Bikeability - Training for kids

[ChrisKH]

I have tried without success this year to get Bikeability training for my eight year old and possibly introductory training for my five year old. Southend Wheelers who are close to home used to offer this as part of a Saturday morning session for youngsters in the club but it doesn't appear to be happening this year. I was buoyed up recently to find out Southend Borough Council offer Bikeability training for youngsters only to be told that my kids weren't eligible as they didn't live in the Borough. My council don't appear to run it.

I am actually interested in bike training for all kids in my area, not just my own and there must be a demand or more likely people don't know it's possible. I have contact points and numbers for people at Essex County Council and Castle Point District Council (my local) but I want to be best prepared when I contact them with a view to getting funding or organising training for kids in the area. Does anyone have any tips or advice on how best to go about getting this? Why would one local council offer the training, but one not?

 

[summerdays]

Why would one local council offer the training, but one not?

Well the council can't offer it is their staff aren't Bikeability trained, unless they contract in another provider to do the course. I guess its upto each council to decide how they spend their budgets... somewhere there is a list of all the councils which applied for a grant from Cycling England for training kids.

(I know I have a list somewhere in an email but lunch is over and I'm off back to work)

 

[summerdays]

Went and searched the internet and found the following

List of local authorities receiving Cycle Training Grants

Local Authority Grant Number of Allocation£ Children to Be
Essex County Council 10,000 250

from: http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/f...79&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False

which shows the other council's as well .... not knowing how big Essex Council area is ... 250 kids doesn't look that much. It could be the figures for extra children to the trained as a result of the grant rather than the total number of children trained.

 

[ChrisKH]

Typical. Get home last night and son hands me a school circulation letter. "Bikeability training in your area this summer.............."

I was obviously a bit quick off the blocks.