London Ride Around Sunday!
Empirical studies suggest that anxiety levels are rising among youth aged between 16 and 24 living in London. The surge in anxiety has been compounded in recent times by the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted the implementation of lockdowns and curfews to curb the spread of the virus. Even though the regulations were efficacious in containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, they yielded an unprecedented level of mental health issues. The restrictions increased the screentime among Gen Zs by 76% and fostered the normalization of working from home and e-learning, all of which decreased individuals’ interactions with nature, physical activity, and interaction.
To reduce the prevalence of anxiety amongst the young populace in London, it is essential to develop a multifaceted approach that provides support on both individual and systemic levels; essential, mental health programs play a pivotal role. Nonetheless, Vanmoof also believes that brands should be willing to go beyond profit centrism and offer feasible solutions to looming social problems. One way of executing its social mandate in improving the young population’s mental health, mitigating prolonged screentime, fostering healthy socialization in
an environment where engagement with technology has hampered mingling, and promoting healthy living through exercise, is the development of an outdoor activity program. In this regard, the big idea underpinning this campaign is the London Ride Around Sunday – A program by Vanmoof to help London youth between 16 and 24 reduce stress and improve their mental health while connecting with nature through bike rides in their neighborhoods.
London Ride Around Sunday is a campaign that was developed in response to evidence advanced by empirical studies showing that riding bikes and being out in nature is pivotal to one mental and physical wellness. A plethora of studies have shown that being in natural settings, such as biking through a park or trail, helps to reduce stress and anxiety levels, increase energy and focus, improve cognitive performance, and even increase overall life satisfaction. Biking through nature also increases physical activity, which leads to better physical health by increasing cardiovascular fitness, improving flexibility, and decreasing the risk of chronic diseases. In addition, the presence of nature has been linked to improved immune function and faster healing from illnesses. By combining physical exercise with the positive mental effects of being in a natural environment, taking bike rides is an excellent way to support mental and physical health.
A “London Ride Around Sunday” feature will be added to the Vanmoof app to incentivize young people’s participation in the program. The addition of the feature to the app has the potential to enhance user engagement and experience.
This platform allows individuals to share their stories and accomplishments while exploring new locations. Moreover, download the VANMOOF app and ride with us to get points for each natural spot visited, as well as the kilometres travelled. The points may subsequently be redeemed for discounts on the Vanmoof platform. Users are encouraged to explore nature with such an engaging feature.