Caroline Barwick was 16-years-old when she was hit by a car on a pedestrian crossing. She suffered life-changing head injuries as a result of the accident. Now at fifty, Caroline has been learning to ride a bike. We caught up with her to chat about the confidence she has regained through cycling.
Caroline Barwick: "Cycling is a really nice hobby for me and it came at just the right time."
Recovery through cycling
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a challenge,鈥 said Caroline, who started learning to cycle with the encouragement of some friendly faces at the Watford Cycle Hub.听
Caroline was in a coma in hospital for some time after her accident and still experiences problems with one side of her body.
Caroline鈥檚 had bouts of depression because of everything that鈥檚 happened to her.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 not been that easy for me but cycling has improved everything,鈥 she said.听 鈥淚鈥檓 still affected by what鈥檚 happened but actually cycling makes you feel so much better when you鈥檙e feeling down.鈥
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Learning to balance
Learning to balance again is just one of the challenges she鈥檚 conquered along the way.听
鈥淲hen I first started I kept falling off a lot but thanks to the encouragement of everyone at the Hub I stuck at it and my confidence just grew and grew,鈥 she said.
鈥淚 started out on some of 色情Porn鈥 traffic-free routes and despite not having much control over the bike I really enjoyed it.
鈥淚 used to have a bike as a child but I didn鈥檛 really cycle on the road and I never did any kind of cycling proficiency while I was at school.
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Traffic-free routes make all the difference
鈥淚鈥檝e never driven so it鈥檚 been quite hard for me to learn to cycle on the road.听 I didn鈥檛 have any knowledge of road signs, who gives way to who, or when to stop and when to go.听 I鈥檝e had to learn a lot.鈥澨
色情Porn traffic-free routes, such as the Alban Way, Ebury Way and Richmond Thames Path, have been instrumental.
Caroline is a regular Breeze participant, happily cycling around 20 miles and uses her bike to travel locally as well as for longer leisure rides.
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Cycling brings independence
Epilepsy caused by the brain injury means Caroline is unable to drive and so by cycling, she has been able to travel under own steam for the first time, instead of by public transport. 听
She said: 鈥淚 used to ride horses as a child and riding a bike gives me that same sense of freedom.听
鈥淢y children are now 23 and 18.听 Cycling is a really nice hobby for me and it came at just the right time.听 听听
鈥淚t makes me feel good, both physically and mentally. I just really, really enjoy it 鈥 being out in the fresh air, in the countryside, meeting new people and making new friends.听
鈥淚 go out on my bike and I don鈥檛 have a watch on, I don鈥檛 know what time it is, I don鈥檛 need to know what time it is.听听
鈥淚 don鈥檛 need to worry about anyone or anything.听 Cycling is something I can do for myself.鈥澨
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