Four schools in and around Lancaster took part in various cycling activities last week, organised by sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, for National Bike Week – a week of biking activity to celebrate cycling.
The activities kicked off at Silverdale Primary School on Wednesday with maintenance workshops for all children aged between nine and 11, and a family bike ride from the school to Leighton Moss. Nine children and their parents took part in the ride (despite a clash with an England world cup game!) which took two hours to complete.
On Thursday 24th June, pupils aged between seven and 11 from Cathedral Primary School in Lancaster, took part in maintenance workshops, to teach them how to care for their bikes.
Also on Thursday, 75 children from St Luke’s School in Skerton cycled to school for a bikers breakfast – a free healthy breakfast for all children that cycled to school. Throughout the day, children took part in cycle skills workshops, whilst Dr. Bike was on hand to give bicycles the once over and to ensure that they are roadworthy.
The end of the week saw an organised bike ride at St Marys Primary School in Morecambe. Seven pupils aged between nine and 11 cycled from the school along the promenade to Heysham and back.
New Sustrans Bike It Officer for Lancaster, Annie Cousins, recently joined Kathy Bashford, who has worked with local schools since early 2006, to encourage pupils to get to school under their own steam. They organise various events and classroom based curriculum activities to give the children the knowledge and skills to enable them to cycle safely.
“The Bike Week was full of action – all of the children really enjoyed it,” says Cousins. “It’s great to see them having so much fun whilst learning and improving on such a brilliant life skill – cycling.
“The pupils really thrive on the freedom and independence they get from cycling to school under their own power – not only is it great for their health, it’s great for the environment too.”
Sustrans works in partnership with Lancaster City Council’s Cycle Demonstration Town team with 28 schools in the Lancaster area, to help children overcome the barriers that are preventing them from cycling to school.
• Further information about Sustrans and Bike It, including other news releases, is available through our website: www.sustrans.org.uk
• Further information about the Cycle Demonstration Town project is available at www.celebratingcycling.org