Cash boost will help to steer cycling lessons

Hamsterley Forest-based Descend Mountain Bike Promotions is pressing forward with a pioneering scheme that will eventually see schools set up their own racing teams.

Craig Hunter and Bobby Boyd have already had keen interest in the project from schools throughout the region who want to offer their youngsters an alternative to football.

The pair were presented with a cheque for £3,500 from the Princes Trust and have been given a cash boost of £6,500 from Teesdale Enterprise.

They started out three years ago as a non-profit organisation and designed their own Mountain Bike course, which now attracts riders from all over the country to Hamsterley Forest.

The funding will help to pay for new courses, which will encourage riders of all abilities to take up the challenge of the sport.

Craig said: "We are hoping to run around four or five training courses a week for schools and youth groups.

"We will take them out riding the trails in Hamsterley and show them how to prepare for a day out along with basic safety awareness and how to cope with different weather conditions.''

The training day will also fit in with schools' curriculums and count towards GSCE in sport.

Financial support is also filtering in from other organisations such as the Millennium Fund from Scarman Trust and Social Enterprise Sunderland.

Social Enterprise Sunderland provided training for both Craig and Bobby enabling them to qualify for leading youth groups in the forest activities.

Craig is also full of praise for the Forestry Commision which has helped with land for the project.

He said: "We have had a lot of support from the Forestry Commission who have allocated the land for all of this. It is not many people who would give up a piece of land for something of this nature because the safety element is a big responsibility.''

Craig said: "When it comes to safety there are all sorts of rules and regulations. With us safety comes first.''