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Bicycle User Group - BUG

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By: NHS Kensington and Chelsea

Happier staff

NHS Kensington and Chelsea have set up and are developing their BUG.  Bicycle User Groups (or BUGs for short) originated in the 1980s amongst the large corporations in Toronto, Canada. The idea spread to the UK in 1993 when the first group was established at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. A BUG is a loose association of staff who cycle - or who would like to - and it works to improve conditions for cyclists and to persuade more people to give cycling a try.

A BUG should be open to all, it’s not just for hardened lycra-clad enthusiasts who bike to work every day, come rain or shine. It is for ‘bike users’ as opposed to ‘cyclists’ and the difference is an important one. A bike user may pedal to work just a handful of times a year. Nevertheless, their views and ideas are as valid as those of a five-days-a-week cyclist.

Newcomers to cycling (and that is what you are aiming to generate) will, almost certainly, start off by cycling just occasionally. It is important that the BUG understands their needs and concerns and makes them genuinely welcome.

NHS Kensington and Chelsea open up their BUG to staff from other local NHS organisations.

All 14 sites across NHS Kensington and Chelsea, and also informally people from other nearby NHS Trusts – including Brent, Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham.

To support the staff

Dr Bike – free maintenance sessions

Kensington and Chelsea Council – free breakfast at launch

04/05/2009
Minimal
Staff Intranet

Getting engagement from staff, trying to get momentum.  Getting people’s email addresses to build up a contacts database.

Paul Griffiths, Environment Officer, paul.griffiths@kc-pct.nhs.uk, 0208 962 4338