GB Cycling Team’s new talent joins community projects in Greater Manchester
The Olympic Development Squad riders of the Great Britain Cycling Team (GBCT) have recently taken part in community projects across the Greater Manchester area, while the GBCT has officially inducted 12 new riders across five disciplines into the Olympic Development Squad.
The riders joined eight different organisations that focused on three areas; cycling, community and physical activity. A group headed over to Manchester Youth Zone where they got a full tour of the centre, took part in a Q&A with the young people who benefit from the facility, and got stuck into a range of activities including a mix of sporting activities, from football, basketball, and indoor games, as well as an arts project.
Another group headed to Caritas Diocese of Salford Lalley Centre, a charity created to help people across Greater Manchester and Lancashire experiencing poverty, disadvantage and discrimination to transform their lives with dignity. Riders helped sorting donations, maintaining their allotment and food pantry which serves 1,349 attendees each year.
Another group of riders worked with MaxTrax to deliver learn to ride cycling sessions, whilst others helped refurbish bikes with Manchester Bike Kitchen for them to go back into the community.
As part of this new commitment from British Cycling, riders will be expected to deliver four days of social impact a year and will have access to a range of initiatives and workshops that will help them build the confidence and skills in which to do this.
“We also understand that as the national cycling team we have a responsibility, not only in winning medals, but to inspire the nation and play our part in driving positive social impact. We are working to create a pathway for our riders to understand and best utilise the platform they have as GB cyclists and enable them to have meaningful engagement with social impact initiatives that are of interest to them,” said Stephen Park CBE, Performance Director for the Great Britain Cycling Team.
The induction marked the start of the new academy year. Currently, the number of riders supported through UK Sport or Sport England’s TASS funding in their development into elite sport up to 28.
“We have high aspirations for medal performance at LA 28, Brisbane 32 and beyond so it’s great to see this new cohort of young talent joining the team, adding to the strength and depth of all of our disciplines,” said Park.
