Seven years ago, in reaction to public sector cuts, Get Cycling diversified into inclusive cycle retailing and a local bike shop. Over the years their retail operations have taken too much oxygen from their unique cycling events and projects. They are therefore transferring all events and programmes work into a charitable Community Benefit Society - Get Cycling CBS.
This new CBS is undertaking a community share issue in 2019 to raise capital so the new charity can invest and grow and also to purchase from Get Cycling CiC all events assets ongoing contracts and goodwill. Get Cycling CBS will continue some national events work but become much more active in York and Yorkshire. All cycle retail activities stay within the Community Interest Company.
Every investor becomes a member of the charity, eligible to an equal vote on all matters at the charity’s AGM and in elections to the society’s board of Directors (elections in which any member can stand too).
In addition, for members investing through the 2019 share offer, Get Cycling are also offering:
The founding trustees of the society will serve until a meeting of all members is held by the end of June 2020 to enable a board to be elected with the confidence and legitimacy of being democratically elected by all our members
Existing trustees can stand for re-election, as can any member who can be nominated. Voting in elections, like all votes in the society, is on a one-member, one-vote basis, so regardless of how much you invest, every member is united in their ability to influence what Get Cycling do.
Whilst the Board are legally empowered by their rules to make decisions on behalf of the business, members also have the opportunity to set their strategy at General Meetings. Get Cycling have one Annual General Meeting each year, but the Board may call more meetings to get members’ views, and 10% of members may also call a special meeting at any time.
Trustee and Member
John Graham, MBE
John has a Masters in Business Administration, was voted Entrepreneur of the Decade by Businesslink, won the Queen’s Award for Innovation, and his company was named Technology Company of The Year. On selling that £5 million turnover company he has concentrated on giving a large part of the income away, via his charity, the Little Society, supporting disadvantaged children. That task is coming to an end and he is now bringing to Get Cycling CBS his skills, wisdom and connections.
Trustee and Member
Professor Peter Thompson
Peter has always been involved in promoting cycling, and can now do more, having just retired from being professor of psychology at the University of York. It is a neat synergy that Peter was the motive force, and the designer, of the Solar System Ride, from York to Riccall, along Sustrans’ Route 66. This is the most popular route for people hiring bikes from Get Cycling! He is a STEM schools ambassador and has been a governor at two local schools. He is also a National Teaching Fellow and Sustrans volunteer ranger.
Trustee (Finance) and Member
Emma Frost
Emma Frost is the Founder and Director of Bikes in Need, a social enterprise started in 2016. It sources unwanted bikes from the public and gifts them to refugees, homeless people living in hostels and anyone in financial need in York. Emma currently works as a consultant having worked in the Internet industry for the last 20 years in various organisations including not-for-profits, higher education and both public and private sector. This included a role at Yorkshire Forward where she participated at board level, working on funding for various
Trustee (Chair) and Member
Dr Andy Sharp
Andy is relinquishing non-exec directorship of Get Cycling CiC to become non-exec trustee of Get Cycling CBS. In the most recent part of his working life he has been an environmental consultant, working on projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. Andy also has considerable lecturing experience. Amongst other initiatives he founded the Friends of the Old Railway. He is also a very keen cyclist, and supported Get Cycling’s bike recycling project in Scarborough, starting 2014, giving workplaces to offenders on restorative justice programmes. Andy is the Chairman of Get Cycling CBS.
Trustee and Member
Diane Wilkinson
Diane has had a formidable career in public service, including twelve years as the Support Staff Training Manager with Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, and as Vocational Centre Manager for National Police Training, with responsibility for quality assessment. She has a Masters degree in Training and Evaluation, a diploma in Business Administration, and a degree in Mindfulness. She is a daily cyclistand became involved with Get Cycling simply by being a very happy customer.
None of the trustees are paid for their role as Directors
The trustees are all members of the Society.
Get Cycling does not currently monitor employee satisfaction
The Get Cycling board is 40% female (2 out of 5 Directors)
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