Latest news with #Brothwell
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Free city centre bike store to close
A cycling charity has said it is "gutted" by the closure of a bike store, intended to reduce bicycle thefts in Worcester city centre. Bike Worcester said the free facility in Friary Walk shopping centre - formerly Crowngate - has been used to securely store 28,000 bikes a year. The space, which has now been leased to a rent-paying customer, will close on Wednesday, four years after it opened. Dan Brothwell, from the charity, said it was "as good a place to lock our bikes as we've found anywhere in the world". Mr Brothwell paid tribute to the shopping centre's manager for making the facility available to cyclists for free. "Bike Worcester were approached by Mike Lloyd in the depths of Covid with an idea of making an unused commercial unit available as a place for people to store bikes," he said. "It would be under the watchful eyes of CCTV with the security team regularly checking in. It was a no-brainer." Mr Lloyd said the centre had been "incredibly proud" of the role it had played in "encouraging more sustainable travel", adding it "was the right thing to do during a difficult time for the city". "Now, as we celebrate a full return to occupancy at Friary Walk - a real milestone for the local economy - we must transition the unit back into retail use," he said. The store also included a repair station for people to carry out minor services of their bikes. Mr Brothwell said any bikes which were found unlocked would be secured, along with details on how to get it released - for which Mr Brothwell himself admitted to having been grateful on occasions when he had been distracted and forgotten to lock his own bike. "It is with a heavy heart we say farewell to the Friary Walk bike store," he said. "We've used it to store our bikes, fix our bikes, and help others fix their bikes. "It's been instrumental in growing Bike Worcester." Mr Lloyd said Friary Walk was "committed to supporting active travel" and was working to install external bike racks. He added that the stands and racks from the bike store were being donated to the city council for potential relocation. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. 'Beryl' bike share scheme rolled out across city Work to start on new purpose-built cycle track This is a £16m bridge to nowhere, say cyclists Bike Worcester Friary Walk
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rugby club members to cycle 870 miles ahead of international tournament
THREE Worcester RFC members will cycle 870 miles to take part in an international tournament. In June the club is set to participate in the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART) in Pamplona, Spain. Three enthusiastic members of the Worcester squad have decided to make the most of the experience by cycling around 1,400 kilometres to Pamplona. The journey will also serve as an opportunity to raise awareness of the mixed-ability rugby movement, and inspire others to travel by bike. In addition to cycling, club members Rob Collier, Steve Slawson, and Dan Brothwell also plan to use the expedition to raise funds for RoadPeace, a charity that supports road accident victims. Mr Collier said: "I'm really excited about the tournament and the journey there. "It's a real challenge, with multiple days of over 100 miles to cover. "We'll be carrying camping gear and our playing kit, so it will be long days in the saddle." The route begins in Worcester, taking the trio to the south coast of the UK, across France, and over the northern Pyrenees before reaching Pamplona. Beyond their roles at the rugby club, Mr Collier and Mr Brothwell serve as secretary and chair, respectively, of Bike Worcester, a group dedicated to motivating people to undertake more journeys by bike. Mr Brothwell said: "I love getting around Worcester on my bike, volunteering for the city bike buses helping children cycle to school, to work, and to the club for training, but this will be the longest ride I've ever done. "It's great to use the trip to support the charity RoadPeace, and all the fantastic work they do, raising awareness of road danger and supporting victims and families of road violence." WRFC Mixed Ability lead Tom Reeves said: "This will be the club's second time at IMART and we're thrilled we're taking both women's and men's teams. "For the lads to take on the challenge of travelling by bike is incredible, and shows what great guys they are looking to make the most out of this opportunity."
