Member Article

Major ‘East Midlands’ contract win for Balanceability

Over 1000 primary school pupils in Lincolnshire will be given the essential life skill of learning to ride a bike thanks to one of Balanceability’s largest ever contract wins in the East Midlands.

The programme, which is part of Telford-based TTC Cycling, has joined forces with sports charity Inspire+ to supply 24 schools in the area with 10 x 14“ balance bikes, 10 helmets and all the training materials required to deliver the UK afPE approved ‘Balanceability’ learn-to-cycle programme.

Colsterworth Primary School, Belmont Community Primary School and Uffington Church of England Primary School were amongst the first schools to receive their new bikes and will immediately get to work teaching Reception and Key Stage 1 pupils how to ride.

Samantha Wright, Sales Manager of Balanceability, explained: “We work with thousands of schools across the country, with most of our relationships being held directly with individual schools.

“This contract represents a new way of working with education. Through our partnership with Inspire+ we have provided a package to 24 schools involving 240 bikes.”

She continued: “As a result, more than 1000 young pupils will learn to cycle this year, but that’s just the start. These bikes will then be passed down to ‘new starters’ so they can learn this really important life skill as well.”

Inspire+ is a unique sports charity which serves schools across South Kesteven and Lincolnshire.

Founded by Vincent Brittain in 2011, it aims to improve the lives of young people through sport and healthy active lifestyles, working with primary schools to provide a comprehensive package of support that includes teacher training, pupil leadership development, The Legacy Challenge and pupil mentoring.

The service to secondary schools focuses on providing leadership training and opportunities for students who want to gain experience, skills and knowledge of sports coaching and volunteering or staging sporting events.

“I had the aim of offering our member schools the opportunity to give Reception/Key Stage 1 pupils the chance to learn to cycle on balance bikes having seen the difference it made to my son. This was in my mind when I attended the Lincolnshire PE Conference and this is where I first came across Balanceability,” added Vincent.

“We discussed the opportunity and the Balanceability team came back with a bespoke offer of support that meant 24 primary schools could benefit from accessing balance bikes and the course material.”

TTC Group acquired Balanceability in 2014 as part of ambitions to expand its training into new specialist areas.

In the four years that have followed, the company has steadily grown its coverage across the UK, winning contracts to supply balance bikes, resources and equipment to the general public, local authorities, schools and other public sector bodies.

TTC’s Cycling Director Oliver Raisbeck added: “We are excited to be working with Inspire+, sharing similar aspirations. Our capabilities and services are driven by the needs of today’s organisations to reduce on-road incidents and the wider social aims to improve health and wellbeing.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .