Refugees Cycle Challenge

13th July 2018 9:47am - Return to press releases

A group of refugees, some of whom study at East Riding College took part in a Refugee Cycle Challenge recently.  Many of the refugees who took part are from Syria and came to the East Riding to start a new life.  They have been taking part in a cycling scheme to help them get around the area safely and put their knowledge to good use by taking part in a 50-mile bike ride across the East Riding. 

 

 

Student Ibrahim Satouf, aged 16 from Hull took cycling lessons last year and now uses his bike to get around his local area.  He said, “I would recommend the scheme to others, it was very useful to me.”

In a joint project run by the council’s road safety team, the Refugee Council, Humberside Police, Safer Roads Humber and R-evolution, a number of refugees settling in the area have received training in cycling skills and road safety to help them navigate the roads and deal with traffic in their new country.

As part of the scheme, they also received reconditioned bicycles and safety gear including helmets from the R-evolution charity in Cottingham, providing them with transport so they can travel to education and employment and help them integrate into the local community.

The team of refugees took part in a challenge to cycle from R-evolution in Cottingham to Sewerby Hall in Bridlington on a very hot day in June.

Around 24 refugees took part and were joined and guided by members of the council’s road safety team.

The cyclists stopped off at East Riding College in Beverley to ‘refuel’ and were welcomed by College Principal Mike Welsh.

The Challenge was timed to perfection, coinciding with Cycle4Life Week and National Refugee Week.