Beicio i Bawb
Lead Organisation:
Antur Waunfawr
Area:
Caernarfon and Gwynedd schools
Investment Priority:
Community and Place
Investment: £281,189
What is the background?
Beics Antur is one of Antur Waunfawr’s green businesses, located in Porth yr Aur in Caernarfon town centre. The business was set up as part of Antur Waunfawr’s mission to offer health and wellbeing opportunities to the community. As well as offering bike hire, refurbishing and selling bikes, the centre provides a repair service, encouraging people to cycle confidently and safely.
To expand the services offered, the Beicio i Bawb (Cycling for All) project was developed. The aim of the project was to deliver training sessions and cycling activities across the Gwynedd area to:
- improve cycling skills and build confidence among new cyclists and
- encourage people of all ages to take part in cycling as a social activity.
To increase access for people with learning disabilities and the wider community, specialist adapted bikes were needed in the Beics Antur fleet of bikes available.
What was the support?
Through the Beicio i Bawb (Cycling for All) scheme two new specialist bikes were purchased.
A range of training sessions and cycling activities were organised across Gwynedd to improve skills, build confidence and encourage everyone to cycle. These included skills workshops in schools, cycling sessions for individuals with disabilities, and sessions for community groups who would not otherwise have had access to cycling.
What difference has this made?
- Two jobs were created and three safeguarded, and also three members of staff have gained qualifications to provide cycling skills training.
- Over 450 cycling sessions have been held and 900 children and adults participated.
- All the school children who received skills lessons reported that they felt safer and more confident to cycle after the sessions.
- Access to cycling is much better and a practical option for inexperienced cyclists who don’t have a bike.
We’ve had new bikes and increased the team, which has meant we’ve been able to do more activities. We’ve attended schools, run sessions with community groups, and indoor cycling when the weather is cold in winter, as well as running the shop.
It’s great to see more people able to enjoy freedom on two wheels!
Tom Workman
Siop Manager, Beics Antur
These sessions have given the pupils the opportunity to develop various cycling skills, as well as providing a weekly opportunity for exercise – which of course improves the pupils’ health and wellbeing. The sessions also encourage the pupils and give them the opportunity to work towards something special – which has helped us with the behaviour of some pupils. The pupils’ socialising confidence has improved, as has the ability of some to access services in the community.
Ysgol Pendalar Staff, Caernarfon
