January update

We hope you had a pleasant break over Christmas and the New Year, and you return relaxed, refreshed and ready to go!   

Funding update

Following from the email you will have seen regarding funding, we are now focusing on looking further ahead on funding, with a long-term settlement submission as part of the Governments Comprehensive Spenfing Review now in the final stages of completion. It’s a very short timescale with submission due early February, and it’s being informed by the survey we asked you to complete last summer.  

As you know this is something we’ve been pushing for a long time, and we hope it will bring much-needed security to the industry and give us all the opportunity to plan for the longer term. We are not pitching for revolution but to continue our strategy and current focus.  

Everything you need to know about digitisation

This month, we are using the newsletter to focus on digitisation. It’s one of the biggest and most complex projects we’ve undertaken at the Trust, and we recognise that it means change for everyone in our industry.  

We really do believe that while it may take some getting used to at first, it will bring some significant benefits for you and the way you deliver, the riders you teach, and for us at the Trust. These benefits include:  

• A simpler, quicker way for you to record your deliveries  

• A streamlined and standardised approach across the industry  

• Better engagement with parents before and after Bikeability training  

• Real time data and evidence of impact  

• Stronger auditable information 

• Better engagement with parents and carers 

Helping us to help you

Thank you to everyone who has started using digitisation so far. With your support and co-operation, we can ensure that digitisation really delivers the benefits above, and more.  

By using digitisation, we can ensure we accurately record deliveries, we communicate more clearly with parents and riders, and we make the whole thing easier for you. It will also help to demonstrate exactly why Bikeability training is needed, so we can continue showing Active Travel England, DfT and the government why funding is vital.  

I have already been able to use the evidence generated from digi in our budget submissions for funding, this clearly put us in a much better position to secure funding. Data is used in monthly meetings with ATE, MP briefings and partnership pitches. The more data we have the greater our lobbying efforts for Industry to secure your future. Without this I believe we would be looking at reduced funding and support for Bikeability. So we are achieving our mission.  

Please do have a look at the newsletter for more details on digitisation, and of course if you need any help and support, get in touch with us on system-admin@bikeabilitytrust.org.  

Thank you again for your dedication and we look forward to another record-breaking year ahead for Bikeability.