years of Bike the UK for MS – Throwback to 2014

05/10/2023

by Felix Young with No Comment Blog Meet the Team Our Rides Rider Stories

June 2024 will mark 10 years since the first Bike the UK for MS trip as 12 riders took on John O’ Groats to Land’s End. We wanted to take this chance to cast back to memories of the trips that have brought the charity to where it is today and to celebrate the achievements and challenges overcome by the hundreds of riders who have been part of Bike the UK for MS over the past decade.

The 2014 Ride

With eight Bike the US for MS alumni joining four riders from the University of Bath the first Bike the UK for MS trip was a true hybrid of the two organisations. One of the UK-based riders, Emily, shares some of her memories from the trip:

“My favourite day was definitely the first day up in Scotland. I’ve done a lot riding in my time but never in Scotland and riding along the country roads, next to huge highland cows with breathtaking coast views was just spectacular. We ended the day at Bettyhill Camp site and spent the evening skimming stones and watching the sun set on the rocks – a perfect day!”

“The biggest surprise was how close we became as a team. Although cliché, I really couldn’t have done it without the support of the other riders. Living together for all that time and experiencing the highs and lows was amazing and has led to life-long friendships!”

“The toughest challenge for me was definitely the mental strain of the harder days down south. It definitely pushed me to my limit and I remember a few moments where I really drew on the strength of the team around me as I turned a corner to be faced with yet another hill on wet, windy days in Cornwall!”

“The standout memory for me was our day in the Lake District. Kirkstone pass didn’t disappoint and although tough was a spectacular climb and a real achievement to cross. As a celebration, we then descended in a slightly delirious state to the furthest corner of Lake Windermere unaware that the campsite was actually quite a few miles further along the road, outside of Windermere itself.”

Stunning views are earned by challenging climbs

“We were just settling in to enjoy a sunny evening at the lakeside when we received a call from our route leader asking where we were. The uphill 30 minute climb to camp proved rather challenging and I’m sure we were quite a spectacle as we attempted to navigate the Windermere tourists whilst exhausted and slightly disoriented! But it was those moments riding together as a team at the end of a hard day knowing we had achieved something together that were so special.”

“It was an amazing two weeks – breath-taking, mentally and physically challenging but so rewarding. I can still remember that feeling of pride, relief, joy as we crossed the finish line at Land’s End.”

Felix Young riding in 2014 with Bike the UK for MS

Meet Felix Young, the New Bike the UK for MS Programme Manager

23/02/2023

by James Whateley with One Comment Blog Meet the Team

We are thrilled to introduce you to Felix Young, the new Programme Manager for Bike the UK for MS. Felix is an avid cyclist with an extensive background in coaching and event organisation. He has been a part of the Bike the UK for MS community since its inception in 2014 and has experienced it from all angles – as a rider, a Route Leader, and a Board Trustee.

Felix shares his personal Bike the UK for MS story, including the memories, friendships, and experiences that have had a lasting impact on his life. He also explains the charity’s purpose and how it has evolved over the years, highlighting the shared sense of excitement, adventure, and camaraderie that exists throughout the MS community.

The Many Hats of Felix Young: Coaching, Event Organisation, and Cycleball

Hello everyone, allow me to re-introduce myself! I am incredibly excited to have taken up the role as the Bike the UK for MS UK Programme Manager and am looking forward to a new chapter in my Bike the UK for MS story. Working alongside James, Ella and the rest of the Bike the UK for MS team I can’t wait to build on the tremendous projects running in order to make this year’s trips the best yet and to do even more to support those with MS through the work of the charity.

My Bike the UK for MS story began all the way back on the first ever John O’ Groats to Land’s End trip in 2014 where I was a rider. The two weeks spent on the trip have had an everlasting impact with memories, friendships and experiences that will last a lifetime. The sense of excitement, adventure and camaraderie on that first trip have become part of the DNA of the charity and continues to exist through all of the rides and riders who have been part of the last nine years.

Felix Young has been running events for the likes of British Cycling over recent years.

Felix Young riding on John O'Groats to Land's End in 2014

Finding Purpose and Meaning Through Bike the UK for MS

The purpose of the charity was clear for all to see, even at the very beginning, with the event held alongside the Bath branch of the MS Society. There are lots of personal benefits to take away from being part of a trip like those on Bike the UK for MS, but sharing the ride and riding for those we meet at the MS Society brings a whole new level of meaning and drive. They truly felt part of our adventure and it was with pride and thrill that we turned the pedals as our part to play in their lives.

Of course, after such a great first time, I had to come back for more and so, despite being unable to join for a full trip, I was back the following year to ride a segment of the End to End ride: the final three days from Bath down to Land’s End. It was a great way to get another taste of that Bike the UK for MS goodness.

Felix Young in Land's End having completed John O'Groats to Land's End in 2014

Felix with his son. He's been getting him into riding from a young age!

Bike the UK for MS from a different perspective: Behind the scenes and on the board

I have also experienced Bike the UK for MS from the other side of the organisation. Having been a rider in those first two years, I was back for the third trip in 2016, this time behind the wheel of the support van as a Route Leader. Bike the UK for MS is a real community with the shared experience across the different trips from year to year; it felt amazing to be able to not only benefit from the hard work of the support teams as a rider, but also to help others benefit and experience what it was that I loved about the trips. You get to see and feel it all again through those who you are supporting.

I have also been a member of the board of trustees as James continued to nurture and develop the scope of the charity: a valuable insight into the mechanics of the organisation that goes on to facilitate the delivery on the road. It is a real honour to be part of a charity that is so keen to innovate, explore and push the boundaries of what is possible to be achieved.

Professional Experience in Cycling and Expertise in Cycleball

The rest of my working life has been in cycling across both coaching and event organisation. I was a staff member at British Cycling working as an events officer and oversaw the delivery of a wide range of events from Paracycling National Championships and BMX races through to sportives and cyclocross leagues. I am also the head coach of Avid Sport, a cycling team for young men and women based in the Bath and Bristol area. Over the years I have supported and organised cycling trips both in the UK and abroad and my life as a cyclist started with a charity bike ride at school from London to Paris.

Finally, a left-field fact about me: I am the UK’s leading expert (self-proclaimed but then it is a small field!) in Cycleball and took the first ever British team to the World Championships in 2022.

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