Sports centre offers cycling rewards

Brierton Sports Centre, which is run by Hartlepool Borough Council, is offering customers the chance to pick up a “Bicycle Reward Card” from reception.
Every time they cycle in they can get their card signed and once it has been signed six times they receive £10 worth of LovetoShop vouchers.
The scheme, which is running throughout August, is the idea of Nicola Dulieu, a Duty Officer at the sports centre.

It is also being backed by the Hartlepool Active Travel Hub, a Hartlepool Borough Council-led initiative to promote more sustainable forms of travel as an alternative to the car. The Hub is funded through Government’s Access Fund, co-ordinated by Tees Valley Combined Authority.

Nicola said: “We were keen to get more people to cycle to the sports centre and use the secure bicycle storage units that were installed outside the building last November, so we thought this incentive scheme would be a great way of promoting that.”

Tony Davison from the Hartlepool Active Travel Hub with Nicola Dulieu from Brierton Sports Centre

Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council and Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “I’d like to congratulate Nicola on coming up with this idea.

“As a Council we are firmly committed to promoting healthier lifestyles for all Hartlepool residents and anything that assists us in achieving this is to be welcomed. As well as being a great form of sustainable travel, cycling is also a good way of warming up and down for the sport and exercise sessions you can take part in at Brierton.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “We’re investing heavily in our rail and road network, but we need to promote cycling too. It’s good for your health, good for the environment and now it’s even better for your wallet. This incentive is a great idea and, with my £8.3million commitment to making cycling safer and smoother across Tees Valley set to benefit Hartlepool, there’s now every excuse for people to ditch the car and cycle.”