Instructor spotlight: Andy Roche

Rob King caught up with Andy Roche on a life in broadcasting and the joys of being a cycle instructor…

What inspired you to apply for the role?

I had the opportunity of taking voluntary redundancy from my previous job, and always thought it would be great to work in cycling in some way.  I’ve cycled for as long as I can remember – always for fun and to get from A to B. I did manage Lands End to John O’ Groats about 35 years ago, and I used to commute to work too.  The idea of inspiring children to ride sounded great fun and really rewarding.  I’d worked in schools occasionally as part of my previous job, and always enjoyed working with children.  Being a cycling instructor just sounded like a great way to pass my enthusiasm for cycling on to the next generation.   

What were you doing before you became a cycle instructor? Why the change of career?

I trained as a journalist and worked in BBC Local Radio and regional TV in places including Exeter, Hull, Leeds, Oxford, Reading and Lincolnshire for almost 30 years, as a reporter, newsreader, presenter and producer.   It was a career I loved, and the experience of being able to communicate with people at all levels really put me in a good position for being a cycling instructor.   BBC cutbacks brought the chance of voluntary redundancy in 2023.  It was too early to retire completely, so the cycling instructor role was a perfect fit.

What do you enjoy about the job?

So many things – the satisfaction of knowing I’ve helped children discover how much fun it is to ride a bike is the obvious one, but there’s another side to this that’s not always obvious.  I’ve come across some children who’ve struggled with confidence who just “clicked” when they took part in a Bikeability course, and gained so much confidence – they believed in themselves for the first time.   I also love the flexibility of the role – being able to leave a week in the diary spare to get the DIY done is really useful.

What’s the best moment you’ve had in the role?

Two moments will always stand out: 1) When I told a boy’s class teacher that he’d been a complete star, and was the strongest rider in the group, and the teacher said they’d been waiting for almost the whole academic year to make him “star of the week”.  He’d suddenly found something that he excelled at.  2) At a recent course, four of the children taking part had not yet learned to ride.  I and my co-instructor were able to spend a bit of extra time with them, and all four were riding by the end of the week.  Such a sense of achievement.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve experienced?

One boy was having a little difficulty completing cycle safety checks before the course.  I couldn’t immediately see why, but he put his hand up asking for help, and went on to explain that he had his finger stuck in the end of his handlebar!  (This is NOT part of the cycle check procedure!).  With some help from the teacher and a little spray oil, it was freed safely, and the course continued.

Why should people come on a course with you?

To hear my Craig Revell-Horwood impression when children have a few minor faults with their riding!  Seriously though, I believe you have to have fun, and make it fun for the children taking part.  It’s so lovely to hear the children saying how much fun they’ve had on the final day, and to know that all the effort we instructors put in is so worthwhile.