With the aim of making cycling accessible to all, the charity holds several free sessions a month where islanders can use inclusive bikes to experience the joy of cycling.
Jo Grimshaw volunteers about nine hours a month for Wheels for You.
‘I always intended to volunteer once I retired,' she said.
‘I was a qualified nurse for 57 years and I knew that once I retired I was going to have some slack in my system, which I did.
‘I volunteered quite a lot overseas but when the time came to come back to Guernsey, I registered with volunteer.gg.
‘I’m a nurse, so a charity like this fits well with the way I am because of working with people and helping people.’
Some of the service users she has crossed paths with in the past, but for those she has not, it takes just a few sessions to get to know them.
‘I really enjoy the social side of it, and a feeling that I’m actually helping people and doing something worthwhile,’ she said.
‘When you see some of the users arriving, they’re people who would never consider that they could cycle again, and then you get to see them having a really good time.
‘If you’ve got the time to give, why wouldn’t you? I think it’s a really nice model for people who retire.’
Physiotherapist Dan Guillemette became involved with Wheels For You via family links and Only Fools and Donkeys.
Cycling is at the centre of his career, and he has worked with Olympic, World and Grand Tour winning cyclists.
‘It’s such a good activity and the bikes we have here are really inclusive in a safe environment,’ he said.
‘For some people it’s the sensory aspect of the wind in their face and being outdoors. It’s a really nice group of people and everybody’s here for the same reason.’
When he is back in the island, he volunteers at the charity.
He said the best part was seeing people succeed, such as someone who started out on the side-by-side bike and then progresses to doing a lap on their own.
‘It’s a really good feeling that you helped to facilitate that just a little bit,’ said Dan.
‘The majority of my work is with some of the world’s best athletes. The best thing about cycling is it doesn’t matter what level of cycling you’re at, but riding as hard as you can around here compared to a world race is exactly the same, they just go faster.
‘I think volunteering is an important thing for society at a time when the world is quite selfish.
‘You just need to find something that resonates with you.’
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