Ride For Freedom is a passionate and dedicated organisation committed to raising awareness, educating the public, and building meaningful partnerships to combat modern slavery. We understand the urgency of our mission, as approximately 50 million individuals worldwide endure enslavement at any given moment. This is why we are fueled by a deep sense of urgency and compassion, and why we aim to provide remedies for survivors and ultimately end this grave injustice.
Our dedicated team is the driving force behind Ride For Freedom. We collaborate with Race and Social justice leads, cycling enthusiasts, and compassionate organisations who share our vision. Together, we work tirelessly to bring freedom and hope to those affected by modern slavery.
Our flagship initiative, the Freewheel Programme, is a beacon of hope for survivors of modern slavery. It provides them with free bicycles, accessories, and comprehensive cycling training to the national Bikeability standard. Through this programme, we not only improve our participants' mental and physical health, cycling ability, and overall sense of independence and mobility, but also inspire them to reclaim their lives.
Participants have shared uplifting feedback:
Our Schools Programme aims to educate young minds about modern slavery through engaging and innovative methods. The key components include:
Engaging Assemblies: Dynamic sessions using age-appropriate language, storytelling, multimedia resources, and discussions on modern slavery, led by our team and school leaders.
Cycling Lens: Utilising cycling as a metaphor for freedom and empowerment, pupils ride static bikes during Modern Slavery Awareness Day activations, experiencing the joy and liberation akin to what our Freewheel programme offers survivors.
Spotting Modern Slavery Signs Together: Information cards on how to spot signs of modern slavery are distributed, empowering children and their families to recognise and address these signs.
Testimonials
"The Ride for Freedom Day at our school was a tremendously positive experience. The children learned so much about Modern Slavery and were confident in being able to notice warning signs. The assembly materials provided were informative and helped the children to engage with a difficult topic. Using the bikes was a highlight of the day, the enthusiasm of your staff was so infectious that it was impossible not to join in!! Some of our children had not ridden bikes before and so to see their faces lit up with the excitement of a new experience was a joy. After riding the bikes our pupils were able to speak about that sense of freedom that riding had given them and relate it to everything that they had learned about Modern Day Slavery. I would highly recommend this experience to any school." - Lara Marsh, Assistant Deputy Headteacher & Curriculum Manager, Rose Lane.
"My kids loved the Ride For Freedom experience in Hunters Hall Primary School. They have learned so much about Modern Slavery, safety and how to spot the signs using their yellow card. The day must have been inspiring as they both couldn't stop talking about the event all day. I can not thank Ride For Freedom enough for their exceptional and educational talks and the chance for the kids to ride the static bikes at school and learn more about Modern Slavery. Huge thank you! - A.P., parent of children in Year 3 and Year 5.