Life Cycle UK Home

Peter has a lifelong interest in environmental issues especially cycling and alternative transport. He worked in sales and marketing in the printing industry for a number of years which he remembers principally for the aimless hours stuck on the M6 motorway. In 1991 he ditched the car, travelled abroad, and eventually settled in Bristol. After four years at the University of the West of England as a mature student he went to work full-time in cycling, founding the organisation that was to become Life Cycle UK in 1996. His book Bike Easy: Top Tips & Expert Advice for the New Cyclist was published by Ecologic Books in 2008.

Charlie has lived in Southville, Bristol since 1991. He spent many years working as a systems analyst for a large financial services organisation but then decided to get a life. He took a degree in Environmental Policy and Management, stood for Parliament for the Green Party, got elected to Bristol City Council and (surely his crowning achievement) got a job as administrator at Life Cycle UK. In his spare time, he has an allotment, a cat and a folding bike.

Poppy marked her 18th birthday and her environmental credentials by planting a tree. Her career has included a very happy summer leading working holidays for BTCV and a year of passionate campaigning for Bristol Friends of the Earth. Poppy then worked in a variety of roles for Envolve (formerly Bath Environment Centre), helping people to live more sustainable lives through successful partnership projects such as the UK's first ever Farmers' Market. Poppy manages Life Cycle's various charitable projects, raises funds, and liaises with the charity's many partners and supporting organisations.

Born and bred in Belfast, Nic moved to Bristol in 2001, via Glasgow, Sheffield and the Atlas mountains. He joined Life Cycle in October 2007 to set up and develop the Bike Generation project. With a career background in social welfare, youth work and youth homelessness, Nic has worked in both the statutory and voluntary sectors. Through this he has developed a strong commitment towards social inclusion and youth involvement projects. For years he sought a job where he could combine his professional involvement in youth work with his passion for all things cycling. It appears he has now found that elusive post! Nic is a keen cyclist, both on and off road. He spends his spare time mountain biking and participates regularly in endurance events around the country. Top of his wish list is a bigger garden shed to house his ever-growing motley collection of bikes and equipment.

Josh grew up in Bristol and then spent the later part of his teens and early twenties in the French Alps snowboarding in the winters, mountain biking in the summers and paragliding whenever possible. His passion for bikes began at an early age when, through necessity to keep his bicycles on the road, he learned basic bike mechanics from his father. He went on become a professional mechanic and has worked in the cycle trade since he was 16 Years old. Now settled back in Bristol Josh runs BikeBack, Life Cycle's bicycle recycling project.

Sally moved to Bristol in 2007 from the beautiful Dyfi Valley in mid Wales, where she worked at the Centre for Alternative Technology. Previously she moved around a lot, teaching English in the Czech Republic and in Portugal. When not negotiating the streets of Bristol on her black badger (a bike with high handlebars especially for people with dodgy backs), she enjoys cycle touring, swimming in lakes and playing French folk music. Sally currently co-ordinates Life Cycle's Two's Company project, a programme of tandem rides for blind and visually impaired people. She is also training as a cycle instructor and hopes to achieve full accreditation shortly and to join Life Cycle's team of instructors.

A utility cyclist for much of her life, things took a turn for the better when she went to live in Japan and took up cycle touring. Having quite literally cycled the length and breadth of the country during her three year stay she returned to the UK in 2000 fired up with the joys of cycling. When the job came up at Life Cycle she knew it had her name on it. Well, that must be true as she is still with Life Cycle after all this time! She has set up Life Cycle's training programme and has personally trained hundreds of people: children, teenagers and adults. Tamar was a member of the Reference Group that created the new National Standards for cycle training.