RADIAN housing and care provider has teamed up with national cycling charity CTC to provide bike maintenance and cycling workshops for Whitehill and Bordon Radian residents.

The scheme is aimed at supporting a greener way to travel, providing an alternative way to get around, and helping people to get and stay fit. Although a date is yet to be set, the project will be stopping off in Bordon.

Radian, based in Eastleigh, said the workshops had been set up to break down one of the “key barriers” for residents looking for work - a lack of personal transport or poor public transport links.

Being able to cycle to work could eliminate this obstacle, yet many residents do not own a bike and those who do are often not confident enough to ride safely on busy roads.

CTC is donating to all Radian residents who take part bikes, many of which are in need of maintenance work so the team at Radian is setting up bike-maintenance workshops, at which attendees will be taught how to fix and keep bikes roadworthy. Ben Glennister, from the Gear Change Project at Alice Holt, has agreed to deliver a one-day bike doctor workshop at the Forest Community Centre in Bordon. The concept is an interactive workshop, so bike owners will learn how to repair their own bike.

Radian aims to donate an upcycled bike to a resident or family in need on the day.

Once the idea takes off, the aim will be to hold a regular bike club, run by volunteers, to encourage people to cycle as a means of greener transport, for exercise or for fun.

Amanda Henderson, from Radian, said: “The partnership with CTC is an excellent opportunity for our residents to find alternative transport in cycling.

“Not only is it great exercise, it will give residents a sense of independence allowing them to rely on themselves to get around rather than public transport or lifts from friends and family. The workshops will be fun and we’re grateful to CTC for its generous donation. We hope the residents involved will find the workshops helpful and discover a real love of cycling.”

The 10-week course starts on Tuesday, January 12, at Bicycle Recycling, Unit 2 Bus Station, South Street, Gosport, and is for all Radian residents but spaces are limited. Radian will be arranging travel from its Petersfield office to the workshops.

* For more details, call Radian on 0800 4220570 or e-mail [email protected].