Battling Corona with wheels, free bike service for NHS staff
In partnership with NHS England, MIOO Cycling donates free bike services to healthcare workers during UK’s November lockdown. Participants include three hospitals from Imperial College Healthcare Trust (12,000 employees) and two hospitals from Chelsea & Westminster Healthcare Trust (6000 employees).
Over five days, MIOO’s team of Bike Buddies will provide mechanic services for NHS hospital staff at Hammersmith (18th Nov), St. Mary’s (19th Nov), Charing Cross (20th Nov), Chelsea & Westminster (23rd Nov), and West Middlesex University (24th Nov). The free service includes a flat tire and inner tube repair, drivetrain cleaning and lubrication, brake and gear adjustments, and tightening of nuts and bolts .
In the first three days, MIOO’s UK Country Manager, Finn Tennant, and his team worked on 65 bikes. Hospital staff commended MIOO’s "5 star service at Hammersmith Hospital! Both mechanics were professional and very helpful! Servicing of my bike, first-class! Much needed service," Goddard, Charge Nurse, Children's Ambulatory Unit, Hammersmith Hospital (18/11/2020). There was a high demand for more service days from health workers. MIOO is planning additional days to meet the volume.
“Most people have bikes but don’t ride them because of things like punctures. Taking care of these tiny obstacles means more people will cycle. It makes commuting safer so health workers can avoid public transport and decrease community infections. It’s our contribution in the fight towards getting our freedom back,” says Tennant, a sponsored mountain bike athlete.
The World Health Organisation recommends cycling as the best option to maintain social distancing (WHO). Karl Twomey, Gym Manager & Exercise Specialist at St Mary's Hospital agrees.
"This current pandemic has highlighted more than ever the importance of looking after your physical and psychological health. The benefits of cycling are well documented and we as a Trust are keen to encourage as many staff as possible to use cycling as a means of getting to work. The bike servicing provided by MIOO has helped massively in encouraging staff to get back on their bikes and be safe in doing so. Staff have commended MIOO on their professional and friendly service. The high demand shown by our staff for this service highlights the importance of the work provided by MIOO in helping keep our staff safe and healthy." (Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, 20/11/2020).
MIOO’s civic responsibility campaign aims to slow the pandemic and increase the number of roadworthy bikes by making cycle commuting easier and more accessible. With 120% growth for cycling in London, this NHS partnership supports the population of new cyclists through winter.
“Our job is to ensure that society maintains normalcy during these unprecedented times. It's paramount that essential workers can get to the front lines to do the important work of saving lives. We realised that cycle commuting is the obvious solution as health workers usually live within biking distances to their hospitals. We hope our free servicing encourages more staff to cycle,” says MIOO founder Tomas Grönqvist.
MIOO’s work coincides with the European Green Deal which aims for a 90% reduction in transport emissions by 2050. Cars generate 70% of travel-related CO2 emissions compared to 1% by bikes, MIOO believes that cycling is the key to greener cities of the future. A 750 billion euro recovery fund has led many countries to prioritise cycling; 2315 km of new EU bike lanes are in operation, and more than 1 billion euro has been allocated to cycling initiatives. Cycling provides global gains of 150 billion euros per year for the environment, public health, and mobility systems. It responds to challenges of economic recovery; climate crisis; and public health in a scalable way. “MIOO uses something very simple to tackle society's biggest problems. COVID-19 has changed how we work, and move. While terrible, it provides opportunities to rethink urban transport systems and prepare for future pandemics,” says Tennant.
“The crisis is an opportunity to future proof our lives and create better cities. We want to ensure that cycling becomes a permanent, sustainable option. By removing the challenges of biking, we’re leading the way towards carbon neutrality and better living environments,” says Grönqvist.
With social responsibility as a business priority, MIOO hopes to partner with more London hospitals and will extend their services to schools, universities and other essential sectors beyond the pandemic.
