Cycling News:' Wheels for All' Leadership in Action at Ormeau Park

16 representatives from local schools and community groups gathered at the Ozone Centre in Ormeau Park Belfast on Saturday 14^th and Sunday 15^th of January to take part in a 2-day ‘Wheels for All’ course designed to provide participants with a qualification and leadership skill set to effectively organise cycling events for people with disabilities. 

 The training course was organised by Venture Outdoors, Bike Club from Northern Ireland and delivered by Cycling Projects from Warrington England.  The aims of the course were to offer increased knowledge of the various types of all inclusive bicycles that are available within the cycling market.  A wide range of specialist adaptations that can be added to bicycles to accommodate individual requirements were also showcased.  A further aim of the course was to provide leaders with practical experience on how to deliver a safe and enjoyable ‘Wheels for All’ cycling event. 

Mark Logan a participant from the ‘Disabled Ramblers’ group commented “The training course very informative, interesting and practical.  It gave me lots of new information and skills which I will use within disabled ramblers and pass on to other people within the organisation’

Claire Overend Development Officer at Venture Outdoors added “Wheels For All was a great opportunity for Venture outdoors and Bike Club to collaborate in bringing participants from community organisations and schools together.  This is the first course of its kind to be delivered in Northern Ireland.  Through the course we hoped to inspire local community groups and schools to organise and take part in their own cycling events for disabled people armed with the knowledge of the excellent bikes and specialist adaptations accessible to them". 

The next step following the success of ‘Wheels For All’ for Venture Outdoors and Bike Club, is to gather a store of accessible bikes that can be used by the newly qualified leaders to take disabled people cycling outdoors. 

To donate an old or unused adapted bike please contact Claire Overend from Venture Outdoors c.overend@countrysiderecreation.com or Tim Edgar from Bike Club tim.edgar@bikeclub.org.uk