Bicycle Network: Our Organisation

Bicycle Network Victoria changes up a gear

In our 35 year history we’ve helped hundreds of thousands of people get into riding and ride more often. But today less than a quarter of the population ride their bikes regularly and half the population take so little exercise that they are in danger of catching ‘lifestyle’ diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The predictions are that our inactive children will have a shorter life expectancy than today’s adults.

That’s a big hill to climb and we really need to get pedalling.

1. Bicycle Network Victoria is now a recognised charity

The first change we have made is to gain recognition as a charity. It was fantastic to be recognised unambiguously and formally as an organisation that works to benefit the general community. More importantly it will help us climb the hill. The formal title will make it easier for people to understand why we do all the things we do. It will also help correct common confusions that we are ‘the government’ or a union of self interested cyclists. Charity status also provides some tax advantages. We can receive donations from supporters but, at the moment, those donations aren’t tax deductible.

2. We’ve published our strategy

The board have spent considerable time developing and pressure testing a strategy that maps out how we are going to tackle this challenge of promoting the health of the community through More People Cycling More Often. You can read the strategy here.

The strategy gives us the map and we are now ready to start making the gear changes that will get us where we need to be. In some ways, our ride as an organisation is just beginning.

3 We’ve moved to 4/246 Bourke Street (on the corner of Swanston)

We’ve been at 446 Collins Street for 10 years. The location was perfect at the time but now it’s slowing us down.

4. We’ve changed our name to Bicycle Network Victoria

We’re now known as the Bicycle Network and Bicycle Network Victoria. Our centre of gravity will always be in Victoria but the new name will allow the network to grow in many places.

5. We’ve changed our logo

We’ve developed an exciting new logo that instantly says what we stand for.

Making these moves at the same time is cost effective

Some people have asked, ‘Why all at once?’ The answer is this saves significant money. Imagine the cost of changing everything once when you move office, then a year later when you change the name and a year later when you change the logo.

As a nimble and hungry charity, that didn’t sit well with us. We’d be devastated if anyone thought we were being self indulgent or extravagant. By doing it at once we can dedicate as many resources as possible to getting more people cycling more often.

We need you more than ever

The more things change, the French say, the more they stay the same. That saying applies for us in the midst of all these changes. This organisation is no more than the outward expression of the hopes of its many supporters. Over the last three and half decades that support has grown in many ways. Long time supporters have seen many similar evolutions. We want to say a special thank you to all our 50,000 members, the riders who support our events and the thousands of volunteers who each year make the events like the Great Vic, projects like Super Tuesday and programs like Ride2School happen. These foundations will not change and it will be your support that will help us climb the challenging road that lies in front of us.

We’d love to get your feedback about this gear change. Please send us a message using the button below.

Thank you for your continued support and here’s to a healthier society through More People Cycling More Often

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