Cycling for Salford

Let’s give disabled young people cycling skills that will last a lifetime 

It was hard enough before Covid-19 for disabled young people to access sporting facilities, but it’s become even tougher since the pandemic, with almost 40% of disabled people less active than before the pandemic struck*. 

That’s why we’re asking for your help. We’re raising money so we can teach 150 disabled young people to ride a bike (or get better at it!), by bringing specialist coaching and equipment to a brand new bike track that is currently being built in Salford. 

We’ll be running a 10-week programme with specialist qualified Level 2 BMX cycling coaches that will give disabled young people the confidence to get out and ride a bike. And we want to run more of these programmes and get more disabled young people onto bikes. 

Our aim is to get 150 people learning cycling skills that will last a lifetime! But we'll need your help.

It’s not just about cycling skills. There’s so much more to be gained including:

• The confidence to try something new
• A sense of independence
• The chance to meet new people and make friends
• Work on communication skills and teamwork
• The chance to get out of the house and join in!

Your donation will be doubled or trebled! 

Every single donation will be doubled and the first £5,000 will be trebled! 

So £1 becomes £2 or even £3! 

Thank you to our partners The London Marathon Charitable Trust and their Strategic Grant Partnerships programme, and Crowdfund Salford, for making your money go even further. 

How your donation will be used

Your donations could help to: 

• Teach 150 disabled young people how to cycle, or become better at cycling, with coaching from British Cycling-trained experts 
• Ensure local disability groups and pupils at special educational needs schools have free access and expert coaching at the new bike track 
• Buy balance bikes and open-face helmets for young people with special educational needs 
• Buy extra pads, helmets and PPE to ensure the track and equipment is Covid-safe

Hear why Shanaze Reade supports Cycling for Salford

Shanaze Reade is a three-time BMW World Champion and is supporting the Cycling for Salford appeal. Hear what Shanaze says about it here. 

About the new bike track

The old bowling green at Peel Park in Little Hulton, Salford is being turned into a brand new bike park, giving local young people a safe space to cycle and skate. It’s being built with support from The London Marathon Charitable Trust, Places to Ride, Access Sport, Salford City Council and Little Hulton Big Local. All the money to build the track has been raised. 

We'll be holding an event to celebrate the opening of the new track. The date of this is to be confirmed, please keep an eye on the 'Updates' section.  

Work to build the track has started and this is what it looked like at the end of April: 

In just a few weeks it will look a lot like this: 

Not only will this provide an amazing facility for all, but the development will become home to an inclusive cycling club run by local volunteers. 

Here's the track design: 

As well as the track itself, there will be lighting, outdoor furniture, lots of new trees and shrubbery, bike storage and an indoor space for the cycle club. 

The brand new track is being built right now and will ready in the middle of May. We'll be posting updates so you can see the track taking shape over the next few weeks. 

Take a look at this similar track which was built by Access Sport in Hartcliffe, Bristol: 

How you can help 

£30 could buy an open-face helmet required by some disabled young people who can't wear a closed one 

£60 could buy a balance bike suitable for a child with special educational needs 

£100 could buy 10 weeks of tuition for one disabled young person to learn how to cycle

£165 could buy a larger balance bike suitable for a teen with learning and developmental disabilities

£500 could pay for 5 disabled young people to learn the skill of cycling which will last a lifetime

Meet Omar 

Omar is a 13 year old with impaired vision in his left eye and a hearing problem. He had struggled to find a sport that he enjoyed. Omar had little experience of cycling and had never been on a BMX before but decided to give it a try after his mum saw that Access Sport put on a disability specific session at his local club in Croydon.

At his first session, Omar was nervous about how his visual impairment would affect him taking part and wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to ride around the BMX track. But despite these initial reservations, Omar loves BMX and has worked hard with the Access Sport volunteers to build his skills and confidence.

Omar loves the sessions, rarely missing a week. He is really happy that he has found the sport for him.

Omar's mum says: 

“Due to his visual impairment Omar has balance problems and originally I didn’t even want to take of the stabilisers off his bike but now he is standing up on the BMX bike and going on the track, it’s amazing to see... he was so happy.”

*Activity Alliance: The Impact of Covid-19 On Disabled People, August 2020

Note: Participants on this programme will be young people with a range of disabilities. There may be occasions when the opportunity to cycle is extended to other vulnerable or disadvantaged young people.