Staff from Bike & Go celebrated the launch of the latest bike hire facility at Hoylake train station by cycling to Hoylake Cottage to enjoy coffee and cake with the service users there.



The team rode from the station to the nursing home and day centre where, armed with cakes and biscuits, they spent time making memories with their new friends to support and raise awareness of Hoylake Cottage’s ‘Thanks for the Memories’ campaign.



They also pledged to provide free bike hire to anyone who wanted to raise money for the charity through sponsored cycling events.



The campaign aims to raise funds to go towards the creation of a reminiscence village that will offer therapies to help people living with dementia connect and remember times gone by.



Working with a Manchester-based film set designer and seeking expert advice from older people and dementia professionals, Hoylake Cottage will transform its foyer area into a 1960s street complete with a corner shop front and terraced house fronts, as well as developing the village with a bank, tea shop, and 1970s-themed social club.



Bike & Go staff chatted with service users and professionals at the centre, hearing about memories of yesteryear and learning about the charity’s plans for the future.



Suzanne Grant, Bike & Go director said: “We are delighted to have opened a Bike & Go facility at Hoylake train station, and are looking forward to making strong links with the community.



“Hoylake Cottage provides an excellent resource for those with dementia, and we look forward to supporting the team and service users by offering free bike hire to help them achieve their fundraising targets for this exciting and ambitious campaign."



Bike & Go offers bike hire facilities from 22 participating train stations across the Merseyrail network, including Liverpool Central, Moorfields, Aigburth, Southport, Ormskirk and West Kirby, in addition to a further 49 participating train stations across much of the North West, North East and Yorkshire, East and South East of England, and Scotland. There are also bike hire facilities at Seacombe Ferry Terminal and Leasowe Castle.



To hire a Bike & Go bike, users simply need to register their card details online, which they can do via smart phones, tablets, or at home, and pay the annual £10 subscription fee. They will then receive a user number via email which will allow immediate bike hire – usually charged at just £3.80 per 24 hours up to a maximum of 72 hours - while they wait for their Bike & Go membership card.

Issued for and on behalf of Rachael Tinniswood