The ABLE Project's 'BMX highriders' scheme received £8,374 from Big Lottery's Awards for All to create a BMX club for young people with special needs. We worked half a day every week (12 weeks) to self-build an innovative pump track in the grounds of Ravenscliffe High School and Sports College, Halifax, England. Calderdale & Kirklees Green Business Network managed the project and are now transferring the lessons learnt onto a new (10 acre) site in North Kirklees. The pilot track remains in place as a community resource.

[ last updated 18 November 2014 ]

20121128

Institute for Outdoor Learning

The project features in "Horizons", Winter 2012 (60) pages 22-24
- a professional development magazine for outdoor practitioners.
To read (pdf), click here

20121116

BMX at the Velodrome

The cycle development programme at Ravenscliffe has now entered its seventh year and involves over 100 young people with a vast range of special needs undertaking purposeful and relevant cycling opportunities on a weekly basis. In 1996 only 2 students could ride a 2 wheel bike independently. The school now has over 70 competent two wheel riders who are accessing mainstream cycle proficiency sessions and cycling the track at the Manchester Velodrome on a regular basis. In October 2012 8 students cycled the full BMX track at the Velodrome for the first time. We have more sessions on the track booked for 2013. Through highriders we remain committed to further extending cycling opportunities for people of all ages and abilities across the west Yorkshire region.