VC Jubilee and British Cycling support "Bike It" event

 

News Posted: 27 April 2007

 

Club members and British Cycling’s Regional Manager attended Mile Oak Primary School, Portslade, East Sussex recently to support Gary Shipp’s Bike It, ‘Bling Your Bike Day’. Forty-seven young riders decorated their bikes and rode to school to take part in the “Bling your Bike” event, promoted by Sustrans Bike It Officer, Gary Shipp. All participants received a free energy bar for their efforts and each was entered into the competition of best decorated bike. Bikes had to be decorated with completely recyclable materials and the designs were not allowed to interfere with the normal operation of brakes and gears.

 

Gary is developing many cycling activities across Brighton and Hove Schools with the aim of getting more young people to ride to school. Each day that a pupil rides, they receive a sticker and their name is logged on a register with prizes given for 25, 50 and 100 school journeys. The prestigious gold badge for the 100 rides is the goal for many of the participants.

 

VC Jubilee has already had a number of riders join the club thanks to Gary’s hard work locally, including families and friends of riders that have taken part. Sally Page, Club Contact, said, “our partnership with Bike It, and support from British Cycling, has enabled the club to increase its youth and family members. It gives riders a place to go who want to continue to improve their cycling skills.”

 

Part of the Bike It development is to encourage members of school staff to take on the role of Cycling Champion to continue the work initiated by Gary. Mr Fulcher, Mile Oak School cycling contact, has worked with Gary to introduce Bike It events, and they have explored partnerships with British Cycling to introduce more activities to the school. Gary has undertaken British Cycling’s Activity Coach Award for Teachers to enable him to support PESSCL (PE School Sports Club Links) coaching sessions taking place later in the year, with Regional Go-Ride Coach, John Scripps. Joint activities between the school and the club took place over the Easter Holiday period to further strengthen the link between the two groups.

 

VC Jubilee is a Go-Ride Clubmark Accredited club, and it links into the NGB (National Governing Body) Olympic talent programmes. However, not all the club’s riders have such high ambitions, and many just enjoy riding their bikes in a group environment. The club’s coaching sessions take place under the watchful eyes of BC qualified coaches, ensuring the riders can improve their skills and bike handling to a level where they can compete at a local or national level. VC Jubilee’s calendar of activities includes trying various different cycling disciplines (BMX, Cycle Speedway, Cyclo-Cross, Mountain Biking, Road, Time-Trialling, and Track), organising cycling trips, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and coaching sessions to improve group riding skills and social development, etc.

 

Local VCJ rider Peter Mitchell, from Upper Beeding, was recently presented with the BC National Youth Sprint Champion Cup and held a national sprint speed record. Pete, who is 16, has just been accepted onto the BC Olympic Development Programme, with high aims to become a top GB sprint cyclist of the future. With the London Olympics coming, the club believe Pete has the ability to feature at this amazing event and is a credit to the network of Go-Ride clubs and the development pathways that are now available across the country. Anyone interested in joining VC Jubilee should contact Sally Page at vcjubilee@vcjubilee.co.uk or visit www.vcjubilee.co.uk