A GP turned social entrepreneur aims to help cut congestion, reduce pollution and tackle unhealthy lifestyles with the launch of an exciting new venture.

Felicity Rice – known as Fizz - is the founder of Fizz Bikes, a social enterprise which provides electric bicycles for workers.

The powered cycles have a top speed of 15.5mph, requiring just the right amount of gentle exercise to wake the rider up in the morning, she says.

E-bikes require no insurance or road tax and re-charging the battery works out at 5p.

“The idea is that this provides a 24/7 transport option to people that is cheaper than a bus pass, more convenient than a car and long term users get to keep the bike at the end,” said Dr Rice, who lives in Poole with husband Marcos and their two children.

“It has many advantages but the health benefits in particular are huge. People who do exercise on their daily commute are four times more likely to do the exercise they need to stay healthy than people who don’t.

“Cost savings are huge too. It costs around £1,000 per year to run a car, without even including getting the car in the first place, whereas for a bike you don’t even need a driving licence and it costs 5p in electricity costs to travel more than 20 miles.”

Fizz Bikes started out as a project of the environmental initiative Transition Poole, with bikes being trialled at the RNLI and the Christchurch-based AginCare care agency with support from Bournemouth Borough Council.

Now businesses and other organisations are being offered the chance to sponsor a bike.

The first fully sponsored bike is being used by Nicky Sweeny, a home carer for the Fairhope care agency in Kinson.

Felicity believes the bikes could lead to a boost in the number of care staff available in the area.

Fairhope founder Kyrsty Fairchild said: “We have a huge shortfall in recruiting staff for community care jobs with an ever increasing list of clients. We have people in hospital that are ready to go home, once carers can be arranged but we can’t get them home because we can’t get the people to care for them. By working with Fizz Bikes we hope that more people will be able to start working in this rewarding career because there is no longer the need to have access to a car.”

Fizz Bikes has just received some funding from the Lush Charity Pot and the Naturesave Trust, and is now looking for more people who would like to travel by e-bike.

It is also looking for new organisations to get involved with.

Details are at fizzbikes.co.uk and its Facebook page.