Tenant cycles 61 miles for heart health & accessible housing

Habinteg tenant Bryan Simmans, 65, is taking on this September’s London to Brighton off-road bike ride to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and awareness of accessible housing.

Bryan is passionate about accessible housing as it helped his mum stay safe and independent in her home for longer. He moved into his mum’s home at Habinteg's Wylye Lodge in Wilton, near Salisbury, five years ago to support her when she was unwell.

The Wilton housing development was designed for disabled and older people and contains 27 accessible and adaptable flats, 12 of which are wheelchair accessible.

Raising crucial awareness

Accessible and adaptable homes are designed to meet the changing needs of a wide range of people over their life course. Features include step-free access, a WC provision at entrance level and wider doorways. Wheelchair accessible homes, meanwhile, have extra space for easy manoeuvring and wheelchair accessible kitchens and bathrooms.

“For disabled and older people like my mother, having a home that’s designed to allow you to move about more freely, one you can get around, and use inside and out – not just live on the ground floor - is so important for a person’s independence, health and wellbeing,” said Mr. Simmans.

“I can honestly say that accessible homes can change lives for the better.”

Accessible housing's life-changing benefits

Having lived with a painful heart condition when he was younger, Bryan is also using his personal experience to fuel his support for BHF.

“My heart condition, although not life threatening, was very painful. Even though I haven’t experienced it for years now, it was a very worrying time,” he said. “I want to raise money for BHF to help it fund lifesaving research into heart and circulatory diseases.”

The London to Brighton bike ride takes place on 19 September and is Europe’s largest charity mountain bike ride. It takes a challenging 61-mile, off-road route from Walton-on-Thames, across the South Downs and ending by the sea on Hove Lawns.

Bryan has been training for the sporting challenge since the beginning of the year by cycling the 10-mile round trip from his home in Wilton to his garden-centre workplace and back every day.

If you’d like to support Mr Simmans and donate funds to the BHF, head to his Just Giving page.

Image: Bryan with his bike