Blazing Saddles
The New Cycling Project for Disabled People
FABB Scotland is a charity in Scotland who helps enable disabled children and
young people to participate in the social and leisure activities of their choice.
Blazing Saddles is our all ability cycling project. Cycling is one of the few activities
that cater for people of all ages and abilities and with the adapted resources and
training it is a truly inclusive pursuit. This project will support disabled young people
and adults to take part in regular bike rides using adapted bikes.
Volunteer Information
The project promotes learning by doing, involving all participants in opportunities to
develop basic fitness levels, cycling skills and techniques through mentoring and
training courses designed specifically with cyclists in mind.
Time Commitment
Due to the range of roles we are able to offer, time commitment will vary, for
example, you may decide to take part in a “one-off” sponsored cycle to help raise
funds for FABB Scotland OR you may take part in one of our day or overnight cycling
tours OR you may attend a regular weekly session in one of our pilot areas of
Dundee, Fife or Edinburgh.
Specific Volunteer Roles
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Bike Buddies
Cycling Events’ Co-ordinators
Group Cycle Ride Leaders
Bikeability Cycle Trainers and Training Assistants
Fundraisers and Promotional Cycling Team Members
First Aiders
The Range of Tasks for Volunteers
 Supporting disabled children and young people to take part in our regular
cycle rides and cycling specific training courses;
 Taking part in group cycle rides mainly within school playgrounds, parks,
cycle paths and occasionally quiet roads; (we do not go on mountain bike
trails – yet!)
 Transferring basic cycling techniques to all ability cycling; (this may include
using wheelchair loaders, duet bikes, recumbent bikes, trikes and tandems)
 Advising on routes that are suitable for all ability cycling; (to provide pathways
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for disabled cyclists to improve their cycling skills)
Assisting with “roadside repairs” during regular cycle rides; (for example,
adjusting pedals, saddles or handlebars, changing an inner tube or fixing a
chain)
Administering First Aid during group cycle rides;
Taking part in sponsored cycle rides, for example, Pedal for Scotland and the
Dundee Cyclathon, on solo bike or tandem bikes;
Taking part in promotional and marketing events to raise the profile of all
ability cycling;
Volunteer duties may vary from time to time due to the flexible nature of the
project.
We need people who:
 Live in Edinburgh, Fife or Dundee or are prepared to travel to these areas;
 Cycle regularly or wish to improve their basic fitness levels, knowledge and
skills by cycling regularly with disabled cyclists;
 Are willing to learn how to transfer their cycling skills to all ability cycling
techniques;
 Can commit time to this developing project;
 Are willing to commit additional time to take part in cycling specific training
courses.
Volunteer Recruitment Procedures
All our prospective volunteers:
 Attend an introductory group cycling session that includes a taster session on
a variety of specialist bikes before proceeding with their application;
 Completes a volunteer application form;
 Provide two referees that are followed up with written responses;
 Attend a one-to-one informal discussion with Blazing Saddles’ Project Coordinator;
 Completes and signs a volunteer agreement that specifies your role(s), tasks
and minimum time commitment to this developing project;
 Become a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme (formerly
CRBS disclosure check)
Volunteer Training Programme
Your training programme will be based on your previous knowledge and experience
of cycling. We promote learning by doing. All our volunteers are offered the
following:
 Regular meetings with volunteers this may include one-to-one reviews or a
social gathering where you can exchange ideas and experiences with other
like-minded people;
 Basic bike skills and techniques, including: stopping and starting; getting to
know the differences between solo and specialist bikes. This may include
saddles and handlebars, pedals and hand cranked bikes, brakes and gears;
 Basic bike maintenance skills;
 Group Cycle Ride Leader and Bikeability Trainer/Training Assistant;
 HSE approved Emergency First Aid certificated training;
As your cycling knowledge and skills improve you will be offered further pathways to
upgrade your skills. For example, the UKCC Cycling Coach Award and Cytec Level
2 training.
Volunteer Expenses
Where practicable, we encourage cycling to and from venues within the area you are
being recruited in. We will reimburse volunteer expenses at the following rates:
 45p car mileage allowance;
 Public transport expenses on production of receipts;
Insurance
All our volunteers are insured for public liability and the loan of equipment under
Fabb Scotland’s insurance policy.
Further Information
This is a developing project and this role description may vary from time to time, for
more details about volunteering with Blazing Saddles please leave a message by
email or phone and we will return your call as soon as we can. Thank you!
Enquires:
Jan Brereton
Blazing Saddles Project Co-ordinator
Fabb Scotland
Tel: 0131 475 2313
e-mail: [email protected]