Bike Friday Interview: Nigel Holmes
Andy interviews Nigel Holmes, Senior Tester and Corporate Social Responsibility Champion at Sage Group plc in Salford Quays, Manchester
Q: I understand you like to cycle now and again Nigel?
A: You could say so, currently I cycle everyday come rain or shine from Prestwich to Salford Quays where I work. It’s about 6 miles and takes me on average 30 minutes each way.
Q: Are you mad??
A: Ha, not at all, I just enjoy the benefits!
Q: What are the benefits?
A: Well the health benefits are clearly important, but for me I have saved thousands of pounds, we even sold our second car because it wasn’t being used. I also really like the fact that no matter how busy traffic is it takes me only 30 minutes to get home.
Q: You’re a CSR office Champion, could you explain this role?
A: Yea, for a while I was the self appointed office ‘Manchester Cycling Tsar’. Since then Sage has officially appointed me as the Corporate Social Responsibility Champion. My role is to promote company-wide initiatives that support local issues and social enterprise such as transport, education, charity and schooling.
Q: What kind of initiatives?
A: There are lots; currently we have a ‘Travel Initiative’ that recommends money saving routes for employees to cycle to work and car sharing options. Secondly, an ‘Unlocking Talents’ scheme which promotes night school classes and new activities such as learning a new language and beginning Yoga or Palates. We also have a ‘right to read’ initiative which helps a local primary school with paired reading support.
Q: What is your experience of Bike Friday?
A: It’s a very good idea and a great way of introducing cycling into a good work-life balance. I have seen numerous people join Bike Friday rides and leave after a number of months. Not that they don’t like it, but it has built their confidence enough so that they have began cycling to work on their own. It’s brilliant, it gets people and businesses thinking how they can be healthy, green and save money.
Q: How has your company helped you?
A: They have been great, they installed showers and a drying room (which are used by lunchtime joggers also) and they installed a bike rack in my car parking space.
Q: Bike Friday is collaborating with the British Heart Foundation on February 25th, are you joining us? What would you say to those who were considering joining?
A: I’m there, got my red t-shirt ready. As a one-off sponsored bike riding event it is brilliant, it raises money for BHF and raises awareness for cycling in Manchester. For those who are only considering it. Stop considering, get the bike out the garage and contact Bike Friday to work out which route is best to join. The weather is warming up and you never know, cycling to work might become as regular as brushing your teeth, it is for me, I don’t think twice.
Q: Lastly, how is Manchester to cycle around?
A: Very flat and there’s plenty of cycle paths. It’s good to start by practicing routes before but if you talk to the Bike Friday Team they will happily suggest a bike friendly route.
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