Get on your bike for Europe's oldest charity cycle

According to a new survey by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) the average East Midlands residents haven’t cycled in a whopping nine and-a-half years.

Also, more than one in five – 23 per cent – had avoided taking to the saddle for more than ten years.

The BHF is urging residents to get back in the saddle this year by signing up to the iconic London to Brighton Bike Ride, taking place on Sunday, June 18, to raise money for life saving heart research.

Despite being one of the nation’s favourite sports, the survey of 2,000 UK residents revealed that an astonishing 6.3 million people – one in eight of us – don’t know how to ride a bike. The survey revealed that the average household in the UK owns just one bike between them, but 41 per cent of households don’t own bike at all.

People in the East Midlands fare similarly to the UK average, with one in eight admitting they can’t ride a bike and more than half – 54 per cent – of the local cycling community saying they own one.

Most surprisingly however, one in 20 people in the East Midlands admit it’s been so long since they’ve ridden a bike they’ve forgotten what to do!

The BHF wants to help get people in the East Midlands back on their bikes, by encouraging everyone to take on the London to Brighton Bike Ride, and join the fight against heart disease. With a range of free training guides and nutritional advice on hand, the nation’s heart charity has everything you need to help get you back in the saddle and over the finish line.

BHF event leader for London to Brighton Bike Ride Elizabeth Tack, said: “It’s surprising to learn that whilst there is a clear appetite for cycling in the UK, there is still a vast amount of us who are not getting on our bikes often enough, or even at all. Cycling is a fantastic way of keeping your heart healthy, which is why we’re encouraging everyone to dust off their bikes this year and challenge themselves to take on our London to Brighton Bike Ride to help support our vital research into heart disease.

“We can provide all the support you need to get you back in the saddle this year, with free training guides and advice available for all registered cyclists in the run up to the big day. It’s a fantastic day out for all the family and every pound you raise will help make a difference to millions.”

The BHF’s London to Brighton Bike Ride has run for more than 40 years and is Europe’s oldest charity cycling event.

It’s a fantastic chance for families, friends and colleagues to enjoy a day out together, cycling through some of the South East’s most picturesque counties. To sign up for this year’s London to Brighton Bike Ride, visit bhf.org.uk/L2B.