Tour de Towpath on a Tandem in pink

Lisburn in Focus worked in partnership with Belfast Activity Centre (BAC) across three council areas to organise a tandem-only sportive for blind and partially sighted tandem cyclists during the recent Giro d’Italia.

Over 30 tandem bikes set off from Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn and completed a tour of the towpath to Newtownabbey and back. Cyclists from Cookstown, Lurgan, Newry, Lisburn, Belfast and Dundalk took part alongside famous faces such as Dr Janet Gray MBE the blind world champion water skier.

Janet lives in the Lisburn Council area and is an ambassador for Belfast Activity Centre so she was keen to take part in this event; “Tandem cycling is a fantastic way for blind and partially sighted people to get regular exercise in the fresh air. I love cycling and regularly Tandem cycle with my husband, so I really wanted to take part in this RNIB/BAC event to mark the Giro d’Italia launching in Northern Ireland!”

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Claire Patience, Lisburn in Focus Project Co-ordinator commented on the partnership involved in the event; “Lisburn in Focus could not have managed to organise this event without the input from Belfast Activity Centre. We would also like to thank Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland for supplying refreshments for the event and Newtownabbey Borough Council for providing lunch at the Loughshore Café. The Giro d’Italia is a great opportunity to promote cycling - in our case Tandem cycling - and we are extremely grateful that Newtownabbey Council shared our desire to promote this event.”

If you would like to volunteer as a tandem pilot or take part as a stoker in a regular tandem group, contact Lisburn in Focus on 9260 0388 or email [email protected] and we let you know about your nearest group.