So Many Pedals ……….. for the big pedal. - Sustrans
So Many Pedals ……….. for the big pedal. - Sustrans
So Many Pedals ……….. for the big pedal. - Sustrans
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Spring Term 2012 Bike It NI <strong>So</strong>uth East<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong> Bike It <strong>So</strong>uth East news<br />
<strong>So</strong> <strong>Many</strong> <strong>Pedals</strong> <strong>………</strong>.. <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>big</strong> <strong>pedal</strong>.<br />
The Big Pedal involved children from early years upwards to teachers,<br />
parents and even pirates in Ballymacash Primary School and five<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r schools within <strong>the</strong> SE area. Those taking part were lucky with<br />
great wea<strong>the</strong>r and fantastic numbers were logged in having made <strong>the</strong><br />
journey to school by bicycle. A total of 2,218 journeys were taken<br />
during <strong>the</strong> three weeks with 1707 children coming to school on bikes,<br />
254 with scooters, supported by 257 adults.<br />
New skills in <strong>the</strong> playground and Dr Bike in <strong>the</strong> bike shed.<br />
<strong>Many</strong> on road cycle skills can be developed through games and<br />
practice in <strong>the</strong> playground, especially <strong>for</strong> younger children,<br />
developing skills such as keeping to rules, reacting to o<strong>the</strong>r people’s<br />
behaviour, keeping calm, testing <strong>the</strong>ir motor skills with manoeuvres.<br />
This term Pamela, with lots of help from Jackie - a volunteer - spent<br />
two days in Holywood PS where pupils from P1 to P7 took part in<br />
some fun playground cycle skills activities. Even though <strong>the</strong><br />
wea<strong>the</strong>r wasn’t good everyone was full of energy and enthusiasm<br />
and a great time was had by all. Pamela also worked with P4 and<br />
P5 pupils from Comber PS <strong>for</strong> after school cycle skills activities,<br />
building up to <strong>the</strong> grand slow race to finish, a real test of balance<br />
and control.<br />
Meanwhile 239 bikes in five schools came in <strong>for</strong> a health<br />
check, brakes, wheels, steering and <strong>pedal</strong>s were all checked out<br />
and any problems noted. Pamela got lots of help from Paul Smith<br />
from Bangor Bikeworks and John and Gavin Hanna of JM Hanna’s<br />
shop in Lisburn who gave <strong>the</strong>ir time and energy - and spare parts -<br />
to help check and where possible replace brake cables etc.<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong> is <strong>the</strong> charity that’s enabling people to travel by foot, bike or<br />
public transport <strong>for</strong> more of <strong>the</strong> journeys we make every day. It’s time we<br />
all began making smarter travel choices. Make your move and support<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong> today. www.sustrans.org.uk<br />
© <strong>Sustrans</strong> 2012. Registered Charity No. 326550 (England and Wales) SCO39263 (Scotland)<br />
I’d love to hear from you…<br />
I’m Pamela Grove-White,<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong> schools officer <strong>for</strong> Bike<br />
It <strong>So</strong>uth East. Please get in touch<br />
if you have any great school<br />
stories or would like to find out<br />
more about our schools work.<br />
Tel: 028 9043 4569<br />
Mob: 07884 393537<br />
Email: pamela.grove-white@sustrans.org.uk
Heard this term…<br />
“The Big Pedal is a great <strong>Sustrans</strong><br />
competition to get more kids out on<br />
two wheels. <strong>So</strong> many kids want to<br />
cycle so we should make it easy <strong>for</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>m to get around by bike and to be<br />
fit and healthy. It's brilliant to see<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong> encouraging children from a<br />
young age to be happy, independent<br />
and free-range, and maybe even feel<br />
inspired to become future British<br />
cycling champions.”<br />
Mark Cavendish, World Champion cyclist,<br />
20-times Tour de France stage winner<br />
“Wheelie Wednesday is definitely<br />
improving our cycling figures<br />
especially on Weds but also Thursday<br />
and Friday. Additionally we had a<br />
Christmas-<strong>the</strong>med Wheelie Weds last<br />
week where <strong>the</strong> children came in<br />
earlier <strong>for</strong> milk and Christmas cookies<br />
(72 attended !!!) plus parents. Santa<br />
(my husband) was a little bashful<br />
when he arrived in <strong>the</strong> hall on his bike<br />
as a surprise to draw <strong>the</strong> raffle, but<br />
<strong>the</strong> children loved it!”<br />
Michelle Massimo, Kingswood Primary<br />
This term in numbers<br />
Your local schools<br />
Bike Health Checks carried out in 5 schools with<br />
239 bikes being checked.<br />
3 Bike It Breakfast/brunches were run 300<br />
pupils, family members and teachers taking part.<br />
National Standards cycle training; 73 children<br />
achieved level 2 and 12 level 1.<br />
Top bike shed (including scooters) counts this<br />
term;<br />
Holywood PS – 121<br />
Ballymacash PS – 81<br />
Andrews Memorial PS - 61<br />
