Cambridge Assessment's £6,000 donation will help more children stay safe while cycling

Cambridge Assessment has donated £6,000 to help give children across Cambridgeshire will have the chance to gain cycling experience.

The money will help plug a shortfall in Bikeability funding - the Department for Transport scheme which offers free cycle training to children, giving them the opportunity to learn the basics all the way up to planning a route and cycling on main roads.

The scheme is popular, with the number of children wanting places increasing while the funding pot remained static.

Cambridgeshire County Council, which manages Bikeability, had considered charging schools, but the plan was rejected by councillors.

However, Cllr Linda Jones, who represents Petersfield ward, and county cycle champion Cllr Noel Kavanagh, contacted Cambridge Assessment and the firm was happy to help.

Maria Anderson, group head of health, safety and wellbeing for Cambridge Assessment, said: “We are delighted to be able to support such a good cause, helping children improve their cycling skills and get the confidence they need when out and about on their bikes. As a health and safety practitioner myself, I’m really pleased to be involved with an initiative like this that helps make people safer”.

Cllr Jones said: “We are extremely grateful to Cambridge Assessment for their kind contribution and sponsorship of the Bikeability programme for 2019-2020.

“Bikeability offers children the chance to gain practical skills and develop an understanding of how to cycle and educates them about the needs of other road users - taking them from the playground to the road.

“Cambridge Assessment’s donation helps to top up the current funding from the Department for Transport and will enable us to deliver Bikeability Level 2 training for an extra 150 children this year.”

The courses are delivered by cambridge-based Outspoken Training.