A Devon man has won a Specialized Turbo Vado in a prize draw run as part of the county’s Lifestyle Spring Clean Week. Strikingly, 52-year-old Grant Sherman has lived without a car for over 13 years, but only learned how to ride a bike during lockdown.

The environmentally focused Lifestyle Spring Clean Week was a joint project between North Devon Council, Torridge Council, South Hams Council, West Devon Council and local environmental charities.

The aim was to encourage residents and organisations to take actions that would increase their quality of life and reduce their carbon footprint.

Sherman lived without a car during 13 years on Lundy Island and has continued to live without one since returning to the mainland. He said that he and his wife chose to move to the village of Chulmleigh because of the local shops and public transport links. He also runs a website that aims to connect “green-minded” people and groups in Devon.

Despite these efforts to minimise his environmental impact, he only actually learned to ride a bike in the last year after finding himself with more spare time during lockdown. (You can see some of his efforts here.)

"When I was a child, I always thought cycling was too much effort – especially the hills of Ilfracombe where I grew up,” he explained. “But my step-daughter Rachel set me a lockdown challenge to learn to ride for my 52nd birthday, and even loaned me a spare bike. I am so pleased to have won a bike of my own."

After collecting his e-bike from The Bike Shed in Barnstaple, Sherman said that both he and his wife were looking forward to using it as a way to get around while keeping their carbon footprints low.

North Devon Council Chief Executive Ken Miles, said: “I couldn't think of anyone more suitable to win the grand prize in a low carbon footprint competition than Grant. The fact that he has only just learned to ride a bike and the conscious decision he and his wife have made to live without a car makes him a very deserving winner and we wish him well in his continued efforts to fight climate change in Devon.”