Last year, at the Launch of Cycle Your Heart Out we raised money for Re:cycle (Bicycle Aid for Africa). This charity embodies two of my favourite things – cycling and international development. 

Re:cycle collect second hand bikes and parts and then ship them to Africa where partners teach local people how to repair and maintain them. This means communities get a bunch of new bikes to help them get to school, work or to a health centre, it also provides employment maintaining the bikes and keeping everyone on the go! 

Simple things like bikes really can make a huge difference to people’s lives. Miriam is just one of many people who have been helped thanks to people in the UK giving away their old bikes.

All this great work has led to massive growth for Re:cycle but it also means they are in dire need of more funds & bikes to meet the high demand! 

Help Re:cycle meet this demand by visiting their website, all donations can help double the number of bicycles they send to 10,800 a year! 

       Miriam from Koforidua, Ghana

Miriam is physically disabled and uses crutches to get around. Thanks to training from local partners Ability Bikes, she is now a bicycle mechanic - and a very competent and well respected one at that!

I recently met with a fantastic UK charity called Tiny Tickers. They do incredible work caring for babies with heart conditions, before birth and in their first year of life.

In the UK one baby in every 133 is born with a heart problem, that’s 5,000 babies each year! Two thirds of cases are sadly not picked up before birth. Tiny Tickers help by giving women the opportunity to have their baby screened for heart problems during pregnancy, giving  their babies a chance of a better start in life. 

       Help Tiny Tickers do their life changing work  
If you're a mum, dad or family member who holds this cause close to their hearts,  you can help by raising  awareness or funds and cycle your hearts out for them!

The ride can be as small or as big as you like! We would love to hear from you, and I'm sure Tiny Tickers would too!

For more information about Tiny Tickers please visit their website

What a fantastic year it has been! A massive thank you to everyone that has cycled their hearts out! 

Here are some of the highlights; 

21 CYHO rides in UK, Italy, Germany & Australia

The Big Breeze Bike ride in East London and Cycle your Heart Out around the World with Sean Conway in Milton Keynes

36 interviews for Biker Girls and Biker Boys

17 video's featuring Richmond Councillor Katharine Harbourne, charities Solar Aid and World Vision and the fab Cycletta Woburn event

The Launch in Milton Keynes last July raised £280 for Charity Re-cycle (Bicycle Aid for Africa)

60 Cycle Your Heart Out goody bag give-aways with kind donations from Lush and Peace one day

9 press releases, including the East London newspaper, MK News, British Cycling, Breeze, Re-cycle

Looking forward to what this year has in store!