Dave and Kate’s story
Dave has always lived an outdoors lifestyle, however a severe stroke in October 2021 not only harmed his physical wellbeing, restricting movement down his left side, but also his mental health. Regularly going on PEDALL rides with his wife Kate has been a big step in Dave’s recovery process.
Dave used to be a lecturer and an ecology consultant and was outdoors a lot. It is through a shared love of nature that he met his wife Kate while doing conservation work. They found PEDALL online when Dave’s rehab was getting to a point where he needed more physical and outdoor activities.
PEDALL are an inclusive cycling charity with two bases in the New Forest, Ashurst and Burley. PEDALL provide guided rides and personal support on a range of specialist cycles, catering for a range of needs and abilities.
Dave said: ‘It makes me feel free. I cycled as my main mode of transport my whole life since I was a kid, so the fact it was suddenly cut off, I miss my bike.
‘It gives me a feeling of wellbeing. It definitely improves my mood and I get some aerobic exercise which is very hard to get any other way.’
Cycling with PEDALL has not only helped Dave with his physical recovery from his stroke, but also his mental health. He said: ‘I feel very comfortable going out on the rides. I get very anxious these days because of my mobility, but I’m not anxious doing this.
‘I have PTSD due to early trauma and having a major physical trauma such as a stroke pushes the buttons of that. I did become very anxious and upset. And actually, the fact that this helps is brilliant.’
‘I used to like adrenaline-driven things; I was a climber, I used to like speed, I was physically adventurous. My life has become very slow now, I potter between the house and car and do a lot of things sat down. It opens the world up again.’
PEDALL has also benefitted Kate as they ride on the sociable tandem bike together. She said: ‘It’s nice to have something to do that is more like our old life, to get out into the woods.
‘The different kinds of attention that people get, there is an individual approach. It’s all very friendly.’
Dave is also keen to encourage others to try a PEDALL ride, he said: ‘Come and have a go. Come and try a bike out and see what happens. You’ll be fine and you’ll get loads out of it.
‘Telling the hospital physio team about it was good too. Their head physio said he had someone that really wanted to get back on a bike. If I heard that they had come down I would be so pleased.’
