Why I became a Breeze champion
Published 18 February 2013
Cycling is all about the unbridled joy of butterflies in your tummy and the wind in your face as you freewheel down a hill. It’s exciting and gives you a sense of freedom like nothing else. As we look to recruit more Breeze champions up and down the country, we speak to Laura McVittie about why she helps more women get on their bikes...
Why / how did you get involved in Breeze?
I’d been helping Watbike (a charity based in Northumberland who lead bike rides in the North East area) and they emailed me the details to see if I was interested. I work as a full-time Commuter Centre Manager on a business park so my job involves encouraging people to cycle to and from work. I’ve also been a cyclist myself since I was very young and often go on weekend bike rides with friends and family.
Also, my husband doesn’t like cycling so this was an ideal opportunity to find other like-minded people to cycle with!
What was the main thing that made you get involved?
I thought Breeze was ideal to enable me to do more cycling and encourage others to get on their bikes. It was a perfect opportunity to do some volunteering and enhance my CV too. I knew it would give me the drive to improve my leading skills and increase my knowledge of the bike routes in the region. I knew many friends and family would support me to promote the rides, and come along on the rides themselves, so really it was no-brainer!
What were the main challenges to getting you on your bike regularly?
I live in Washington and work in Newcastle (about 15 miles away) so it’s hard for me to cycle to and from work. However I make up for this by cycling on a weekend. I’ve led rides from home on a weekend and from work on weeknights, which gives me a chance to gain extensive knowledge of the routes in the region and risk assess the routes.
I used to think the weather was a barrier, but I’ve gradually purchased the right kit and realised that cycling in the cold and rain isn’t too bad after all! I was concerned that my maintenance skills were a bit rusty, so I took part in the free Breeze bike maintenance course last year which was great.
What have you gained from being involved in Breeze?
I love meeting new people and Breeze has enabled me to meet a range of women from across the North East. Some stories have been very inspiring: I recently met one woman who had breast cancer, and had been left by her partner. She got involved in Breeze to get back into exercise and feel good about herself. I’ve met lots of women who haven’t been on a bike for years and have now started cycling regularly. Some women have combined the Breeze rides with Slimming World and lost lots of weight. Every single person has an interesting story.
I’ve always been active, but going out on my bike more often has enabled me to enjoy the outdoors and fresh air, rather than being stuck in a gym or swimming pool. I’ve been to places on my bike that I’d never have been in the car! On a lighter note, Breeze has helped me to go out on a Saturday night and go home at a reasonable hour as I know I have to be up early for a bike ride!
If you’re interested in training to become a Breeze champion, check out: