Two young Slough people from Britwell have been celebrating after becoming Cycle-Wise Mechanics Assistants, thanks to a project by Slough Borough Council, the Britwell Youth and Community project and Cycle-Wise Thames Valley.
The Slough project provides a structured programme of bicycle maintenance and repair by nationally accredited trainers and technicians for youngsters in Britwell.
The Britwell Bike Club was started by Slough Borough Council, in response to a successful funding bid to the Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth capital fund to provide a cycle storage container.
Alexander Jones and Henry Gibbs are the first young people from the project to gain their level 1 award and received their certificates from Steve Roberts and Simon Hughes of Cycle-wise Thames Valley.
British Cycling and Bikeability also came along to give advice and watch the Slough ceremony and the young people working.
Vinay Vyas, Slough Borough Council’s community safety project officer, said: “This project is a fantastic opportunity for young people in Britwell to learn new skills while working on their bikes or their friends bikes.
“It is great two young people have already reached level 1 and I hope more will be following in their footsteps soon.”
Steve Roberts, from Cycle-Wise Thames Valley, said: “Young people, when they get to Mechanic Assistant level 5, will have the skills to maintain and repair their bikes and salvage bikes for others too.
“This gives them something worthwhile to do with their spare time and works towards earning them parts and vouchers so they can improve their bikes”.
“It also fosters a sense of pride in their work and a greater understanding of being safe on the roads.”
The Bike Club has also accumulated a range of salvaged bikes, for the young people to repair and make road-worthy. Potentially these bikes can be used as pool bikes to help children in a local school do Bike-ability road safety training.
Currently the Slough Bike Club is open every Thursday between 1800hrs and 2030hrs at the Britwell Youth and Community Project premises. For more information, please call 01753 526802.
Slough Borough Council
