The Lord Mayor of Chester learns to ride a bike!

The Lord Mayor of Chester is taking on one of her biggest fears during her mayoral year. Cllr Sherin Akhtar has not ridden a bike since childhood.

When she started to learn she crashed badly and hurt her knee.

Despite her misgivings, the Chester mum-of-two was inspired to take on this challenge so she could explore the city in a new, and environmentally-friendly way, while keeping fit at the same time.

But most of all, she wants to raise funds for her two mayoral charities this year - Chester Women’s Aid and the Heath Youth Club, in Upton.

Cllr Akhtar said:

“I was six or seven years old when my father bought a brand new BMX for me and my siblings to learn to ride a bike.

“Within minutes my older siblings could ride and my father thought I’d be just as good as them.

“He held on to my seat until I was confidently away, however, I made the mistake of looking back and fell straight to the ground, hurting my knee quite badly- I’m still wearing the scar.

“When I was invested as Lord Mayor I promised that I would challenge myself to raise maximum funds for my residents.

“Some people may find this funny, and others will appreciate it because I have two important charities that I am raising vital funds for this year.”

Cllr Akhtar’s journey is being charted through a series of videos, covering everything from finding out about bikes and kit, buying her own bike, those first wobbly lessons and beyond.

She is being assisted in her challenge by two Chester charities. These are Live! Cheshire, which supports people with disabilities with learning and social activities, including cycling, and Bren Bikes, which provides bike repair and maintenance and sells refurbished bikes, offering a cheap and sustainable way to get started.

Cllr Akhtar is being taught by BikeRight!, the Council’s cycle training partner.

BikeRight! offers Bikeability training in the borough’s schools as well as family and adult cycle skills sessions exclusively for Cheshire residents.

The adult and family training is free and at all levels to suit, from starting to ride a bike to getting more confidence on busier roads, thanks to funding from Active Travel England.

For more information about the Lord Mayor’s challenge visit: 

cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/learntoride 

To find out more about Bren Bikes visit: 

www.brenproject.org.uk 

To find out more about Live! Cheshire visit: 

livecheshire.org.uk.

For information about BikeRight! training visit: 

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk 

...and search for ‘cycling and e-bikes’.

To sponsor the Lord Mayor’s challenge visit: 

https://www.justgiving.com/charity/thelordmayorofchesterscharityfund

Pictured - The Lord Mayor of Chester outside Chester Town Hall with a bike.