Summer of cycling fun for young people with disabilities

The popular events were held on Mondays throughout August at Bush Hill Park in Lincoln Road.  The Council’s Healthy Streets Team worked in partnership with the Joint Service for Disabled Children and cycling social enterprise, Bikeworks, who launched the club.The morning sessions were for children aged 8-11 years and afternoon sessions for young people aged 11-25 years who were accompanied by a parent or carer. Children and young people could bring their own bikes, but specially adapted bikes were provided.

The scheme ran for four weeks and all 40 available places were filled.  

The Joint Service for Disabled Children at Enfield Council has been working with parents and carers of children and young people with SEND, to extend the range of play and leisure activities available for their children and young people to participate in after school, at weekends and during the school holidays. 

Cllr Ian Barnes and Cllr Mahtab Uddin visited Bush Hill Park to watch one of the sessions and to meet local young people, at the custom-made safe cycle track around Bush Hill Park that provides a safe place for young people and people with SEND to cycle.

Cllr Ian Barnes, Deputy Leader of Enfield Council, said: “It was wonderful to meet so many young people taking part in the cycling sessions and enjoying themselves. I’d like to thank Bikeworks for working in partnership with the Council to make the events a reality.

“The sessions were a fabulous opportunity for disabled children and young people with disabilities to develop their confidence and independence, to be physically active and contribute to their emotional and physical wellbeing.

“The importance of cycling cannot be underestimated in our fight against climate change, so I hope that we will be able to build on the success of the summer club and hold similar events for young people in the borough in the near future.”

Cllr Mahtab Uddin, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Enfield Council, said: “I was delighted to be invited to the summer cycling club. It was great to meet so many young people who had big smiles on their faces as they were having a great time on their bikes.  I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has made the club such a success.”  

The Council’s Joint Service for Disabled Children Team would like to arrange further SEND cycling activities, as they have proved to be so popular with local families. The team will be exploring funding opportunities to allow the sessions to continue in the future.

Parents and carers of children and young people with SEND, who are interested in finding out more about future events can visit: https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/children-and-education/local-offer/