After a monumentally hard start to the year(Baby3 7 weeks early, very traumatic and masses of ongoing complications, my wife had a massive breakdown post birth) which to an extent I’m still carrying, I have some good news!
I got the job(despite being exhausted at the interview after a night of little sleep) as cycling tutor at a college for young people with learning disabilities (www.rmt.org), which is where I started working many years ago. Great role to develop across all the UK sites(all in good riding spots). Pays about half as much as I earn in my other work, but I get a shed with a stove and kettle, a workshop, a pile of bikes(some ok some shonky) and outside all day teaching riding in some glorious countryside up the valley from my house. I’ve done the handover days and start proper after the easter hols, cannot wait to get stuck in! Bonus is I will get all my instructor qualifications paid for.
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Work by tangwyn, on Flickr[/img]
My office is on the right and the bike store and workshop is above under the turf roof. Its at one end of a fish farm. Free organic trout, shame I’m vege.

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Work by tangwyn, on Flickr[/img]
This is my friends green woodwork space next to mine, he built it with students from felling all the timber to making the shingles. There are lots of inspiring buildings on site and I will post some pics for all you shed nerds soon.

It will have its challenges but its an optional subject so students are fairly enthusiastic about riding and the reality is 95% will never drive so inspiring people to ride as a tool for life . Some may not have ridden ever and will have to start from scratch. Also I get to lead a staff ride once a week via a pub.

Will report back and I’m sure the STW hive will have some good advise when needed (Mick r and his adult balance bike has already got my attention).

Congratulations. Hope all works out with the family as well as the job.

Really jealous of the location & buildings ( don’t get me started on the stove ).

That has the potential to be very rewarding work. Congratulations!

p.s. a friend of mine is running the London Marathon on behalf of Bliss ( http://www.bliss.org.uk ) 🙂

Hi tang

Wow – what an absolutely fantastic set of locations. Please get in touch about the bike.

Which one are you at – Gloucester?

I’m near Gloucester. I most certainly will, this project is crying out for a bike like the one you built.
Bliss is an excellent charity.

Looks ace. But the best job in the world is still setting off avalanches by throwing dynamite out of a helicopter. 🙂