Whitchurch cycling club
Racing | Photos provided by Anne-Marie Lawrence

Volunteers needed to bring cycling group to Grangetown

Whitchurch club wants to encourage more youngsters to take part across city

A CLUB is looking for help to set up a group to bring the joys of cycling to more youngsters in Grangetown.

WHITCHURCH cycling club takes children as soon as they can ride a bike and introduces them to cyclo-cross, mountain biking, and road riding. There is also an adult branch of the club.

Whitchurch cycling club on Barrage
Whitchurch cycling club on Barrage | Photo by Anne-Marie Lawrence

“Our aim is to be inclusive and get more people involved in cycling – with a particular focus on young people,” said Anne-Marie Lawrence, head coach of the club, which was formed in 2016.

“We take all our kids on off-road routes, groups all going off from our littlest to our biggest. They get to do different routes of different speeds and distances depending on their abilities.

The club is appealing for Grangetown residents to volunteer to help the new branch and become cycling role models. It is also looking for funding to buy high quality, safe bikes and train coaches and leaders.

“We want to work with Grangetown residents who might be interested in getting involved. We are happy to help develop and train people as coaches, ride leaders, welfare officers – however people want to get involved,” said Ms Lawrence.

Grangetown councillor Ashley Lister said: “As chair of Grangetown Community Action, I would be more than happy to help the club access funding to support training and equipment, so that children in Grangetown can get more involved in cycling.”

Ms Lawrence added: “What’s really nice is the social aspect, the kids make friends with each other – those who have been here since the start have grown up together.”

“We try to give them loads of opportunities both on and off the bike. For example, we hold social nights: pumpkin carving, Christmas parties, skittles nights – when Covid allows.”

Contact: whitchurchcyclingclub@gmail.com to get involved.