Comber PS - 51<br />
All Children’s IPS – 46<br />
Did you know?<br />
In 1971, 80% of 7 and 8 year-olds<br />
travelled to school without an<br />
adult. By 2009 only 11% of 7 to 10<br />
year-olds did <strong>the</strong> same.<br />
National Standards Cycle Training<br />
Four schools took part in National Standards Cycle training<br />
with pupils from P6 and P7 classes getting <strong>the</strong> chance to<br />
develop <strong>the</strong>ir skills from playground experience to on road<br />
training, looking at starting and finishing a journey,<br />
checking <strong>for</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r road users, setting position on <strong>the</strong> road<br />
and always being ‘<strong>pedal</strong> ready’.<br />
.<br />
Certificates <strong>for</strong><br />
training<br />
Getting ready<br />
to start a<br />
journey<br />
Talking about positioning<br />
and turning into a junction<br />
…and across <strong>the</strong> UK<br />
The results achieved in <strong>the</strong> Bike It SE area contribute to <strong>Sustrans</strong>’<br />
school work throughout <strong>the</strong> UK. <strong>Sustrans</strong> is currently directly<br />
engaged with 1,405 schools, with a total of more than 380,000<br />
pupils*. Between 5-23 March, <strong>Sustrans</strong> ran <strong>the</strong> Big Pedal cycle to<br />
school challenge (see Page 4), and <strong>the</strong> results were startling:<br />
• 898 primary and 61 secondary schools took part<br />
• Collectively <strong>the</strong>y represented almost 312,000 pupils<br />
• 890,304 journeys were generated by bike or scooter<br />
• On average 21% of pupils at Big Pedal schools took part on<br />
a daily basis – <strong>the</strong> national average <strong>for</strong> cycling (not scooting)<br />
in primary schools is just 1%, <strong>for</strong> secondaries it’s 2% (2010)<br />
The <strong>Sustrans</strong> Bike It School Mark recognises schools which show<br />
exceptional commitment to cycling with Bronze, Silver and Gold<br />
awards. 432 schools already have Bronze status, with 35 at Silver<br />
and working hard to be <strong>the</strong> first UK school to achieve <strong>the</strong> coveted<br />
Gold School Mark award.<br />
Our Winter Sticker design competition to encourage cycling<br />
attracted over 8,000 inspired (and inspiring) entries.<br />
*based on a total school roll <strong>for</strong> all primary and middle schools, and <strong>the</strong> targeted<br />
pupils within <strong>the</strong> secondary schools.<br />
Bike It NI <strong>So</strong>uth East <strong>Sustrans</strong> schools update Spring Term 2012
What’s <strong>Sustrans</strong> up to with<br />
schools in your region?<br />
We are working with schools in three<br />
areas of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland. In addition to<br />
<strong>the</strong> work in <strong>the</strong> <strong>So</strong>uth Eastern Health<br />
Trust area we are working with 8 schools<br />
in Belfast and 2 schools in<br />
Derry~Londonderry. In Belfast pupils at<br />
Bike It schools regularly cycling to<br />
schools has risen from 5% to 14% in<br />
just one year.<br />
In Derry Greenhaw PS have done a year<br />
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sustrans</strong> Bike it programme and<br />
won <strong>the</strong> bronze award <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir ef<strong>for</strong>ts.<br />
This was presented by <strong>the</strong> Mayor in Feb<br />
Photo competition<br />
Caption: High Five <strong>for</strong> cycling!<br />
Find a favourite photograph from Bike<br />
It activities this year; could you get a<br />
better one than mine?<br />
Send your photos to:<br />
pamela.grove-white@sustrans.org.uk<br />
Hype that site – www.walktoschool.org.uk<br />
Walk to School Week is coming up between 21-25 May… <strong>the</strong><br />
ideal opportunity to get any non-cyclists to discover <strong>the</strong> joy of an<br />
active journey to school. The site has free resources, case<br />
studies and advice <strong>for</strong> parents, schools and local authorities on<br />
how to get involved. Remember, pupils who walk to school burn<br />
more calories in a week than <strong>the</strong> recommended 2 hours of PE...<br />
What else is new?<br />
Active School Travel in Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland is set to receive<br />
much more focus in coming years following targets in <strong>the</strong><br />
Programme <strong>for</strong> Government (PfG). The target is “by 2015<br />
create <strong>the</strong> conditions to facilitate at least 36% of primary<br />
school pupils and 22% of secondary school pupils to walk<br />
or cycle to school as <strong>the</strong>ir main mode of transport.”<br />
Thumbs up to this great news from pupils and staff from<br />
<strong>the</strong> Hezlett PS on <strong>the</strong>ir weekly walking bus.<br />
Top tips <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> term<br />
• The clocks have changed, so can you fit in<br />
any after-school bike activities?<br />
• Start Wheelie-Wednesdays to involve pupils<br />
and parents who can’t cycle every day<br />
• Spring clean your bike… better wea<strong>the</strong>r<br />
means it will get more use, have you given<br />
yours an “M-check”?<br />
