A woman from Llanharan has been shortlisted in a national competition aimed at capturing the growing cycling trend in post-lockdown UK
A woman from Llanharan, South Wales, has been shortlisted in a national photography competition from insurance company Urban Jungle, aimed at uncovering the stories and experiences of a new generation of cyclists across the UK.
Environmental geologist Ceri Crawford-Jones, 37, entered the Cycle Selfie competition with a photo of herself cycling in her home town, Llanharan.
She said: “I started cycling as a child, racing around the streets with my friends. This developed into cycling with my dad every Sunday to explore the local area and, on occasions, we would put the bikes in the car and explore nearby forests.
“I lost the drive for cycling a few years ago, but have got back into cycling and have managed to meet up with my brother who lives a few miles away and really enjoys his cycling.
“In the photo, I am cycling around the former open cast mine in Llanharan, South Wales, which is a mile away from my house. It has great, open, wide tracks, with paths leading off which head towards a series of ponds and narrower forest tracks. Some areas of the open cast have some mountain bike jumps set up by local cyclists.
“I like to cycle on forest tracks as I enjoy the thrill of coming back down the hill I have just climbed. I enjoy tarmac coastal paths and try to avoid cycling on busy roads as much as possible.”
With the nation being urged to avoid public transport and cycling booming across the UK, the Cycle Selfie competition asks cyclists to send a photo of themselves along with their bicycles, with the chance to win up to £250.
Jimmy Williams is CEO of Urban Jungle, which provides insurance to Millennials and ‘Generation Rent’. He says: “We’ve been watching the phenomenal growth of cycling over the last few months, which we fully support.
“We are a company of cycling enthusiasts, with many of us regularly cycling into work, so we are enjoying the move towards more cycling. To mark this major change, we want to uncover the individual stories of the people who, like us, have a strong passion for cycling.
“There are so many benefits to cycling, from increasing your own fitness levels to reducing pollution and improving the environment, particularly when it comes to congested cities.”
The winner will receive a £250 Amazon voucher, while four runners up will receive £50 Amazon vouchers. Also, ten shortlisted entrants will receive a 10% discount on one year’s contents insurance from Urban Jungle.
To enter the competition, post a photo of yourself and your bike by midnight on Friday September 18th, 2020 at: https://explore.myurbanjungle.com/blog/win-250-in-our-cycleselfie-competition/
You can also post on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #CycleSelfie along with the tag @MyUrbanJ