School rewarded for its cycling stroke of genius

9:48am Friday 30th May 2008

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A PRIMARY school has won an award for its innovative cycling scheme.

John Ball Primary School, Southvale Road, Blackheath, received £5,000 at the Cycling Community Awards for its Ride n' Swim scheme.

The project saw pupils aged nine and 10 cycling four miles to and from swimming lessons.

It won the Creative Solutions award for the most innovative cycling project at a ceremony on May 22.

The scheme encourages children to keep fit while also helping to protect the environment.

It also improves the pupils' cycling skills, helps to boost their confidence and teaches them about bike security.

The scheme is run by teacher and project leader Tom Crispin, who leads the children to and from their swimming lessons at Wavelengths leisure centre in Giffin Street, Deptford, sometimes with the help of PCSOs and volunteering parents.

Mr Crispin said the success of the scheme showed what general support there was among parents for their children to be more physically active.

Janet Adeleye, whose 10-year-old daughter, Yetunde, learnt to ride through the scheme, said: "Yetunde did not want to cycle because she was worried about the dangers of the road.

"Now she's really glad she decided to take part and she is really confident.

"I think the scheme is a good idea and the children are always well supervised."

The award money is going to be used by the school to buy new bikes and bicycle locks for pupils.

Peter McBride, head of cycling, walking and accessibility at Transport for London, said: "The beauty of grass roots projects such as these is they are grown by local communities.

"They open up cycling to people who might never have thought of cycling otherwise."

The awards were run by the London Cycle Campaign charity, funded by Transport for London and awarded money from a grants fund of £200,000.