TPT on Tour: Stockport Moves and the Helix ramp

It was great for the TPT National Office to be invited to Stockport Moves, an event that took place on Sunday, 9th June along the Trail in the new Viaduct Park in Stockport and featured a range of activities around the joy of movement.

I was looking forward to meeting TPT volunteers, Friends, users, Local Authority partners and other supporters while trying the new Helix ramp that opened on Friday, so I loaded my bike into the car along with a box of TPT leaflets and goodies – and was one of the first to arrive to set up our TPT stall.

Viaduct Park is on the top of the bus station with a big hole in the middle where you can look down at the buses coming and going below.  I made my way up in one the lifts to find my bearings and was met by Anthony and Jamie from Stockport Council who were more welcoming than the dark clouds above that made it quite clear that it wasn’t going to be a balmy Summer’s day.

On my return from unloading the car, I got my first glimpse of the impressive new Helix ramp circling like a helter-skelter, providing a seamless link down from the train station, through the park and down to the town centre and the Trans Pennine Trail below.

When I got back to the park, other stall holders had started to arrive and were setting up.  It was good to meet up with our TPT Stockport Volunteer Co-ordinator and Friends Trustee, Kathy England and we made a start on setting up our table.

It wasn’t the weather for banners or bundles of leaflets on tables so we took the lead from Anthony and Jamie, and taped a single copy of each leaflet and freebie to our table so visitors could see what was on offer while keeping the stock dry.

Although the wind and rain kept people away, it was good to see a steady flow of committed visitors who took part in activities that included a historic mile-long guided walk around the town centre, a 5 mile Walkaday walk along the TPT, wellbeing activities and the opportunity to try out accessible hand bikes and adapted trikes.

Free bike MOTs were provided by ‘Never mind the Bike Shops’ while great coffee and ice creams were available to keep visitors fed and refreshed.

I really enjoyed meeting TPT Stockport volunteers, Mike and Ian, and meeting many TPT users, Stockport Councillor, Grace Baynham and Emily our TPT contact officer for Stockport.

And although the weather was pretty dreadful for June, it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm that greeted Kathy’s TPT 35^th Birthday buns that she made specially for the event which were devoured by grateful recipients.

A sudden downpour brought proceedings to a slightly premature end but had eased enough by the time I got back to the car for me to get my bike out and take a ride down the Helix ramp before returning back to Yorkshire and a welcome hot bath.  Watch my short video of the ride here and get a closer look at those cakes!

A lovely event that would have been packed if the weather had been just that little bit kinder.  Thanks for inviting us Emily, Anthony and Jamie.

Date: 14th June 2024 

 
 Robert Drummond