Generous family donation keeps wheels moving for local cycling scheme

Gloucestershire’s inclusive cycling scheme, ‘Wheels for All’, has gained a brand-new Tomcat ‘Dragon Trike’ thanks to a generous local donation in tribute to a dearly loved father.

Sue Willis (resident at Gloucestershire House), MaryClare Faulkner, Sonia (volunteer), Paul Mansfield (resident at Gloucestershire House) Tammy (physio student), Mrs Ahmed.
Ghulam Ahmed inscription on bike
Sue Willis (resident at Gloucestershire House), MaryClare Faulkner, Sonia (volunteer), Paul Mansfield (resident at Gloucestershire House) Tammy (physio student), Mrs Ahmed.
Ghulam Ahmed inscription on bike

Following a spinal cord injury, Ghulam Ahmed’s family dedicated their time to fundraising in order to buy a specialist bike to aid his recovery. Sadly, Ghulam passed away in 2019 before they were able to buy the bike. But the family were insistent that the money they raised should go towards helping others. 

Gloucestershire Wheels for All, a scheme run by leading disability charity Leonard Cheshire, is the first of six community projects to receive a Dragon Trike thanks to the Ahmed family.

Nazia White, Ghulam’s daughter, commented:

‘The trikes represent part of an important legacy to our father as they will go to benefit the community that he became a part of.

‘We sincerely hope that the users will experience the joys, thrill and health benefits of cycling.’

Ghulam’s wife, Mrs Ahmed, presented the trike to Wheels for All at the launch of its brand-new inclusive sessions at their new site at Mallard’s Pike in the Forest of Dean on Wednesday 5 February.

The sessions provide an opportunity for both disabled and non-disabled people alike to get together and enjoy cycling in safe, off-road environments. 

Talking about the donation, MaryClare Faulkner, project lead for Gloucestershire Wheels for All said:

‘This is a wonderful tribute. We are indebted to the Ahmed family for considering our project in making this donation.

‘We are so keen to open our sessions to as many participants as possible and to be able to offer as broad a range of bikes as we can, to cater for all abilities.

‘This Dragon Trike is really versatile and suits multi-user environments.’

Media enquiries

For further information, high res images and interview requests, please contact Erin O’Reilly via erin.o’reilly@leonardcheshire.org.

Gloucestershire Wheels for All offers a selection of adapted bikes and trikes to allow people of all abilities to enjoy the benefits of being on a bike. As well as the Forest of Dean, sessions are regularly run at the Blackbridge Athletics Track in Gloucester.  For more information about forthcoming sessions go to the Wheels for All Facebook page.

Sessions at Mallard’s Pike in the Forest of Dean will now be taking place regularly on the first Wednesday of the month 11am to 3pm (or 4pm in BST) and Wednesdays in school holidays.

For more information or to pre-book a Wheels for All session on a different day for your group or organisation, contact MaryClare Faulkner on 07393 867572.