Partnership to help young people maintain bicycles
A new partnership will bring young people together to work on their bicycles at a revitalised cycle club.
Community volunteers have been joined by a Thames Valley Police PCSO to be trained in bike mechanic maintenance so the former Britwell Cycle Club can get off the ground again.
Vinay Vyas, a council community project officer, PCSO Pawel Pietras and Alan Jones of the Britwell Youth and Community project have all been successfully trained and become accredited as bicycle mechanics. Training was given by experts from Cycle Experience and provided by the council’s sustainable transport team Better by. Thames Valley Police provided funding that allowed the club to purchase much needed spare parts and some tools.
Britwell Youth and Community Project manager Paula Murphy and Alan have set up as a hub of cycling activity every Tuesday. Concentrating on bike maintenance and bike recycling, Alan and Paula have continued to provide local young people with the opportunity to meet while also learning how to maintain their own bikes.
The aim of the relaunched Britwell Cycle Club is to encourage as many young people as possible to use cycling as a way of travelling around the borough and to allow young people interested in cycling an opportunity to meet regularly, taking part in a range of cycling-related activities. With the new volunteers on board there are plans to grow the membership of the club and organise some led rides, Bikeability training and training young people to become mechanics.
Mr Vyas said: “The club offers a chance for the young people of Britwell to come together, while taking part in a healthy travel choice.
“We want young people to discover the freedom cycling brings - with a central meeting place for new and experienced cyclists so they can take part in activities beyond the school day.”
Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services, said: “With increasing congestion and pollution on Slough’s roads, it’s important to teach young people about the positive benefits of cycling.
“The Britwell Cycle Club offers an excellent way of reinforcing this message so cycling becomes the natural choice for travelling around the borough. This group organise cycling activities for everyone and supports the Bikeability training already offered in most schools in the borough.
“By providing young people with the opportunity to cycle more often, it also tackles parents’ concerns about letting their children cycle. It’s an exciting project we’d like to see replicated across the borough, empowering young people and others to promote and implement cycling activities.”
Community volunteers have been joined by a Thames Valley Police PCSO to be trained in bike mechanic maintenance so the former Britwell Cycle Club can get off the ground again.
Vinay Vyas, a council community project officer, PCSO Pawel Pietras and Alan Jones of the Britwell Youth and Community project have all been successfully trained and become accredited as bicycle mechanics. Training was given by experts from Cycle Experience and provided by the council’s sustainable transport team Better by. Thames Valley Police provided funding that allowed the club to purchase much needed spare parts and some tools.
Britwell Youth and Community Project manager Paula Murphy and Alan have set up as a hub of cycling activity every Tuesday. Concentrating on bike maintenance and bike recycling, Alan and Paula have continued to provide local young people with the opportunity to meet while also learning how to maintain their own bikes.
The aim of the relaunched Britwell Cycle Club is to encourage as many young people as possible to use cycling as a way of travelling around the borough and to allow young people interested in cycling an opportunity to meet regularly, taking part in a range of cycling-related activities. With the new volunteers on board there are plans to grow the membership of the club and organise some led rides, Bikeability training and training young people to become mechanics.
Mr Vyas said: “The club offers a chance for the young people of Britwell to come together, while taking part in a healthy travel choice.
“We want young people to discover the freedom cycling brings - with a central meeting place for new and experienced cyclists so they can take part in activities beyond the school day.”
Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services, said: “With increasing congestion and pollution on Slough’s roads, it’s important to teach young people about the positive benefits of cycling.
“The Britwell Cycle Club offers an excellent way of reinforcing this message so cycling becomes the natural choice for travelling around the borough. This group organise cycling activities for everyone and supports the Bikeability training already offered in most schools in the borough.
“By providing young people with the opportunity to cycle more often, it also tackles parents’ concerns about letting their children cycle. It’s an exciting project we’d like to see replicated across the borough, empowering young people and others to promote and implement cycling activities.”