• Help pupils become <strong>Sustrans</strong> Heroes to<br />
celebrate <strong>the</strong> London 2012 Games! Ask your<br />
officer <strong>for</strong> details.<br />
Get <strong>the</strong>se resources…<br />
• Clocks Forward Fun… our activity sheet to<br />
celebrate <strong>the</strong> extra light<br />
• M-check advice… <strong>the</strong> quick way to check<br />
your bike is safe and ready to roll<br />
You can download both (and more!) at<br />
www.sustrans.org.uk/freerangekids/families/res<br />
ources-<strong>for</strong>-families<br />
Bike It NI <strong>So</strong>uth East <strong>Sustrans</strong> schools update Spring Term 2012
School travel news from <strong>the</strong> UK<br />
As <strong>Sustrans</strong>’ Schools, Children and Young People team<br />
continues to grow in 2012, <strong>the</strong> outstanding ef<strong>for</strong>ts of its<br />
officers working in schools was recognised in <strong>the</strong> PEA<br />
(People, Environment, Achievement) Awards, as Bike It took<br />
<strong>the</strong> “Schools” category. In London, Bike It also captured <strong>the</strong><br />
“Sustainable Travel and Transport” category of <strong>the</strong><br />
Sustainable City Awards.<br />
But in <strong>the</strong> spring term <strong>the</strong> Big Story was <strong>the</strong> Big Pedal. Over<br />
310,000 pupils were represented by schools competing in<br />
this “virtual” bike race around <strong>the</strong> UK. The more who cycled<br />
to school, <strong>the</strong> faster <strong>the</strong>y completed <strong>the</strong> race. Powered by<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong>, funded by <strong>the</strong> Bike Hub and supported by our very<br />
generous prize sponsors, it was an incredible success. How<br />
incredible? Check <strong>the</strong> figures on P2….<br />
This term, <strong>Sustrans</strong> schools can celebrate <strong>the</strong> London 2012<br />
Olympic and Paralympic Games through our Heroes award<br />
scheme. Officially “Inspire-marked” <strong>for</strong> London 2012,<br />
children can earn Bronze, Silver or Gold awards by<br />
demonstrating various <strong>Sustrans</strong>, Olympic and Paralympic<br />
values related to cycling and sustainable travel. Your local<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong> officer can let you know how to take part.<br />
Finally, on 14 May <strong>the</strong>re will be a Parliamentary Reception<br />
to celebrate <strong>Sustrans</strong>’ Free Range Kids campaign to create<br />
environments <strong>for</strong> active, independent and healthy young<br />
people, through 20 mph limits and safe walking and cycling<br />
routes. Support this vision at www.freerangekids.org.uk<br />
Please continue to support our work<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong>’ vision is a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit <strong>the</strong>ir health and <strong>the</strong><br />
environment, and this applies to children just as much as it does to adults. The positive experiences of all <strong>the</strong><br />
children that you have you have read about in this newsletter are <strong>the</strong> culmination of more than 16 years of<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong> and our officers working with schools and young people.<br />
Without your support, many children would not have <strong>the</strong> opportunity to enjoy independent and active journeys<br />
in and around <strong>the</strong>ir communities, so a huge thank you from us on <strong>the</strong>ir behalf. The long-term benefits of<br />
creating healthy and sustainable journeys will be shared by every one of us – in terms of our health, <strong>the</strong><br />
environment and <strong>the</strong> wider economy.<br />
If you like <strong>the</strong> sound of what <strong>Sustrans</strong> does and think that more schools and young people in your area<br />
could benefit from our work, or you want to know more, please get in touch with us.<br />
email info@sustrans.org.uk<br />
phone 0845 113 0065<br />
online www.sustrans.org.uk<br />
Dates <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> diary<br />
April<br />
6-9 th<br />
Easter<br />
22 nd Earth Day & Diamond<br />
Jubilee… celebrate your crowning<br />
achievements!<br />
27 th<br />
London 2012 …. three months<br />
until <strong>the</strong> games begin<br />
May<br />
14 th<br />
Free Range Kids Parliamentary<br />
Reception, visit<br />
www.freerangekids,org.uk<br />
21-25 th Walk to School Week (see<br />
P2)<br />
June<br />
3 rd<br />
The Big Lunch… why not have a<br />
street party? Visit www.<strong>the</strong><strong>big</strong>lunch.com<br />
16-24 th<br />
Bike Week, visit<br />
www.bikeweek.org.uk<br />
17 th<br />
Fa<strong>the</strong>rs Day<br />
29 th<br />
End of term …. How have<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong> heroes done? Have you got<br />
your Bike Mark?<br />
July<br />
Bike It NI <strong>So</strong>uth East <strong>Sustrans</strong> schools update Spring Term 2012<br />
20 th<br />
27 th<br />
Ramadan begins<br />
London 2012 Games begin<br />
<strong>Sustrans</strong> is grateful <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> continued support of our schools work in N Ireland <strong>So</strong>uth East from <strong>the</strong> following: