Bike It News
Download the latest Bike It newsletter for regional round-ups from Bike It officers across schools in England and Wales, or read the brand new Bike It London Report here. To discover how your school can start working towards the Bike It School Mark's Bronze, Silver and Gold accreditation - rewarding all your hard work and helping to continue the project's positive effects over the years - simply talk to your Bike It officer.
To discover how the project could benefit your community, download Brilliant Bike It. It's packed with quotes from children, parents and teachers about the wonderful results this innovative project delivers. To see how Bike It could help schools and bike shops in your community, watch Bike It officer Gayle Rowson's short Bike It film.
Don't just take our word for it...
Bike It is really starting to grab the limelight. Cycling England's website highlights the project's 'Round the World Virtual Bike Race' as its August 'Scheme of the Month', and Lancashire County Council's annual Cycling News features Bike It's tremendous success across the region, with five pupils winning brand new Ridgeback bikes for cycling to school; seven schools installing new cycle storage; and safer cycle routes opening up to six Bike It schools thanks to the hard work of Lancaster's Bike It officer.
From Bike It parent - to cycle trainer
Several enthusiastic mothers with children at a Bike It school in London's Tower Hamlets are
getting in on the action thanks to the Tower Hamlets 'U Can 2' project.
This pilot project at Cubitt Town school was designed by Sam Margolis, the local council's Active Travel Officer, who started a cycle project for mums with support from Bike It officer James Scott. It encourages parents to cycle, to help overcome fears about letting their children ride to school. The women quickly saw how active, independent and confident they and their children could become thanks to Bike It safety awareness and Bikeability training. This project was supported by NHS Tower Hamlets, Bikeworks and Cycling England. Visit Sustrans Bike Belles website (aimed at female cyclists) for the full story.
Bike It set to reach 650 schools
Bike It is proving so successful that for 2009-2010, Sustrans will have 54 officers working to increase cycling amongst children in around 650 schools across England and Wales. To assist its fleet of endlessly enthusiastic Bike It officers, the number of regional supervisors is increasing to seven, all of whom are ex-Bike It officers and so know exactly how to support their teams.
Regional supervisor Emma Mather oversees the four-strong team of Bike It officers for Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset. Emma said: "It is just such an exciting time for Bike It especially in Bristol, England's first Cycling Demonstration City. Across the country, everyone - from the Bike It officers to the school champions and Bike It crews - has done tremendously well in encouraging more children to feel safe cycling to school, and it's up to us to get even more bikes in the sheds next year. Here's to 2010 being bigger and better than ever!"